Welcome to the largest gathering of Latter-day Saint writers, artists, media creators, and publishing professionals!
The 2025 LDSPMA Annual Conference
October 16–18
UVU Sorensen Student Center, Orem, Utah
Registration for the 2025 LDSPMA Conference will open May 15th.
What Is the LDSPMA Conference?
The annual conference for Latter-day Saints in Publishing, Media, and the Arts (LDSPMA) is a 3-day event for networking and professional development.
At our conference, over 450 Latter-day Saint authors, publishers, editors, artists, media professionals, musicians, and other creators gather to develop their professional skills, network with each other, and seek inspiration and support in a faith-fostering environment.
The conference has been held annually since 2015.
What Is the Conference Theme?
Our theme this year is Our Work, His Glory.
It is our hope that the skills, principles, and techniques you will learn this October, along with the people you will meet, will enable you to more effectively consecrate your artistic influence to the work and glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Thank you to our sponsors for making this conference possible!
What’s Included?
4 Keynote Speakers
CEO of Deseret Book Company and former member of the Relief Society General Presidency
Friday Morning Session
(Oct 17, 9:00–9:50 am)
Award-winning author of 23 published novels for adults and children
Friday Afternoon Session
(Oct 17, 3:30–4:30 pm)
Executive producer of The Chosen television series and president of 5&2 Studios
Saturday Morning Session
(Oct 18, 9:00–9:50 am)
Patriarch and Matriarch of the Bonner Family, a leading Christian performing group
Saturday Afternoon Session
(Oct 18, 3:00–4:00 pm)
8 Tracks of Breakout Sessions
Over 53 breakout sessions will feature dozens of leaders in publishing, media, and the arts who will share best practices, life lessons, and industry secrets.
At the conference, you’ll pick and choose which sessions to attend which hours, based on your own unique needs.
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Business/Leadership/Entrepreneurship
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Editing/Design
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Fiction Writing
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Marketing
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Media
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Musical Arts
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Nonfiction Writing
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Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Business/Leadership/Finance/Entrepreneurship Track
- Stretch, Don’t Snap: Managing Stress and Capacity During Hard Business Times – Michelle McCullough
- Work/Family Balance: Make Running Your Business Work for Your Family – Heather Randall
- Establishing an Entrepreneurial Foundation: Investing in Yourself – Steven & Ginger Hitz
- Time Management for Creatives: A 10-Step Plan for Success – Ramona Siddoway
- Don’t Sell Yourself Short: Finding Greater Success in Expanding Your Offerings – Allen Parkinson
- Smart Bookkeeping for Freelancers: How to Track, Analyze, and Close Out Your Finances with Confidence – Katie Chambers
- Overcoming the Fear of Taxes: Essential Information About Self-Employment Taxes, Quarterly Payments, and Business Deductions – Suzy Bills
Editing/Design/Production Track
- Rules as Tools Instead of Laws: Embracing Flexibility as an Editor – Liz Kazandzhy
- Revise and Shine: Essential Edits Before You Submit Your Book to a Publisher – Emily Clark
- Developing and Refining Key Substantive Editing Skills: Cohesion, Coherence, and Organization – Suzy Bills
- Doodle Your Way to Creative Clarity: Capture ideas simply and powerfully through Doodle Notes. – Shannon Christensen
- Who’s in Creative Control Here? Navigating the Editor-Writer Relationship – Holly Kolb
- Judge Every Book by Its Cover, Using Design-thinking in Publication Design – Cole Melanson
- Real-time Reactions Query Panel
Fiction Writing Track
- Busting Book Marketing Myths – Kaela Rivera
- Get the Most Out of Your Beta Readers: Effective Approaches That Won’t Waste Your Time (or Theirs) – Melissa Muhlenkamp and Mikki Tolley
- Heroes and Villains – J. Scott Savage
- How to Take the Suck Out of Success: Tackling the 4 Obstacles to Confidence – Julie Wright
- POV: Whose Story Is This Anyway? – KaTrina Jackson
- Pulling the Back the Curtain on Publishing – Heather B. Moore and Kaela Rivera
- Writing Emotionally Resonant Fiction – Celesta Rimington
- Real-time Reactions Cover Design Panel
Marketing Track
- Revitalizing Your Backlist to Make New Money on Old Books’ Releases – Heather Moore
- You Can Succeed on Amazon: Understanding and Using Amazon’s Business Model to Help Your Work Stand Out – Jeff Wheeler
- Using AI to Help with NL Content and Social Media Posts – Julie Matern
- Using YouTube and Social Media to Market Your Projects – Stuart Edge
- Build a Loyal Following Without Creator Burnout: How Your Shortform and YouTube Content Plan Will Save You Time and Manage Overwhelm – Austin Falter
