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A Reflection of 2020 and the LDSPMA Virtual Conference

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By Mike Judson

By now, your recollections of the first virtual LDSPMA annual conference may be fading a bit, so we decided to jog your memory with reminders about what a fabulous conference it was. As a friend used to say, “That’s one in a row!” and indeed it was one worth remembering.

COVID-19!

The big news this year was that COVID-19 forced the conference to take place online. The prospect of putting on a virtual conference was scary and daunting at first, but not as much as canceling the conference altogether, which nobody wanted to do. As plans came together, things began to look more and more doable. Speaking from a completely neutral viewpoint (yeah, right!) I’d say the result was not too bad for a first try. Here’s a mix of comments both applauding and lamenting the online format.

“I really liked the virtual conference.  It keeps the conference affordable—no travel, car rental, nor hotel expenses.” 

“I would not have been able to attend an in-person conference, so I really appreciate being able to view the session on my own time schedule.” 

“I only wish we could have sat and had a meal together, and I wish we could have had the book signing thing that has been done before.” 

“I’m not sure I’m a fan of prepared PowerPoint presentations in Zoom.  The personal interaction was better.” 

“I think this presentation style actually led to better Q&A sessions.  The biggest drawback was the limited networking potential within the sessions and the necessary decrease in organic teaching with the prerecorded sessions.”

Survey Results

A post-conference survey revealed some positive, and somewhat surprising results. For example:

  • More than 300 people attended online, the most of any LDSPMA Annual Conference to-date.
  • Half of those responding to our post-conference survey were first-time attendees.
  • People attended from 24 states and 3 countries.
  • A majority of survey respondents rated the conference as “highly worthwhile.”
  • There were just as many views of the recorded sessions after the conference ended as the live sessions. In other words, people really took advantage of the opportunity to continue watching the sessions long after the actual conference ended. That’s a huge perk of having a virtual conference!

Spiritual Focus

This year’s conference had a decidedly spiritual focus that made it that much better for many attendees. Here’s what some had to say:

“This was the most spiritual conference I have ever been to.”

“I attend a lot of writing conferences, at least three a year. I think what LDSPMA offers me that others do not is the unique LDS flair.” 

“I come back every year because I feel the Spirit at the conference.  And every year I forget that that is why I love it.  Then I come back and there it is again.”

“I attended two years ago and again this year and both times I was blown away. The spirit of the Holy Ghost is strong with LDSPMA. I have attended similar conferences over the years and often notice the void of not feeling the Spirit.”

One comment from attendee Lynn Steen particularly caught our eye:

“Wow! As a writer, I loved the Conference! I’m a Nobody in the middle of Nowhere but had the opportunity to feed on so many things! The presenters, those selected to speak, and the subjects I was able to choose, all of that came together with precision with a wealth of information in the mix. I’m still trying to follow up on my notes. Added to that, everyone was LDS. That painted everything: the goals, and attitudes, the advice. I didn’t need to worry about whom to trust as we might do in other situations. The world is too caught up in making the money, not in “how” to do it the Lord’s way. Thank you!!”

Keynotes

All of the keynote sessions rated exceptionally well in our survey. 

“Bonner Family, Brandon Mull, Hafens, Hilary Weeks—all inspirational and practical.” 

“I loved the keynotes.  They were inspirational.”

“The keynote addresses were all fantastic!  The Hafens were so humble about having worked to produce a wonderful biography about Elder Maxwell.  Hilary Weeks emphasized her seeking to honor Christ through her music and give him credit for her new marketing strategy.  The Bonner Family members were so refreshing with their commitment to the faith.  Brandon Mull’s entire presentation told how he was led by Christ to be where he is today—even when times were challenging.  Well done, team, in selecting such meaningful presenters.”

Brandon Mull’s presentation received the most comments and the most enthusiastic comments. 

“I loved the session with Brandon Mull.  It was inspirational to me to hear of his journey from childhood and how he eventually became a successful writer.” 

“I was grateful to hear of Brandon Mull’s journey as an author.  It was incredibly relatable to my own experience, and it encouraged me to ‘press forward in faith.’” 

