LDSPMA

Empowering Latter-day Saints to spread light and truth by connecting them at the intersection of faith, creativity, and professional skill

Articles

Advice from the Experts: Ann Acton (Author, Day Care Owner, Wife, Mother)

By Leave a Comment

By Lessa Harding

If you run a Google search on “how to be a good or successful writer,” you get suggestions like “read,” “write every day,” and “write what you know.” A search for the “characteristics and strengths every writer needs” provides a list of traits that include discipline, imagination, a good grasp of grammar, and a love of words. I recently met a writer who embodies these characteristics. It’s Ann Acton, author of The Miracle Maker and The Vanishing (the latter is set for release this September).

When I met with Ann, I asked her what she thinks her greatest strengths or talents are. I expected her to say something similar to what came up in the Google search results, and while Ann is indeed disciplined, imaginative, and a lover of words, she believes her greatest talent is that she was able to rewrite the poem ’Twas the Night before Christmas. I have to admit to laughing out loud at her answer. Her response was unexpected, but it really set the tone for the whole interview. In fact, rather than calling it an interview, I would prefer to call it a not-coffee date with a soon-to-be best friend.

Over the course of our not-coffee date, I began to see why Ann’s self-identified talent is truly her greatest strength. Ann is real, is down to earth, loves to laugh, and has learned the hard way how to deal with difficult situations. She rewrites her own story every day and makes it fit her world. When her children struggled with learning, she home-schooled them. And when her husband got sick, she turned to writing—even when it required waking up at 5:00 a.m. This difficult time in her life led to her writing The Miracle Maker, which was published by Covenant Communications.

Ann told me that she did not originally want to be a writer—it wasn’t in her story. She hadn’t even entertained the idea until she completed a spur-of-the-moment rendition of ’Twas the Night before Christmas and her husband said, “You know that not everyone can do that, right? I think you are a writer.” A little further down the road, her mentor, Liz Adair, gave her the final push. Ann said, “[Liz] told me I was a writer, and then I was one.” Sometimes it just takes a few gentle nudges for us to recognize our potential. And now for some advice from Ann:

  • “It has been the best thing for my writing—failing and then learning to not look at it as failing.”
  • “Sit down and write every day. Write consistently. It doesn’t have to be good, because that is what the delete key is for.”
  • “Writing is truly just therapy, so just pour it into your writing.”
  • “I think our strength [as women] comes from [our] softness.”
  • In speaking of the hard things we go through in life: “Someday, all these things will just be fodder for writing. I [didn’t think] anything good could come out of this part of my life, but now I can see it.”
  • “Because you are a writer, people will connect with you. People will come up to you and just start spilling their guts. These are dreams people have to be writers, and it is so cool to be a part of that.”
  • “The hardest part [about being a writer] is constantly failing. Writing is hard. It is subjective, [and] people are not all nice. A lot of writers say it is hard because of the solitude, but not for me. For me it is the constant reading something wonderful and going, ‘Will I ever be that good?’ Having to change that thinking process from ‘I am not good enough’ never goes away, . . . but I can get better. Whatever I put out today is not me. I can become better even if this [work] is a failure.”
  • “People are so afraid someone is going to tell them they are really not a writer. You don’t need permission. Be gentle with yourself. Enjoy the process, because it is going to be a process.”
  • “Comparing yourself only causes resentment. Someone else’s success has no effect on yours. Every writer struggles with something, and no journey is easy.”
  • “Support your friends because their success has no bearing on you.”
  • “Don’t let anyone have the power to take away your dreams. If there is something you want, why should you let anyone take that away from you?”
  • “There are times and seasons. You are never going to have extra time, [because] you are going to fill it with something. If you want to be a writer, you have to fill it with writing.”
  • “Just do something. Even reading a book is working on your writing.”

Ann also shared a tip from Liz:

  • “Every single writer is working on something. Grammar is the easiest thing to be working on because it can be taught.”

I hope some of this advice Ann shared will give you the gentle nudge you might need to take your own story in a new direction.

Advice from the Experts: Marianna Richardson (Author, Professor, Wife, Mother)

By Leave a Comment

By Lessa Harding

We all have moments that change our lives. For many of us, those moments are perfectly ordinary, yet somehow they shape the people we become. It could be a random exchange with a stranger on the street, an innocent comment from a child, or a sunrise after a long night. For me, it was a conversation I had with my stake president when I was 16 years old. We talked after a fireside, and while I can’t remember what the fireside was about or which building’s Relief Society room we were in, I can tell you that he asked me what I wanted to do with my life. As the opinionated daughter of a successful attorney, I boldly declared my resolution to pursue a career in law, changing the world one amicus brief at a time and spending any extra time traveling the world.

