Articles

What Is LDSPMA Really About?

May 26, 2021 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

By Michael I. Judson

Years ago, I worked for Novell, a company that, at one time, was the world leader in computer networking software. You might think the way the company got so big was by focusing on beating out all its competitors, but our mission statement was just the opposite. It was: “To grow the networking industry faster than it would without us.”

That mission statement seemed counterintuitive at first. Why spend time and resources helping everyone else in the industry when we had our own company’s success to look after? But over time, the wisdom of that approach began to manifest itself. You see, personal computers were relatively new at the time, and networking them together was a novel concept, so we needed help to create awareness and demand for products in our industry.

Without the infrastructure of the industry, our leaders knew the company would never succeed, so we developed our own trade show and aggressively invited other companies to participate. We sponsored training and professional certification programs, started our own industry magazine, and published newsletters for resellers and dealers. And we sought out mutually beneficial partnerships with other technology companies.

So, what has all of this got to do with the Latter-day Saint Publishing and Media Association? Of course, we are not out to dominate some “industry.” Rather, we want to bring the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as we can through the creative works of gifted writers, artists, musicians, filmmakers and more. And the best way to do this is by helping everyone who has a similar desire, to reach their goals—including organizations that may look a bit like ours.

Borrowing a well-known metaphor, we want to be a part of the “rising tide” that helps to “lift all boats.” Yes, we want to succeed as an organization; otherwise, why exist? By collaborating with other organizations and individuals with a similar vision, we can help to inspire more creativity, develop more opportunities for sharing ideas and creative works, and establish more connections with more people who share a passion for spreading praiseworthy works to a sometimes dark and dreary world.

Announcing . . .

With that as a backdrop, we are thrilled to announce a partnership with the American Night Writers Association (ANWA), which will begin with LDSPMA and ANWA each promoting the other’s annual conferences.

ANWA is a professional organization for writers and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose purpose is to encourage, assist, educate, and motivate Church members to write, and, if they desire, to publish their works.
Learn more about ANWA at their website or on Facebook or Instagram, and watch for additional announcements from LDSPMA about partnerships and sponsorships to help us serve and inspire more Latter-day Saints who are interested in publishing and media.
And if you are part of an organization that shares our vision and would like to explore partnership or sponsorship opportunities with LDSPMA, please contact me at [email protected].

Mike Judson is a professional communicator, author, and the LDSPMA Director of Development.

7 Ways To Help Readers Discover Your Books

May 12, 2021 By LDSPMA 1 Comment

By Karlene Browning

When you publish your first book, you aren’t just putting a story out there. You are launching a brand and an identity that will travel with you over the course of your writing career. If you do it right, it will help lead readers to you in a natural and organic fashion. If you do it wrong, it will confuse readers and they will get lost on their way to finding you.

While each of these tips has its own set of pros and cons, whys and wherefores, rules, and reasons to break the rules, this tip list will help your readers find YOU when they’re looking for a good book to read.

1. Pick your name

As your brand, your name needs to be unique enough to differentiate you from other authors with similar names. Do a Google search. If you happen to share a name with another author or a famous person, consider adding an initial, using a middle name, or using a less common pen name.

When a reader finds an author they like, they will Google the name on the cover of the book. You want them to find you online wherever you are. Whether you’re Jane Doe, Jane S. Doe, or Jane Smith Doe, that is your brand and you need to use it on every book cover and on all your online author accounts.

2. Claim your name

Before your name is set in stone, make sure you can get it as a .com, a Google ID and gmail address, and on the social media platforms you prefer. You want identifiable and consistent name branding across as many platforms as possible.

Here again, Google is your friend. If the .com is taken, adjust your name until you find a variation that you’re comfortable with, then grab the URL and social media account names as fast as you can. Even if you aren’t quite ready to publish, get them NOW!

3. Avoid too many pen names

There are several valid and legitimate reasons for having multiple pen names. Just know that for each name, you start all over from scratch to build a brand and platform. You’ll need a website, social media accounts, and emails for each one. Is it worth it?

In most cases, differentiating genres is not a good reason to create a new pen name. Readers usually find you through the genre they like best. If they like you, they will give your other genres a try. A good website will let them know what to expect in each genre.