“Brandon Mull was wonderful and informative about what he had to do to get going.  That was so useful and good to hear.” 

“I loved hearing about the spiritual side of Brandon Mull’s career.  That isn’t something I’ve had the experience to hear him share in public.”

“I have so many thoughts about the conference, but the session that has stayed with me the most is the Brandon Mull Keynote Session. His message blended the best of the professional and spiritual sides of the work. I loved it.”

The really good news about Brandon Mull’s address is it is being made available to LDSPMA members soon and to those they invite to join the Association! You will see a special access link near the top of our home page on the website starting in January. Tell your friends and co-workers to sign-up so they can enjoy Brandon’s powerful message too!

What Lies Ahead?

Plans are already underway for our 2021 conference. Will it be in person? Online? A combination of both? Time will tell. One thing is certain, you won’t want to miss it!

Here’s proof I’m not the only one who loves the idea of a hybrid conference model. Another member recently wrote:

“I love that it is online. I would never have been able to attend otherwise. I also love that all the material is available to watch for a month afterward–so helpful!  Whatever you do, I hope you keep the online capability–whether that means live-streaming it or recording it and archiving it after the fact. For an LDSPMA member like me who lives abroad, it was a goldmine.”

We want to hear what YOU think, so please fill out the survey you were emailed last week. All of the decisions the Board and the Conference Committee make are based on your preferences. We want to offer the tools and resources that can best help you share your creative talents with the world!

Thanks for attending this year’s conference. Here’s to another great one in 2021!

In case you missed out on some of the fun, here are some links to some of the sessions you can check out that we uploaded to our LDSPMA YouTube channel:

The Bonner Family were keynoters and spoke and sang about “Bringing People to Unity in Christ through Music”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h84dUQ-N57I&feature=youtu.be ).

In the Lifetime Achievement Awards Ceremony, Dean Hughes, Emily Watts, and Christopher Robbins were honored and spoke about their lives and careers, with Carole Mikita as the emcee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOy_RNgQlZk&feature=youtu.be

And here is a link to view the Praiseworthy Awards Ceremony that gave out publication awards in about a dozen categories, with Amanda Dickson as emcee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Uj4sA-YT_w&feature=youtu.be

Merry CHRISTmas!

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We want to thank you for making LDSPMA a part of your busy life by being a member and sharing your creative talents with others.

This year has been a pretty crazy one, so the light you shine in the dark world has been especially important. We’re constantly amazed by all of the things you’re doing to make the world a better place.

We hope you feel our love for you as we create events and services to help you grow your professional talents and business. More important, we hope you feel the Savior’s love during this Christmas season.

We have some VERY exciting new developments for 2021 that we’ll tell you about in January! Until then, we wish you a very Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year!

The LDSPMA Board

A Quick Primer on Starting Your Own Home-Based Business

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By Amy Collett

Entrepreneurship is a lofty goal, but one many aspiring business owners can easily reach by starting small with the home-based business. By getting your venture established in this manner, you can maximize flexibility and minimize overhead. But how do you get started? Is it really possible to market yourself and make money? Answers are found below.

In the Beginning

One of your first steps before applying for your business license or putting up a website is to determine what you want to do and what type of business structure you’ll have. Most home-based businesses are run as sole proprietorships. However, if you need to protect your personal assets, you may want to establish yourself as an LLC.

Next, take a look at your funds. When you do not want to dip into your savings, you have plenty of options from the Small Business Administration Bridge Loan program to raising funds via friends and family. Financing your business venture can give you working capital to buy inventory or equipment. Further, by not dipping into your personal nest egg, you won’t be quite as stressed out about money, and you’ll have cash in hand to reach your professional goals. There are non-governmental funding sources available as well, and Zen Business notes that many larger companies have even taken it upon themselves to provide grants for SMBs.

Getting Started

Now that you are ready to go and have the funding to do so, you may want to look into hiring a helping hand as you establish yourself as a leader in your industry. The type of assistance you need will depend on what you do. If you are a book writer, for example, you’ll want to find an experienced editor, and the Latter-day Saint Publishing and Media Association notes that you can start by looking for recommendations from other writers.