My stake president smiled broadly and somehow managed to turn the conversation to family. He asked if I wanted one. My answer was a very blunt no. Again, the stake president smiled, and then he told me about his wife and her life as a mother who was also attending school in the evenings. I later met his wife and was amazed to come to know a woman besides my own mother who loved being a mother and still pursued other dreams. All of a sudden, it wasn’t just my mom telling me that life doesn’t end when you have children. My stake president and his wife were telling me the same thing. The conversation with my stake president was my first introduction to Marianna Richardson, and it stuck with me as I became friends with her daughters, went to prom with her son, and babysat her grandkids. She’s one of the many women who showed me how important and fulfilling family is. The lesson she taught me is one of the reasons that made interviewing Marianna so much fun!

Marianna is married to Steve Richardson. She’s the mother of 12 children and author/coauthor of five books, including a fictionalized story from her family’s history, a book about C. S. Lewis, and a compilation of lessons her nine daughters learned while growing up with each other. Marianna is also an adjunct professor at BYU, where she teaches advanced writing for business and is the chief editor for the Marriott Student Review. She has a master’s degree from John’s Hopkins University and an doctorate degree from Seattle Pacific University. She’s working on her MBA and will be attending law school at BYU in the fall.

My favorite quote from Marianna during our interview is no surprise given our history. When I asked her how she balanced having a family and a career, she said: “The key is time. I didn’t do it all at once. I was an at-home mom for 40 years… The biggest frustration I see with a lot of women is they [think they] have to do it all now. . . . You don’t.”

I hope the other advice Marianna shared helps you as much as her advice has helped me!

  • “[You] have to go back to the basics of writing before [you] can talk about the beauty of language. If you don’t know the basics, you can’t do the other stuff.”
  • “I do feel that if you really want to become a good writer, you don’t need to just read, but read out loud so you are not only reading it but hearing it. Read out loud, have those experiences in language, . . . listen to the cadence. There is a difference.”
  • Self-publishing requires self-promotion. “You really do need to promote as a part-time job.”
  • “I think in order for a writer to become successful, you . . . need to stick with one genre. That is one of the business problems I have had. I like to write about too many different things. . . . You can’t have a following if you don’t stick with one genre.”
  • “Experiential learning is how you really learn.”
  • “It’s not that most people are not good writers; they just don’t understand the positive writing process. Writing . . . shouldn’t be a lonely experience. Yes, you write, but then you talk to a friend about it and have them read it and discuss how to make it better. . . . Don’t write the night before it’s due. If that is how you write, no wonder you hate it . . . . [In a] real writing process, you write it, you leave it, . . . you have other people read it and give you feedback, then you write it again. . . . [After that,] you have other people read it and do it again.”
  • “I feel strongly and firmly that every woman has to have their own outlet, something that means something to them, some sort of intellectual stimulation. Quilting, creating works of art, or cooking. For me, it was education.”
  • “[Some] women who have stayed home with their children . . . come out the other end [and] think they are done. I feel like now is the time to have your career. You don’t have to say ‘I am too old’ [or] ‘I can’t.’ I think that is totally wrong. If you want to get that graduate degree, go get it. . . . Don’t think you’re done at 60.”
  • “Keep trying. Every great writer has the huge stack of rejection letters. But I think that is just a good understanding of life. I don’t care what you want to do or what you want to be; you need to learn how to handle rejection. Have that long-term view. . . . You can’t let those things get you down.”
  • “Be patient. It is so easy to get frustrated. . . . It might take 10–20 years, and people don’t want to hear that. Be patient.”
  • Personal motto: “Wahoo, the gospel is true!”

10 Common Mistakes Your Editor Wants You to Fix

By Leave a Comment

By Lessa Harding

By a show of hands, how many of you still have emotional scars caused by the red pen your English teacher used to grade your writing assignments? Come on, raise your hands. I’m definitely raising my hand. Fifteen years after graduating from high school, I still appreciate it when a professor uses a blue pen instead of a red one. I’ve always struggled with where to use commas, how to use modifiers, and how to properly cite sources. So, to help us all out, I asked Suzy Bills and Marianna Richardson, who teach editing and writing courses at BYU, to list some of the most common mistakes they see in university writing assignments and professional publications. Here’s what they shared:

Mistake 1: Using a comma after a conjunction when it links two dependent clauses

Rule: If or, and, or but links two phrases that couldn’t be complete sentences on their own, then don’t use a comma before the linking word.