The only time it truly serves you to use a second (or third) name is if one area of writing would offend established readers or damage your reputation. For example, if you write both Middle Grade and soft porn, use a pen name. Or if you write academic papers on quantum physics and Regency Romance, use a pen name or your academic peers will snicker behind your back.

4. Get a website

You need an online presence with a permanent URL and an easily searchable website or blog. (Facebook and Twitter are add-ons, not adequate author sites.) Unless you know you are only going to write one book, your URL should be your name (see tips 1 & 2), not your book title. Not only will a website help people find you, but it gives them something to link to when they want to share your books with their friends.

While you can start with a free site, I recommend a hosted domain as soon as possible. Free sites can change policies or close down at any time. At the very least, point that URL from tip #2 to your free blog, and use that URL on business cards and book bios.

5. Post your books on your site

You would think this is one of those “duh” statements, but you would be surprised at how many author sites and blogs I go to that have absolutely no mention of their books. At all.

Somewhere on your site, you need a tab or button that says BOOKS. A simple list of each book and/or series in suggested reading order is the minimum. Ideally, each book would have its own page with a large cover image, title, release date, publisher, ISBN #, genre category, description, and links to where the books can be purchased. Keep this information current!

6. You need an About Page

Readers want to know who you are, not just what you write. A good website always has an About page with a photo, a short professional bio that bloggers and news media can use, and perhaps a longer bio just for fun. It also needs to include links to all of your active social media sites and a way to contact you.

Your photo should be a nice image that will clearly identify you everywhere. Use this same image on your Amazon, GoodReads, Facebook, Twitter, and all profiles where you are acting as your author identity. Even if you’re camera shy, you can come up with something.

This isn’t to say you can’t change it up sometimes or use more casual photos on social media. The goal is to have your readers recognize you, no matter where they find you.

7. Email

You MUST have a way for people to contact you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to reach an author for an interview, presentation, or tell them they’ve won an award, only to discover there is no way to contact them.

As to the email address itself, no self-respecting author would use [email protected]. If at all possible, it should be your name as it appears on your books, [email protected].

These seven simple tips will make it easier for readers, new and old, to find your newest releases.

Karlene Browning is a publisher, editor, typesetter, and book designer at www.Inksplasher.com

Remembering Heaven: A Documentary and My Appreciation to LDSPMA For Making It Happen

May 5, 2021 By LDSPMA 5 Comments

By Sarah Hinze

For many years I have collected stories about heaven. My collection includes not only the heaven we go home to when we graduate from earth life, but the heaven we come from before we are born. The quest to understand these concepts has been a personal one. My search to know my spiritual origin and destiny has always been with me, even as a child.

From an early age, I was especially eager to learn about God. I ached deep in my heart for an understanding of where I came from. I sensed that I was a child of God and lived with Him before I was born. I missed him and, well, I was homesick for heaven, I guess is one way to put it.

Our family regularly attended our local Protestant church and every Sunday, together as a congregation, we would stand and recite a creed that went something like this, “God is so small he can dwell in your heart and He is so large He can fill the universe.”

In my heart, I never believed God was like a cloud or a seed. I knew he was a man with a son named Jesus. I knew he didn’t live in the entire universe but in a special place called heaven. I knew heaven was my home and God was my Father.

My strong desire to know Him continued throughout my young years and on into college. A pivotal moment for me came when I first heard in my University English Literature class the following poem by William Wordsworth.

Ode on Intimations of Immortality

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come,
From God, who is our home.

The poem was electrifying. The words sang out like beautiful music to my soul. A strong spirit of holiness rested upon me in my class. I thought, “So that is where I come from. I come from God, who is my home.” But where and how can I learn more?

My search for God expanded into a search to learn all I could about the human soul, however, many of the philosophies I studied, existentialism for example, left me confused and even depressed.

One evening, I was with my new friend Mavis, sitting on her front lawn in Brigham City, Utah. As we looked into the darkness of the evening sky watching for shooting stars, she turned to me and said, “You know we lived in heaven with God before we were born.”