You might also need help with administrative, technical, or other tasks outside of the scope of your expertise. In this case, hiring a freelancer may be a smart choice. First, an independent contractor will cost you less overall, even if you have to pay slightly higher hourly rates. But more importantly, you will have access to a global platform of people with the types of experience you need. There are downsides, however, and it makes sense to review the pros and cons of hiring freelance help before you recruit.

Customers Are Key

One of the most intimidating aspects of running your own business is putting yourself out there and finding customers. It requires a high level of confidence, and you have to be ready for rejection. Start by developing a plan, which might include scouting for potential clients on social media or sponsoring local events to draw attention to your business. Make sure to price your products or services competitively, taking into account everything from your local economy to the value that you bring. You do not necessarily have to be the least expensive option but the one that provides the very best for the money.

Once you begin bringing in customers, remember the importance of customer service. No matter what you do, there will always be competition, and if they are perceived as more customer-centric, you can bet that is where consumers will go. Focus on quality, and remember that getting things right the first time is the best way to make a good impression. This, in turn, will convince your customers to tell their friends and family about you, which equates to more revenue.

The above tips can help you get started. Ultimately, however, the success or demise of your business is something only you can determine. It might be a daunting endeavor, but entrepreneurship is one that comes with many benefits—ones that you have to experience for yourself to appreciate.

7 Steps for Hiring a Good Editor

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By Victoria Passey

  1. Understand the different types of editing.

There are several types of editing: content/developmental editing, substantive/deep-line editing, copyediting, and proofreading, as well as edits for style guides and fact-checking. Together, they create a funnel of sorts, progressively narrowing down to your finished, publication-ready manuscript.

Since there are many different terms for the different phases of editing, we’ll simplify them into four major categories so you can determine the type of editor you need for each phase of your project. 

  • Content editing takes a big-picture look at your manuscript. This stage reviews your manuscript’s major strengths and weaknesses regarding plot issues, organization, pacing, structure, etc.
  • Substantive or deep-line editing looks at your writing. The primary goal at this stage is to address the artistry, clarity, word economy, voice, and emotional impact of each sentence and paragraph (which can include any last little issues with the developmental points above, like pacing, dialogue, and rhetoric).
  • Copyediting is that final, fresh set of eyes where the editor catches any last issues that might trip up readers. This stage includes all the fine details, from clarity, to grammar and mechanics, to consistency issues and typos. Generally, it’s also concerned with style-guide issues, like bringing things in line with The Chicago Manual of Style.
  • Proofreading is a second quality control round and, depending on whether you are traditionally or self-publishing, will happen before or after a book is in the galley stage—when the interior layout is completed and it looks like a “real” book. You may also want a separate or related galley proofread, which addresses the aesthetics and consistency of your book’s typography.
  • Understand your budget and goals.

Your budget, goals, and publishing path will drive what kinds of editing will serve you best and how many rounds of editing your manuscript will go through. Sending your manuscript through each of the phases is the ideal for traditional-pub quality, but if you can’t afford it, at a minimum, you’ll want a developmental edit, followed by a solid copyedit. An experienced developmental editor can discuss the industry, market, and which editing phases would make sense for your genre and individual work. 

  • Search within your community.

Though it may be tempting to rely on online searches to find an editor, word of mouth is your best bet. Ask your writer friends (writing groups or other communities you’re a part of) for recommendations for editors.

Your editor should be vetted by the writing community. Look for strong reviews and community recognition or involvement.

  • Know the qualities of a good editor and of good feedback.

Your developmental editor should have a solid understanding of writing craft, particularly story structure, pacing, and character arcs. 

Your line or copyeditor should be very familiar with The Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary because these are the standard guides for style and usage within the publishing industry. It’s also important that your copyeditor respects your authorial voice and has an impeccable understanding of modern grammar and usage.

The ideal editor will provide firm, honest, kindly phrased feedback—not just empty praise.