Example: I went to the store and then went to the park.

Mistake 2: Following for example or for instance with and so forth

Rule: When a list starts with for example or for instance (or e.g.,), the list should not end with and so forth (or etc.) because for example and for instance indicate a finite number of examples will be listed, whereas and so forth indicates the list isn’t finite.

Example: For example, you can use red, orange, blue, and green.

Mistake 3: Using unclear and weak pronouns

Rule: Beware of weak pronouns (e.g., it, there, this) since they can cause confusion in meaning or can lead to being wordy or using the passive voice.

Examples:

  • The Book of Mormon focuses on Jesus; this emphasis changed how I live. (Not: The Book of Mormon focuses on Jesus; this changed how I live.)
  • Some people don’t like to run. (Not: There are some people who don’t like to run.)

Mistake 4: Misplacing modifiers

Rule: The modifier should be placed right before the word it modifies. Pay particular attention to the word only.

Examples:

  • Only Steve likes the team when it wins. (Meaning: No one but Steve likes the team when it wins.)
  • Steve likes the team only when it wins. (Meaning: Steve doesn’t like the team when it loses.)

Mistake 5: Using i.e. instead of e.g.

Rule: i.e. means “that is” or “in other words,” whereas e.g. means “for example.”

Examples:

  • Please, wear nice clothes (i.e., a suit and tie).
  • Beware of weak pronouns (e.g., it, there, this).

Mistake 6: Using that instead of which

Rule: Use that when what follows is essential to the meaning being conveyed in the sentence. Use which when what follows isn’t essential to the meaning being conveyed.

Examples:

  • I went to the beach, which is my favorite vacation spot. (Meaning: Beaches in general are my favorite vacation spot.)
  • I went to the beach that is my favorite vacation spot. (Meaning: One specific beach is my favorite vacation spot.)

Mistake 7: Using lead instead of led

Rule: Led is the past tense of the verb lead. The noun lead refers to a metal. People often confuse the verb led with the noun lead because the words have the same pronunciation.

Example: I led him away from the statues, which was made of lead.

Mistake 8: Using less instead of fewer

Rule: Use less when the object you are referring to is uncountable. Use fewer when the object is countable.

Example: I have less water and fewer pieces of candy than you.

Mistake 9: Using who instead of whom

Rule: Use who as the subject of a sentence. Use whom as the object of a verb or preposition.

Examples:

  • Who spilled this milk and didn’t clean it up?
  • To whom did you address the letter?

Mistake 10: Using a hyphen instead of an em dash

Rule: Use a hyphen to join two words together. Use an em dash to set off a statement that is parenthetical or that signifies a break in idea or sentence structure.

Examples:

  • I love my mother-in-law.
  • You think you have to go to the party—the biggest event of the year.

In case you want even more guidance, here are some resources suggested by Suzy, Marianna, and a few of our readers:

  • HBR Guide to Better Business Writing, by Bryan A. Garner
  • The Chicago Manual of Style, by the University of Chicago Press
  • Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph M. Williams
  • Chicago Style Workouts, available at https://cmosshoptalk.com/chicago-style-workouts/

Happy writing!

Three Marketing Strategies For Your Next Book Launch

By Leave a Comment

By Michelle McCullough

I launched my first self-published book in 2013. In 2017, it got picked up by a publisher and released in an expanded form. Both times, I treated the launch like I self-published since most publishers don’t do much by the way of marketing these days.

The first time I published a book I took the “If you write it, they will buy it” approach to marketing. I posted a few times on social media, did a couple of podcast interviews, and refreshed my sales page approximately 27 times a day. As you can imagine, it wasn’t a very effective marketing plan.

The second time, I tried a few tricks I’d learned from friends and people smarter than I am. I watched and studied other book launches and dissected what worked. Then I figured out how I could put my own spin on the successful tactics. I could fill a new book with all the things I did, but today I’m going to share three of the most effective strategies with you.