I sat in silence, amazed at how easily she said something I had only believed in the deepest and most sacred place of my heart. This was the first time I had heard another person say that we lived with God before we were born. All of my life I had known it was true, but here with this new friend, who was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she shared it like it was common knowledge. This impacted me greatly. I had found people who believed as I did.

Within weeks I requested the missionary lessons and in September, 1968, I chose baptism into the church.

Meanwhile I enrolled at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. My future husband Brent also enrolled there after his mission. We are both converts to the church and were drawn together on a beautiful April afternoon as we shared our testimonies with one another. A few days later Brent invited me on a drive up Logan Canyon, which manifests some of the most majestic views imaginable.

After about half an hour we had wound our way up the narrow twisting road until we reached a mountain pass.

We parked the car near a shady meadow alive with wild flowers surrounded by groves of white birch. Brent took my hand as we walked.

The scenery, the sounds, the smells—it all seemed so familiar. The feeling was sacred and we were quiet, almost reverent. We didn’t speak for a time. Finally I broke the silence. In an unusual display of boldness I said, “I think I have walked with you before. . . . in heaven before we came to earth.”

“I feel it too,” Brent whispered. From that moment, we sensed one another as we had in the world before we were born and our spirits seemed to renew a relationship from long ago. We could feel there had been love between us before and a divine spark seemed to rekindle those memories.

Eventually it was time to drive back down the canyon and return to the real world. Our surroundings looked the same, but we were not. Our marriage came a year later in the Salt Lake Temple.

Soon our children came along. Several of our children’s birth’s were preceded by what I later learned is called an announcing dream. An announcing dream can be defined as dreams, visions and other spiritual connections concerning a child waiting to be born or conceived. In some cases one is told what the child’s chosen name is to be.

It is a humbling experience for a spirit waiting to be born to announce their desire for birth into your family. None of us are perfect parents by any means, but it seems our children love us and want to be with us, seeing past our imperfections, perhaps seeing our potential more than we can.

I wondered if other parents had these experiences and soon discovered that I was by no means the only one. But what began as curiosity became a quest when I received profound impressions that part of my life’s mission was to research, teach, and write about this special experience occurring to people worldwide. Collecting stories was one thing I could do, but writing about it was something else. I was frightened. It seemed like more than I could possibly do. After much prayer and contemplation, I realized that I needed to be faithful to this assignment.

As I began doing so, I was soon joined in my research by my husband, Brent, who has a Ph.D. in psychology. We proceeded to conduct interviews, collect case studies, give talks, and publish about the marvels and mysteries of announcing dreams.

Brent and I coined the term “pre-birth experience” or “PBE” to refer to any experience that relates to souls prior to birth or conception. We learned through an analysis of the data that unborn children can warn, protect, and enlighten us from another plane of existence. Most often they appear to announce it is their time to be born.

Social scientists coined the phrase “announcing dream” to identify dreams about unborn children and other types of PBE, not only in the western world but in cross-cultural studies around the world. It is our belief that PBEs, like NDEs, are universal and occur among all peoples, now and in the past

After I had published several books, Brent and I had the chance to visit with Elder Hartman Rector Jr. who was staying at a friend’s home after speaking at our stake conference. She had given him one of our books to read, and he was very encouraging. “There will be books, films, music, art, and various forms of media that will share this important information,” Elder Rector said.

The word film caught my attention. I knew nothing of filmmaking. It seemed like an impossible dream, but I took Elder Rector’s counsel to heart that someday, with the Lord’s help, we would have a film. I knew that with God’s help, all things are possible.

In 2018, while Brent and I were serving a mission at the London England Temple, I received an email announcing the LDS Publishing and Media Association’s Annual Conference in Provo, Utah which would convene soon after we returned home. While reading the email, I was at our table in our little flat on the grounds of the London Temple. I felt strongly impressed by the Spirit that I needed to be there. I dismissed it, thinking we would barely be home from our mission on the dates of the conference and I would have my seriously annoying jet lag going on! The promptings continued, so arriving home from London about a month later, my suitcases still packed from our mission, I packed a small suitcase and headed to the conference. I have learned if I do not follow the promptings of the Spirit, I will probably miss out on opportunities the Lord has arranged for me.