As an author, you want feedback that helps you improve your manuscript by giving you a candid look at its strengths and weaknesses. Empty praise may inflate your ego, but it won’t help you grow and improve as a writer.

  • Understand a developmental editor’s genre specialty.

It’s important that your developmental editor understand your chosen genre, especially as you progress in your writing career.

Any good content editor can edit and give feedback on general story structure and craft, which can be beneficial for writers who are just starting out, but as you progress in your writing career, an editor who understands your genre is increasingly important.

An editor who understands your genre also understands the tropes, audience expectations, and what’s already been done (what you’ll look cliché for doing) within that genre.

For example, if you want to become a well-known romance author, an editor who isn’t an expert in romance plot structure and doesn’t know the difference between romance subgenres isn’t the right fit for you.

  • Get a sample edit before moving forward.

Before you decide on an editor, ask for a sample edit of a short selection from your manuscript. A sample edit will help you understand the editor’s skill level, as well as how they’ll approach your work and your feelings as an author. Make sure to compare the different sample edits you get from all the editors you are considering. Price is not a good comparison point—if you don’t get a quality edit, you’ve wasted your money, regardless. 

By the way, most editors use Track Changes in Word to record their line edits and comments. Understanding this feature will ensure that you can view your editor’s notes and accept or reject their changes.

  • Discuss details.

Once you’ve decided on an editor, be sure to discuss the details of your project. Laying out the details (in a written contract) early on will save both of you many headaches later.

Some of the details you’ll want to discuss are deadlines, costs, payment arrangements, and a work-for-hire contract where your work is protected and the editor is under an NDA (nondisclosure agreement).

You should be able to discuss these details over the phone—either with someone in the company you’ve hired, or the editor themselves if they are an individual freelancer. And make sure you get it in writing!

Getting a manuscript ready for publication is a collaborative effort based on a mutual love of books, respect, and creative effort. If you and your editor respect each other’s time, effort, expertise, and vision, the resulting product—and partnership—will amaze you!

A few editorial recommendations to get you started:

  • Eschler Editing: This award-winning, experienced team of editing and publishing/promotion professionals has editors for most every genre and every type of editing—specializing in fiction and nonfiction (plus poetry, dissertations, essays, web content, etc.) Find them at EschlerEditing.com.
  • Joshua Essoe: Joshua is a skilled content editor who does sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, YA and adult, and their subgenres (but no lit fic, romance, or children’s/MG). Find him at JoshuaEssoe.com.
  • Josh Vogt: Josh is a highly experienced editor who can work with most fiction genres (though maybe not super-literary fiction, as he prefers plot-driven works); he also does gaming lit and loves speculative fiction. Find him at write-strong.com or joshrvogt@gmail.com.
  • Precision Editing Group: This experienced team of editors and best-selling authors tackles many genres. (They just don’t do poetry or dissertations.) Find them at PrecisionEditingGroup.com or editor@precisioneditinggroup.com.
  • The Manuscript Dr.: A team of story-savvy fiction editors. Find them at  TheManuscriptDr.com.

18 Books and Podcasts Recommended by LDSPMA Members

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LDSPMA is all about publications and media. But which publications? Which media? Before we jump into our March theme—“A Month of Editing”—let’s see what LDSPMA members and friends are immersing themselves in. 

Book Recommendations

Podcast Recommendations

Empowered to Become Part of LDSPMA

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By Joseph A. Batzel (LDSMPA Director of Education)

Our theme for this year’s conference can invite many thoughts and interpretations. As I think of the word empowered, I am drawn to a definition from Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: “having the knowledge, confidence, means, or ability to do things or make decisions for oneself.” 

I was empowered several years ago when I was searching for an organization that provided an opportunity for me to further my knowledge in publishing and media. I had tried several other groups who provided similar opportunities, but their values and principles were not what I was looking for at the time.

As I perused the website I was so impressed with what Latter-day Saint Publishing and Media stood for in their mission statement: “LDSPMA is an international organization for members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who work in media and publishing or seek to do so.”