First, I created a free call series the month leading up to the book launch. My web team designed a landing page so people could register for the series and I could collect email addresses. For four weeks, every Wednesday I offered a free one-hour group training call related to different sections of my book. I created a Facebook group so I could hold conversations with everyone between calls, and I offered giveaways for people who were willing to share the call series with their friends. I recorded the calls and made each recording available for seven days, to encourage people to listen close to the air date. Then, I offered all four of the recordings to folks who preordered the book at the end of the series (the recordings were part of a bigger bonus bundle, which I talk about below). Even better, I still have the emails and the Facebook group—two assets that outlasted my book launch.

Second, I reached out to friends and colleagues to contribute videos, audio, and ebooks that I could give away to people who preordered my book—I wanted to make sure online sales were incentivized and appreciated. In the end, I had over $800 in training materials that complimented my book and offered some promotion to the folks who donated. This bonus bundle also encouraged social sharing from friends and followers because it wasn’t just about “buying a book”; it was about getting a ton of value for a super low cost. My web team created a landing page where people entered their email address and receipt information, so once again I expanded my email list. Additionally, the bonus bundle helped me accomplish my main goal: climbing the bestseller charts on Amazon.

Third, and perhaps most important, I reached out to friends and family to be part of my book launch team. Many of them would have supported me anyway, but forming a team gave me a chance to remind people about key marketing launch dates, share artwork for the launch, and have fun with the people who supported me the most. I created a private Facebook group, added branded graphics (book excerpts and quotes, book reviews, etc.) that my team could use, and posted a schedule of key dates so that we could post in windows that capitalized on social media algorithms. I also held giveaways for my team. They received entries for sharing on social media channels, buying the book, and leaving a review. I had a lot of fun with my book launch team

These ideas are perfect for nonfiction book launches, and I’ve seen them used successfully for fiction books too. As you consider these options, ask yourself, “How could I make these work for me?”

Cheering you on during your next book launch!

Michelle McCullough, www.speakmichelle.com

Advice from the Experts: Terry Deighton (Author, Wife, Mother)

By Leave a Comment

By Lessa Harding

One thing few people know about me is that I have pointed ears. I remember coming home from school crying because the kids in my class teased me about my ears. When I started reading fantasy novels and role playing with my daddy as a teenager, I thought my pointed ears were cool. On occasion, I even used dark eyeshadow to accentuate the pointiness and I styled my hair to draw attention to my ears. Who am I kidding? I did that through my 20s.

I secretly loved my ears, even when I was teased about them as a kid. I was certain I was really an elf princess with auburn hair to match the color of the Redwoods and with green eyes to match the leaves. My ears made me the heroine in many an imaginative story. I was drawn back into this reverie about my ears as I got to know author Terry Deighton.

After speaking with Terry, I can’t help but wonder how many of us have envisioned ourselves as the courageous hero who saves the day and changes the world. The thing about a courageous hero, though, is you can’t be one unless there is conflict or fear that has to be overcome. WWI hero Eddie Rickenbacker said that “courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”

Terry is a quiet hero who loves reading, crafting, watching television, and talking with her family. Her friend Ann Acton, author of The Miracle Maker, describes Terry as a “grammar goddess,” but Terry describes herself as an introvert who “always wanted to write books that would affect readers the way [she] has been affected by [her own] reading.” Terry also fully admits to having to work to develop the thick skin—and, I would add, the courage—required to send her work into the wide world of publishing. Terry told me that “the hardest thing I’ve had to learn is not to be hurt by criticism. It’s important to let it sit until it doesn’t hurt anymore and then look at it objectively and see how you can revise your writing to make it better.”

Terry is the author of three Christmas novellas and a five-book middle-grade series called Tweaks. Her blog describes her series as having “a dash of science, a splash of humor, and a generous portion of character development.” Having read the books, I fully agree with that description and the 4-star and higher ratings her books have received on Goodreads. I’m pretty sure Terry is one of those amazing heroes who “is doing what [she] is afraid to do.” I hope her advice helps you find the courage you need to be a hero too:

  • “Try to get an agent, but if that doesn’t happen in a reasonable amount of time, give self-publishing a try. You don’t have to choose one or the other.”
  • You may wish you could just “write your books, publish them, and send them out on their own. Unfortunately, they just sit if you do that. . . . All authors have to do a lot of marketing, so understanding social media and setting up Amazon ads is important.”
  • “Write when and where inspiration strikes.”
  • In terms of balancing family and work, “you have to decide what is most important and organize your time according to those priorities. Give up what isn’t important so you have time for both family and writing.”
  • “Don’t set arbitrary deadlines for yourself, and don’t compare your output to anyone else’s.”
  • “Use rejection to fuel the desire to write better, to learn the craft, to find your niche.”
  • “Above all, don’t give up. [Giving up] won’t make you happy. If you are a writer, you have to write. Write for yourself, and publish when it seems right.”