I arrived early the morning of the conference. I recognized a woman who looked familiar as I headed for the door. It was a Facebook friend I had never met in person, Dr. Trina Boice, who recognized me as the author of a book she had read after she had her own announcing dream with her unborn son. It was a good feeling to at least have one friend there! I felt comfortable and welcomed as I walked in, greeting many with smiles and good mornings.

It was easy to get into conversation with people, so I networked and talked to people about many of my interests in media, writing, and a film on my prebirth studies. After attending a panel presentation of several film editors and filmmakers, I waited outside the door to talk to one in particular, Wynn Hoggard, who gave me the name of his friend Tom Laughlin. Within days, Tom and I talked on the phone and my dream of a film began to take shape.

Tom and I arranged to soon start the filming of our untitled film. We filmed for a total of five days. Tom had enough footage to spend an entire year editing, and he did it with dedication, heart, and soul. By January, 2021 the film Remembering Heaven was ready!

Tom went into the film never hearing about the pre-birth experience, not knowing what he would find. As we interviewed people with stories, he was moved by the tender sacred feeling that accompanied the interviews. Later in going through the footage, he stated he was “overwhelmed with the beauty and power of the content.”

We are so grateful to scholars Terryl Givens, Ph.D. and Daniel Peterson, Ph.D. for their major contributions. Givens and Peterson’s scholarly contributions bring us stunning detailed teachings from major cultures and religious foundations which should make the case for premortality at least a consideration for any true seeker of their spiritual origin.

Here are a few story previews from the film:

Christine was a young mother expecting another child. She was aware even before she left to visit her doctor that afternoon that her unborn child had not moved for a time. She was praying at home while waiting for her husband to come home from work. Then a remarkable thing happened… the spirit of her unborn child appeared and spoke to her.

Corenna was dating a young man, but she was confused where to go with the relationship. She had doubts about marrying him. After praying most sincerely, she fell asleep. In a dream she saw this same young man, but then he faded away. A young boy stood before her and called her Mother. She was very drawn to this child, and felt convinced he held a message for her. After the dream, she broke up with the other young man. Years later, she met another young man from the Congo in Africa. Almost immediately they felt very connected to one another. They were married and a year later a wonderful son was born to them.

Ned is from the East Coast and owned a nightclub in the Hamptons. He himself claims that he was hedonistic, materialistic, and had no interest in God. One evening after a fight with one of his business associates, Ned died and experienced a near death experience. What he saw on the other side included children who could have been his had he not insisted on his girlfriends terminating them—a startling and shocking revelation. A Lady of Light showed him a child that could be his son on earth if he would improve his life.

The legwork of Remembering Heaven was put together by a team of people including Brady Dunn (cinematographer), Tom Laughlin (filmmaker), my husband and I (Executive Producers) and all who have so generously contributed.

Special thanks to Tom Laughlin who has given of his time and talents in an untiring and dedicated way. Tom has put together some of the most exquisite photographs, videos, and music that bring life and passion to this unique information.

Plato and Socrates spoke of a pre-life. In biblical times John declared that in the beginning the Son (Jesus) was with God who sent His Son into the world with a mission. (See John 3:16-17) Scriptures, prophets and pre-birth studies suggest this is a pattern for all of us.

I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Spirit of the Lord for guiding me to attend the LDSPMA Conference and to meet the people who helped to make Remembering Heaven.

Remembering Heaven won Best Feature Documentary and Audience Choice Award at the LDS Film Festival in February, 2021. We are nominated for Best Documentary at the Utah Film Festival and Most Inspirational Documentary at the International Christian Film Festival in Orlando, Florida May, 2021.

**We are looking for stories for our next film, international pre-birth experience stories as well as stories close to home. See my website www.sarahhinze.com for more information on pre-birth experiences or you can read my book The Announcing Dream: Dreams and Visions of Children Waiting to be Born 2016 (On Amazon)

Please contact Sarah for questions or stories you would like to share at [email protected]

Sarah Hinze has collaborated with leading experts on near-death experiences and pre-natal psychology while conducting extensive research and hundreds of interviews. She has presented workshops, seminars, and lectures at conferences and universities, as well as on Capitol Hill and at the United Nations. Sarah has been featured in articles and radio and TV shows in the US, Canada and Japan. In addition to English, her books are published in Spanish, Portuguese and German. Her writings have been the source of healing and hope for individuals worldwide. Sarah and Brent Hinze are the parents of nine children and thirty-two grandchildren, so far!