We provide online and in-person opportunities for our members to learn, network, share and refine their work, and support one another in magnifying and marketing praiseworthy works that bring light into the world. The media represented by LDSPMA members include books, blogs, articles, songs, poetry, videos, films, audio programs, podcasts, and others.

I had years of experience in writing, singing, poetry, video, and audio, and  I was also going to have the opportunity to work with people with the same values and principles. This combination was precisely what I was looking for to fit my spiritual and artistic needs. I made a decision that day to join the organization. In my past, I had been the CEO of my nonprofit organization for the preservation of the arts. I realized at that time I not only wanted to be a member I also wanted to serve on the board of directors.

I was at the right place and the right time when I felt guided by inspiration to find the website and notice they were looking for a director of education. The criteria met my qualifications. I filled out the application and was contacted shortly thereafter by the current president and approved by the board.

My privilege to serve others has been a mantra of mine for many years. I have been a professional educator for more than forty years. In those years, I have had the privilege of teaching students in the classroom of universities, colleges, and public schools. I’m blessed to say, “I have learned as much from my students as they have learned from me.” Education is a collaborative effort; we don’t need teachers if we don’t have students to teach. 

I look at serving on our LDSPMA board in the same capacity. We can’t function if we don’t have members that support us by becoming involved as our future leaders, committee members, presenters, keynotes, and general attendees at our conferences. 

We operate as a nonprofit organization; all of us who provide service are volunteers. As the director of education, it is my responsibility to provide as many opportunities to educate our members. Our yearly conference scheduled for this September is an ideal chance to receive some excellent instruction from our many presenters sharing their expertise in all facets of publishing and media. Along with our conference, I would like to share with you some of my educational goals for this coming year:

  1. I want to continue with our podcasts and include some of our conference presenters in our interviews.
  2. I want to encourage our college and university students to become involved by establishing and joining chapters on each college and university campus.
  3. I want to provide more opportunities for our members to submit their poetry and short stories to our blog and social media pages.
  4. I want to encourage our members to give us feedback on our blog, website, and social media pages. We want to provide the best educational experiences you are seeking.
  5. I want to encourage all of our members and potential members to attend our conference and learn from the most knowledgeable, insightful, passionate, and uplifting presenters that we are assembling to teach you in your respective areas of interest.

It is my hope and prayer that we can grow together as leaders and members and become one as we reach for the goal of “Empowering our Vision” for the coming year. I hope to meet many of you at this year’s conference.

Joseph

Trusting Your Teenage Writer: Three Tips to Avoid Overwriting

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By LoriAnne Spear

Have you ever tried to bluff your way through a conversation with your teenager, pretending you’re an expert on a subject so you can give them advice? Have you ever made up statistics to make sure they remember your warnings about whatever it is you’re worried they might do?

If you say no, hooray for you, awesomely cool and integrity-filled parents! I may have given a few impromptu lectures with far-out examples about having unprotected sex, falling grades, drinking, or just the sassing-your-parents-means-you-won’t-be-able-to-keep-a-job variety. Maybe they saw through me, but I wanted them to believe that I am an expert in all the downsides of those exciting dangers, and I hoped the more I talked and used impressive words, the more they’d believe me.

In much the same way, many of us novice writers overwrite in our insecure attempt to sound like a real writer. We use flowery language or big words so the reader will believe we’re legit. Instead, we produce overwrought writing and get in our own way. 

Here are three tips to avoid overwriting traps:

1. Cluttery Language. Choosing a twenty-dollar word when a simple one-dollar word is more authentic to your character. When you can’t choose between three foreboding images to describe a spooky place, so you throw all of them in—in the same sentence. Sometimes new writers add intrusive adverbs to describe the action on the page, instead of simple, powerful verbs in short sentences. That is how you build tension. The rest is clutter, and it gets in your reader’s way.

2. Redundancy. Do you want to be sure your unfinished-teenage-reader’s-brain truly understands how complicated the conflict is, how high the stakes really are, or how forbidden the love is? Repeating the same information using different words, in consecutive sentences, or even on the same page, is just hitting the reader over the head again and again with your pointy-point. It doesn’t add emphasis. It is not effective. It’s just annoying. What’s worse is that it takes focus off of what is most important—the story.