Advice from the Experts: Suzy Bills (Editor, BYU Professor, Former LDSPMA President)

By 1 Comment

By Lessa Harding

Do you remember the book Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery? One of the themes of that book (and the following books) is Anne’s search for kindred spirits. You know . . . other people who understand what you are going through and who help and love you as you go through it? Anne finds kindred spirits in girls her age, boys who tease her, resentful teachers, feisty old women, and young students who need her mentoring. She finds them in places she expects to and places she never thinks she will. In fact, at one point she says, “Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” In interviewing Suzy Bills, I found a kindred spirit.

Suzy is determined, lively, and self-motivated. She is dedicated to her students, her family, and her business. She enjoys running, dancing, and anything that takes her outside. But the thing that impresses me most about Suzy is her desire to help those around her succeed. Suzy says the only thing she loves more than owning her own editing and writing business is teaching at BYU because it is “neat to be able to help mentor those who want to edit.” She enjoys “paying it forward, seeing [students] grow, and watching them succeed.”

In addition to mentoring others, teaching classes, and running her own business, Suzy is president of LDSPMA and head of the Faculty Publishing Service at BYU. Suzy admits that juggling everything is a challenge: “[I] always feel like there is chaos in my head. . . .Trying to figure out how to take care of it all” is part of the job.

Of course, Suzy’s not the only one with diverse and demanding responsibilities. So how do we keep working toward reaching our goals despite the busyness of life? Suzy mentioned a number of ways she keeps her life moving forward, including by picking herself up after making mistakes and by reciting her mottos: “you can do hard things” and “pain is temporary—hard work brings fulfillment.” To help us do the same, Suzy shared the following advice:

    • “You have to be your biggest advocate. Things are not going to happen if you just wait around and hope that your manager will give you a promotion or sit around and hope that people will hire you. . . .You have to seek out the opportunities. When you do that, . . . you are not at the mercy of what other people offer.”
    • “You can’t be perfect. . . . Editors tend to be perfectionists, and in some ways we are expected to be perfect because we are expected to catch other people’s mistakes. . . . But we can’t be [perfect]. It is hard sometimes to get over the mistakes . . . [but] it’s okay to make [them]. Do the best you can. Acknowledge [the mistakes], and do what you can to make them right. Take responsibility, but don’t let them derail you.”
    • “The way to help people is to be encouraging and have a positive perspective.”
    • When you are trying to overcome a mistake or setback, Suzy recommends that you “look back and see what you can do to avoid it in the future. Self-reflection . . . [is key] to learning from [mistakes]. . . . We often learn more from our mistakes than from what we do right.”
    • “Have an action plan. . . . The action plan helps you move forward. Even if it doesn’t work, you can keep trying and revising the plan.”
  • “Be okay with where you are right now. Just have your plan for how you are going to keep improving. . . . It’s okay [to] start where you are. Don’t let where you are right now keep you from getting to where you want to be.”

I hope this advice helps the rest of you kindred spirits out there as you work to achieve your goals! All the best!

Advice from the Experts: Denise Farnsworth (Corporate Attorney, Author, Wife, Mother)

By Leave a Comment

By Lessa Harding

Okay, full disclosure here. Denise is my mother. When I was growing up, I called her Super Mom. I’ve always been in awe of her abilities, her career, her relationship with my daddy (I am sure it is material for a Hallmark movie), and her dedication to doing what the Lord asks of her. Interviewing her was a privilege.

On paper, Denise is a successful corporate attorney who works for Facebook Ireland. She specializes in privacy, data protection and cyber security, technology, international business, and intellectual property law. She also serves in the Church and mentors young professionals in many stages of their careers. In February, she will fulfill her life-long dream of becoming a published author. But she is so much more than her LinkedIn profile. She is someone who has had trial after trial placed upon her shoulders and yet still stands tall. She is someone who is considered an expert in her field, and yet she always finds value in the advice and council that others give her. She is someone who takes baby steps toward her dreams and helps others to do the same. And she is someone who has learned the importance of being deliberate in the pursuit of those dreams. If anyone can provide a little guidance, inspiration, and direction as we create our vision for the coming year, it is her.