**Check out the story and journey of our film by following Sarah Hinze and Tom Laughlin on Facebook as well as my website and blog at: sarahhinze.com/home/books/remembering-heaven

7 Reasons Why You Should Try New Things

April 28, 2021 By Brittany Passmore 1 Comment

By Brittany Passmore

Have you ever been scared to try something new? It’s an understandable fear and one that I relate to keenly. However, I’ve recently begun to look at trying new things in a different way and realized that new experiences can bring us incredible benefits.

I’m not asking you to climb Mount Everest or make a drastic change in your career. All I’m saying is that you and I should dabble occasionally in new and different hobbies that peak our interest. For instance, maybe you’ve always wanted to try rock climbing or learn how to paint.

If you think these activities might distract you from whatever creative profession you’ve chosen, let me suggest that they’ll actually make you a better creator than a worse one. New experiences can be incredibly important for your professional and personal development, even if they have nothing to do with your creative work! Here are seven ways that trying new things can help you flourish.

1. Gain New Talents and Skills

When you try something new, you’re likely to learn a new skill because of it. Even if you only try that new thing once, you’ll likely be using skills that you haven’t focused on practicing before. And although these new skills might not be needed for your specific profession, you may find ways to apply them and expand your creativity.

2. Meet New People and Network

Whatever new activity you try, you’ll probably be able to make new friends and add valuable people to your network. You never know when you might be grateful to know someone active in another profession or hobby. Plus, one day, others might be grateful to know you and ask for your expertise!

A girl with brown hair and glasses dips her paintbrush in water. Experimenting with art can be a way to try new things.

3. Gain Valuable Experience

You won’t just learn how to do something new if you try it. You’ll also gain valuable experience that can propel your own career. Trying new things can be hard, but learning to adapt to new situations allows you to better adapt to the difficult situations that arise in your own field. Start trying new things, and you’ll find the curveballs in your own creative pursuits are easier to dodge.

4. Gain Unique Perspective

Your new experiences as you try new activities can help you look at the world differently. Everyone has their own perspective on life, and that perspective is influenced by the things we love and do. So, when you understand a new activity or hobby, you’ll also come to understand the people who love and do those things. This perspective can help you better connect with people as you create your own work.

Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson once gave an excellent example of how trying something new helped him gain a unique perspective that helped his writing. He took an art class to learn about drawing. Although he doesn’t consider himself a professional artist by any means, understanding how artists look at the world in order to create helped him write stronger characters that had similar perspectives.

5. Find Inspiration

Your new perspective may also help you find inspiration as you create. You might be struck by the emotions you experience as you try something new, which could translate into how you use emotion in your next creation. Or you might connect to an idea, an experience, or a person in a new way that brings new meaning to your life and your work.

6. Spark Joy in Yourself and Others

If nothing else, trying new things should bring you and others joy. Have fun while you try new things! Get excited and share your excitement with others. Who knows? Maybe you’ll discover a new hobby. Even if you find you don’t want to try that new thing again, at least you will have created a happy memory for yourself and maybe for others.

7. Curate the Attribute of Bravery

Finally, as you try new things, you will develop important attributes like bravery. Trying new things can be scary and overwhelming at times. But when we find the inner strength to finish what we started, whatever the result, we become braver and more confident. That bravery is important to your professional creative work too! Your increased bravery will help you take risks and put yourself out there.

At first, the advice to try new things might seem like a distraction from your work. But in the long run, taking courage to enjoy new experiences can actually improve you and help you find more joy and success in your creative pursuits. So, what are you waiting for? Make a goal to try something new!

——————

Brittany Passmore graduated from BYU with a major in editing and publishing. She works as a freelance editor specializing in science-fiction and fantasy. When she’s not reading, writing, or editing, Brittany loves to be a stay-at-home mom to her toddler and dabble in her musical hobbies of piano, flute, guitar, singing, and practicing yoga.

Website: https://brittanympassmore.wixsite.com/passmoreedits

Announcing the Praiseworthy Awards for Emerging Authors!