3. How to stop. Carol Lynch Williams teaches her students to look at every single sentence. If it’s not building toward the climax of the story, cut it. Look at each word in a sentence. Get rid of all helping verbs, all -ly adverbs, all passive constructions. Make every—single—word—count. Then give it to your beta readers, ask them to highlight all redundant information, overwritten descriptions, and irrelevant tangents. Then cut. Tighten. Refine. Repeat.

My Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers instructors have told me, “Trust your reader. Let them fill in the gaps. It’s more satisfying for them.” One simple, but unique, description ignites the readers’ imaginations. They subconsciously fill in the details of a setting or a character’s appearance by drawing from their own life’s experiences. It personalizes the story to them.

Finally, when you tell your story, start the movie in the reader’s mind as straightforward as you can. Revise and decorate it later with lovely language if needed. Clear the clutter and let your reader hear the character’s voice, and see the story play out in front of them. Isn’t that what we really want? For them to remember the characters and story long after they turn that last page.

Empowered By Vision

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By Steve Piersanti

The Sixth Annual National Conference of the Latter-day Saint Publishing and Media Association (LDSPMA) will take place at the BYU Conference Center in Provo, Utah, on September 24–26, 2020. Like our previous conferences, this is going to be a tremendous event. We don’t think we are exaggerating when we call it the best networking, learning, and professional development opportunity ever created for Latter-day Saints interested in publishing and media. We hope that you will plan to attend and will take advantage of the early bird registration offer when it is made available in a few weeks.

The theme of our 2020 conference is “Empowered by Vision.” This theme was chosen in recognition of the 200th anniversary of the First Vision. And it signifies that Latter-day Saints who are writers, editors, filmmakers, designers, artists, performers, producers, marketers, and other kinds of publishing and media professionals—and students and others who are preparing for these roles—can be tremendously empowered by the vision contained within the scriptures and teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This vision is a source of inspiration, creativity, clarity, and wisdom. It provides great benefits for making publishing and media more meaningful and impactful. Furthermore, publishing and media can be—and in numerous ways already are—powerful means of spreading positive vision in the world.

During the conference we will be privileged to hear from several distinguished keynote speakers:

  • Bruce and Marie Hafen. Bruce is a former member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, former provost of BYU, former president of BYU–Idaho, former dean of the BYU Law School, and former president of the St. George Utah Temple. Marie has held many Church leadership positions and has taught writing and religion classes at BYU, the University of Utah, and BYU–Idaho. They have authored several books together, and each has authored books individually.
  • Brandon Mull. Brandon is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Fablehaven, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms series. He is one of the best-selling and most beloved Latter-day Saint fiction authors today. His latest #1 New York Times best seller is Dragonwatch: Wrath of the Dragon King. He is also an inspiring speaker as he shares his challenges and struggles in going from unknown writer to international star.
  • Hillary Weeks. Hilary has risen to the top of music charts both with Latter-day Saint audiences and within the broader Christian music world (which is rare and difficult to do). She is an award-winning, best-selling singer and songwriter who is also author of several inspiring books and a masterful and entertaining speaker.

In addition to these keynote speakers, the conference will feature over 75 other leaders in publishing and media who will share useful and informative advice in seven different conference tracks:

  • Fiction Writing
  • Nonfiction Writing
  • Media
  • Marketing
  • Editing, Design, and Production
  • Publishing
  • Interactive Sessions

Last year the conference featured, for the first time, four preconference, deep-dive, half-day workshops. These half-day workshops were such a big hit that we are expanding them to 10 pre-conference workshops this year, to take place on September 24. These workshops will cover fiction writing, nonfiction writing, fiction editing, foundational editing skills, screenwriting and film production, podcasting and audio production, self-publishing, social media marketing, website design, and media marketing and business development.

Please watch for more information about the conference and the opportunity to get a large early bird conference registration discount. We hope that you will join us!

Steven Piersanti

Director of Conferences, LDSPMA