During the interview, Denise shared many things about her life and how she came to be who she is today. I captured it all in the recording I made, and I wish I could share every minute! But you will have to make do with a few highlights.

The first experience that caught my attention was the story of how Denise met the renowned physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. She was introduced to him by her father, a chemist by trade. Mr. Oppenheimer took her on his knee and played with her. He was a kind old man with a twinkle and fire in his eyes that Denise has remembered every day since. Everything she has done has been to keep that same fire burning in herself and to show others, especially her children, what that fire and determination can do.

She had an experience as a young mother that I’ve thought a lot about since the interview. She described a conversation she had with her boss after returning to work following the birth of her fourth child. Her boss could tell she did not want to be there and asked her why she was. Her response? “I need to be.” His advice changed her life and set the tone for the rest of her career. He said, “The best thing you can do for your children is show them that no matter the circumstances of your life, you can make the best out of it. You can do your best, be your best, pursue your dreams, and be happy along the way.”

Denise shared many additional insights and lessons she has learned over the years. She also offered suggestions on how we can achieve our dreams:

  • “Have your goals in mind. Don’t let your career take you where you don’t intend to go.”
  • “When [you are] with someone, [be] with them.” Don’t pull out your cell phone, turn on the TV, or open your laptop. Instead, focus on the person, really listen to them, and let that person know how important they are.
  • “Anyone can start down the road to attaining their dreams if they define their dreams. If it is a someday thing . . . you probably won’t get anywhere. . . . You need to start. . . . [First] create a picture in your head. [Then] keep going back to the dream and refining it. Remember that this is a journey. [Just] start taking baby steps.”
  • “If you prioritize, if you make sure you know what is most important to you and do those things first, the rest will follow. Remember, you have a whole life time to fit it all in.”
  • “Don’t let life take you on random detours. Don’t just passively watch life go by. There are so many amazing things to do in this world, and if you will be deliberate and remember what is most important, you can accomplish anything.”

The Thirty-Two Words That Changed How I Viewed Myself as a Writer

By 2 Comments

By Kristen Reber

“I have never sought to do anything other than to build His kingdom,” Sheri Dew said. “And as a result, I have had the opportunity to be in the presence of prophets, seers, and revelators.”

I heard those thirty-two words at the third annual conference of the Latter-day Saint Publishing and Media Association (LDSPMA). I was sitting roughly ten feet from Sheri Dew—CEO of Deseret Book; executive vice president of Deseret Management Corporation; former general officer in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and prolific, well-known author. She was among many admirers of her work and could have opened with anything! I expected her to start with something much grander about herself. But she chose to open with a line that praised the Lord and placed herself in the position of a humble servant rather than as a great leader. Her example, expressed in just thirty-two words, struck me. They changed how I view myself as a writer.

Sheri Dew at LDSPMA’s Third Annual Conference

I had long wanted to be a published author. Those yearnings began when I was about seven years old and someone told me I was a good writer. I heard over and over again that I had a talent with the written word. This was great news because I enjoyed writing! And it’s always nice to hear that you’re good at something.

When I became an adult, I was asked when I was going to finally publish a book. I’d start to write one, but I always got in my own head, wanting to craft something great. Something that I’d be remembered for. So I’d always feel disappointed with what I wrote. I knew I had talent, but when would I finally write something worthy to be on a shelf next to the great writers of the past? I wanted my name in lights. I wanted to be well-known. And the paltry stories I kept churning out just kept falling short.

But the ideas kept coming and I’d keep trying. I published a couple articles in the Ensign, and I was proud of them. It was fun to see my name listed as the author. But I wanted to write a book.

A particular book idea had been forming in my mind off and on for several years—ever since I’d returned home early from my mission. I had written a memoir and tried to get it published, but the manuscript was rejected because the topic was “taboo,” in the publisher’s words. Furthermore, memoirs generally don’t sell well unless they’re written by someone famous.

Kristen on her mission in the Philippines

I was actually okay with the memoir being rejected. I was still hurting deeply from having to leave my mission early and still grappling with feelings of failure. I had much more of a journey to walk before I was ready to write such a book.