April 21, 2021 By nbay Leave a Comment

By Katie Wiscombe, LDSPMA Awards Committee Member

How are you like the following people: Gerald Lund, Sarah Eden, or even Brandon Sanderson? I’m sure most of you would say you are nothing like these amazing Latter-day Saint authors. But really, you would be wrong. You probably have several things in common, but I’m looking for just one. Any guesses? No? Well, let me tell you.

You are like these creators simply because they, too, were once unknown authors with the drive, discipline, and talent to take that first step. The first step for you can be right here. If your dreams are tied up in telling the stories rolling around in your head, you’re in the right place. Let me explain.

In conjunction with our annual Latter-day Saint Publishing & Media Association conference held in October, we offer an opportunity for previously unpublished authors to submit their work to the Praiseworthy Award for Emerging Authors contest. This is a writing contest specifically for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are unpublished and unagented. And this opportunity has a wonderful prize waiting at the finish line for the winners: feedback from the industry professionals at Eschler Editing! What?! Truly, the chance to have a professional in the field help you on your way is worth that first step.

The Details

Now for a little housekeeping. We open for submissions for all genres on May 1, 2021. Fiction submissions are due by June 1, 2021. Nonfiction submissions are DUE by June 15, 2021.

You are welcome to submit up to 2,500 words from any genre and on any topic you would like. Picture books to epic fantasy. Romance to memoir. Historical fiction or nonfiction. Poetry or essays. Do you have a manuscript on how to make goat cheese? Or maybe you have a more serious subject matter that needs to be heard. Send it over. The sky’s the limit. All you need to do is click here for additional information on submitting your manuscript.

Winners

Winners will be announced at the conference in October. Besides the feedback from Eschler Editing, all winners and honorable mentions will receive a certificate and a digital badge to post on their social media pages or website.

The Invitation

I hope you follow that voice in your head that encourages you to take that first step. It’s not impossible to think that you could someday be in the same place as those incredible authors above. Nelson Mandela shared some inspired insight on the subject when he said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” So what are you waiting for? Dust off your manuscript, click the link, and submit your 2,500 words. Impossible no more–you just got it done. One step closer to your dream becoming a reality.

We can’t wait to hear your stories!

Aaron Merrell: Working in the Film Industry

April 14, 2021 By Trina Boice 1 Comment

By Trina Boice

Check out a recent BYU-Idaho Forum presentation, featuring Aaron Merrell, who is a senior producer for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint’s Publishing Services Department. In the forum, Aaron gives a behind-the-scenes look into producing the Book of Mormon Videos series. He also shares insights about working in the film industry.

Aaron has worked for DreamWorks, Walt Disney Company, and other entertainment companies prior to working for the Church.

Video of Aaron Merrell discussing working in the film industry on the Book of Mormon Videos series. — https://video.byui.edu/media/t/1_yik46p1s/11602882

The Book of Mormon Videos are a collection of videos based on accounts from The Book of Mormon. You can watch them on YouTube or on the Church’s website to learn more about these faith-building films! They are also available in other languages.

You may have seen the Broadway musical called “The Book of Mormon.” Now, through movie magic, you can find out what the Book of Mormon is really about!

Seeking and Creating Praiseworthy Works

April 7, 2021 By tfinch Leave a Comment

By Ted Finch

Our Thirteenth Article of Faith proclaims, “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” My original goal for this blog post was to share quotes from a handful of articles I’ve studied over the last few months that have had an impact on my growth as a creative person trying to figure out how to share my light through praiseworthy works.

As I worked through several paragraphs, I started asking myself questions such as, “Why am I writing this?” and “Should I include this?” Finally, it dawned on me that I don’t need to write about what is in the articles themselves; rather, write about the idea that we have to work on our spiritual development and our artistic development in tandem. That is the moment the words started to flow.

The Spiritual and Artistic in Tandem

Artist James C. Christensen stressed the idea to many of his BYU students, “We cannot separate our spiritual development from our artistic development. We must work at both.” There is wonderful insight that comes when we involve God in our creative pursuits. Keeping our connection with the Spirit is key to receiving the guidance we need to grow spiritually and creatively.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said that the “Spirit of Christ . . . is the medium of intelligence, that guides inventors, scientists, artists, composers, poets, authors . . . when they set their hands to do that which is for the benefit and blessing of their fellow men.”