Years passed and I healed from the experience of returning home early from my mission. But thoughts of the book persisted. Over the years, my idea changed from writing a memoir to a resource book. No such book had been written for early-returned missionaries, and I realized that I could become the first to do so. I might even become famous for doing so. I tried not to let that thought persist, but it came back, as self-aggrandizing thoughts have a tendency to do.

During the LDSPMA conference that Sheri Dew spoke at, I met an acquisitions editor from Cedar Fort and pitched the book idea. She loved it. She told me to dust off the old manuscript, spruce it up, and give her a call when it was in progress. These words were an aspiring author’s dream come true!

I was in a daze the rest of the conference. Me? A published author? At last? The experience was surreal.

And then Sheri Dew said the words that woke me up to the real purpose of having a talent: “I have never sought to do anything other than to build His Kingdom.”

I thought about how I’d wanted to see my name in lights. I wanted me to be glorified and recognized. I wanted the world to know that I was talented. I wanted “Kristen Reber” to be known.

It all seemed so silly. I have worth and talents, but they come from Heavenly Father. They were given to me in the hopes that I would use them to build His kingdom. It became clear to me why my stories had been so paltry lately. I’d been comparing myself against others. I cared more about what the world thought than what He thought. I needed to change my focus. My writing shouldn’t be about me. It should be about Him. Who cares if Kristen Reber becomes famous? I wanted my works to make Him well-known to others. I wanted to do my part, however great or however small, in building His kingdom. And I was going to start with a book for early-returned missionaries.

I also felt grateful to Sheri Dew and her example to me. Because of her example, I started every interview with early-returned missionaries, every writing session, and every editing session with a prayer. I refused to get cocky about my own abilities. The book was a challenge to write, and I knew that to adequately cover the topic, I needed all the help I could get. And even as I became an expert on the subject, I knew it couldn’t hurt to remain humble and continue to pray for help and guidance. When I read what I wrote and was satisfied with it, I said another prayer of gratitude instead of patting myself on the back. These practices made writing the book a sacred experience.

Early Homecoming was published in August 2018. I received emails from people thanking me for my work and telling me that I was talented. At times I could still feel the attention getting to my head. I mean, it was exciting to receive those emails, to see my work on the shelves of bookstores and in Deseret Book’s catalog, and to receive pictures of people—both those I knew and those I didn’t know—purchasing my book! It was exciting to see the sales numbers from the publisher and to see a “bestseller” label slapped on my book at Costco! And it was thrilling to see my name finally on the cover of a book! But when I felt the praise and the attention getting to my head, I reminded myself that the purpose of Early Homecoming was to build His kingdom. I let myself enjoy the excitement and the feeling of accomplishment, but I didn’t let it go beyond that. The feeling of building His kingdom was better than any compliment, and I wanted to keep that perspective.

As I’ve continued on my journey in publishing, whether as a writer, editor, or some other role, I’ve asked myself: “How can I build His kingdom?” I’ve found a lot of peace through asking that question. When I get caught up in “I can become well-known or famous or praised if I . . .” I notice myself tailspinning and lacking in inspiration. But when I focus on building His kingdom, inspiration and peace come.

Although Sheri Dew and I have both chosen to focus our work on gospel-centered topics, building His kingdom isn’t limited to creating Church literature or media. In my interview with David Archuleta at LDSPMA’s fourth annual conference, David told me that he keeps God in mind in everything that he does. Though David sings pop music, he wants what he sings to bring people closer to God. David also tries to remember who gave him this gift of music and how He wants David to use it.

Also at the fourth annual conference, Orson Scott Card said that although he doesn’t seek to write novels related to the Church, gospel ideals find their way into his work. For example, Ender Wiggins in Ender’s Game exemplifies Doctrine and Covenants 121:41–43. He’s the perfect leader, and Card encourages readers to try to develop those leadership qualities.

 Kristen Interviewing David Archuleta
Orson Scott Card speaking at LDSPMA’s Fourth Annual Conference

I will always be grateful to people like Sheri Dew, David Archuleta, and Orson Scott Card for showing me that building His kingdom has its own reward. While these people are famous, they don’t let their fame define them. They don’t compromise their faith; nor do they assist in building His kingdom just so they can become more famous. Rather, they’ve been set as “lights on a hill” to lead others to Him. I am grateful that LDSPMA provides opportunities for so many people to learn from Sheri Dew, David Archuleta, Orson Scott Card, and others. And I’m grateful that because of those thirty-two simple words from Sheri Dew, I changed how I saw myself as a writer.