In 1995, President M. Russell Ballard stated at the Tuachan Mormon Arts Festival (later published in the July 1996 Ensign), “God’s purpose for the artist is to inspire. To give us visions of ourselves that we might not otherwise see, to make us better than we would have been.”

Think about that. Our purpose as creatives is to inspire ourselves and others to see the world differently—in a better way. We can be guided to create things that will benefit and bless the lives of others.

A hand holding out a candle. Sharing light, symbolic of creating and seeking praiseworthy works.

A Call to Share Our Light

In his speech, President Ballard stated, “This is the time, brothers and sisters to make our voices heard.” I think that call still rings true almost 21 years later. As we see more winds of commotion and confusion blow across the plains of the world, we must rise to the call to fill our quarters of the world with light and truth.

How do we do this? As creatives, we “express [ourselves] in universal symbols, images, sounds, and feelings.” We have the “unique opportunity to present [our] opinions, and perspectives on Eternity” through “universal symbols, images, sounds, and feelings” (Ballard, 1995).

Now it’s time for you to discover how the Lord wants you to make your voice heard. It may be in the walls of your home, to your extended family, to your community, or to the world. You might share your praiseworthy stories, ideas, music, or other unique opinions from your perspective. Now is the time to share.

Enjoy your journey. Bring others with you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s Note: I linked articles I cited in the article and have included a few others below to help start you on your path of creative discovery.

“The Sweep the Earth as a Flood” talk by Elder David A. Bednar
“The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord” speech by President Boyd K. Packer
“Seeking after the Good in Art, Drama, Film, and Literature” essay by Travis T. Anderson

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Ted Finch is a husband, father, disciple, and storyteller. He loves stories through novels, poetry, and film. Ted loves baking bread, fishing, and spending time outdoors. He is also passionate about creating learning experiences for audiences around the world.

Twitter – @tedthewriter

Instagram – @tedthewriter

Website – tedthewriter.wixsite.com/home

Praiseworthy Award Nominations Are Open

March 31, 2021 By nbay Leave a Comment

By Nicole Bay

It’s that time of year again! No, not the Oscar season—it’s time to send in your nominations for the annual LDSPMA Praiseworthy Awards.

LDSPMA instituted the Praiseworthy Awards in 2016 to honor entire teams who collaborate to bring excellent work to light. Authors, illustrators, and content writers are extremely important in the initial stages of a new creative endeavor. They have the inspiration for a story, a movie, or a podcast. Then editors, designers, producers, directors, and actors add their magic and vision to refine that work and prepare it to meet the world. We appreciate all the work that goes into creating an outstanding piece of art, so we give Praiseworthy Awards to all members of the winning teams.

Last year we were thrilled to receive so many high-quality entries. Publishers nominated their best books, but LDSPMA members and friends entered their favorites, too. Past winners include authors published locally as well as nationally. (See the 2020 Awards Winners page.)

And the Praiseworthy Awards contest isn’t just for books—we want to recognize excellence in audiovisual media, such as podcasts, songs, and films, and in multimedia projects, such as interactive websites, video games, and apps.

We welcome submissions from most genres that explore a wide variety of themes and content. A picture book about the first woman to run the Boston Marathon? Yes, please! How about a biography of a prophet or a novel about forbidden love? Absolutely! What about a book that deals with mental illness, a podcast about success in business, or a recording of a rock song? Yes, yes, yes!

The common denominators for Praiseworthy winners? A top-notch product whose creators include at least one member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We know you’ve either created or loved a book or other work that deserves some recognition. Check out our eligibility and submissions guidelines, and then use this form to submit a nomination.

Nominations are open from March 15 to April 16, 2021, for works produced in 2020.

Keep creating and consuming excellent media! The world needs it!

Bio: Nicole Bay is the LDSPMA Director of Awards. She teaches linguistics at Brigham Young University and writes children’s fiction and nonfiction. Her favorite things are her husband and kids, homemade bread and cookies, reading, writing, and crossword puzzles.