- Go-to Sources for PR and Marketing Advice, from Marketers Whose Day Job Is Marketing – JoLynne Lyon
- A Tale of Two Marketing Campaigns: Comparing and Contrasting a Dismal Failure in 2022 with a Decent Success in 2024 – Jeremy P. Madsen
Media Track
- Creating with Christ: Uncovering Your Divine Work and Sharing It Fearlessly – Tyson Bradley
- Unleash Your Creative Energy – Crystal Haitsma
- Hooks: Irresistible YouTube Thumbnails and Social Media Intros to Captivate Your Audience – Jasmin Rappleye
- The Art of Seeing: Stories and Actions That Connect Us – Richard Radstone
- Blockbuster: How Independent Creators Can Build Massively Profitable Businesses – Daren Smith
- I Am Who God Says I Am: Faith’s Answer to Imposter Syndrome – Cassidy Beck
- Unseen Heroes: The Chosen TV Series— Stories and Experiences of the Supporting and Background Cast. – Ana Katia, Susanna Brown, Carmen Rejas, Fernanda Almeida
Musical Arts Track
- United in Song: The How-Tos of Co-Writing, Collaborating & Creating Faith-Inclusive Spaces – Allie Gardner
- Musical Problem Solving: Songwriting Authentically Without Trauma-Dumping or Losing Your Audience – Emily Pack
- Why Songwriting Hooks are the MOST Important Part of Your Song! – Anjanette Mickelsen
- How to Simply Record at Home (For Non Techy People) – Becky Willard
- Making Sacred Simple: Crafting Christ-Centered Children’s Music – Angie Killian and Joelle Einerson
- Real-time Reactions Music Panel
Nonfiction Writing Track
- Anatomy of a Manuscript: Bringing Your Nonfiction Outline to Life – Janine Simons
- Crafting a Book Marketing Strategy That Actually Sells Books – Zach Kristensen
- Not Your Momma’s Nonfiction: The Exploding Market of Children’s Nonfiction – Sarah Lynne John
- Illuminating Scripture for Today’s Audiences: Nonfiction and Historical Fiction Writing – Heather B. Moore and S. Kent Brown
- The Dos and Don’ts of Dialogue – Whitney Hemsath
- The LDS Nonfiction Blueprint: How to Write a Book Publishers Want – Emily Clark
- Writing in Defense of the Latter-day Saint Faith: The Not-So-Secret REAL “Mormon” Wives Share Their Response to the TV Series – REAL “Mormon” Wives Panel: Kerry Owen, Fernanda Böhme, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Allison Hong Merrill, Kimberly DowDell, Shayla Egan, Esther Jackson-Stowell, and Caroline Melazzo
Visual and Performing Arts Track
- Strategies for Creative Thinking: Tools for Increasing Inspiration – Jenedy Paige
- Building Zion One Stage At a Time: Staged Stories as a Mighty Instrument for Good – Rebecca Burnham
- Organic Auditions: A Gentler, More Caring Way of Conducting Auditions – Manuel Leybas
- Crafting Stories through Art: Materializing Meaningful Artistic Narratives – Sabrina Squires
- Windows to His Love: Infusing Intention and Light into Your Art – Katie Garner
- Reflecting His Light: Infusing our Art with the Light of Christ – Heidi Prigmore
- How to Successfully Carry Out a Powerful and Personal Musical Performance, Starting from Scratch – CJ Madsen
Interactive Sessions
Interactive sessions are among the most popular features of the conference each year. These sessions provide fun, engaging ways to learn, network, and receive instant feedback on your work:
Fast Pitch: Pitch your book project to agents and publishing company representatives. (Available both in-person and online.) See details.
Quick Critiques: Receive free feedback on your manuscript from the professional editors at Eschler Editing. (Available both in-person and online.)
Networking Hour: Make friends, find potential collaborators, and lay the groundwork for later conversations in a series of three structured networking blocks.
Real-Time Reactions: Get instant feedback from a panel of professionals about your query letter, book cover design, or songwriting project.
Online Presence Audit: Get a professional evaluation of where you land in a Google search and how to improve the visibility and clarity of your branding.
Meet the Creators Event: Meet many conference speakers as well as other authors, musicians, and artists; view their books, audios, videos, and other works; purchase any you are interested in; and get them signed.
Virtual Preconference Classes
Our conference starts long before we gather in-person. For two months leading up to the event, meet other attendees and learn from top-notch speakers with our preconference class series (with recordings available to watch later!):
- Beyond Your Brand: How To Find and Connect with Your True Fans – Becky Willard
- 6:00pm-7:20pm
- How to Pitch Fiction or Nonfiction – Angie Fenimore
- 6:00pm-7:20pm
- Command the Stage: Elevate Your Public Speaking with Confidence & Creativity – Joseph Batzel
- 10:00am-11:20am
- Crafting Your Writing to Change the World: Using LDS Values and Practical Strategies to Lift Others – Warner Woodworth
- 6:00pm-7:20pm
- How to Create a Lead Magnet to Attract Your Ideal Audience and Earn Their Trust – Jeremy P. Madsen
- 6:00pm-7:20pm
- Plot by Deduction: Finding Your Plot's Missing Pieces Using the Pendant Method – Laura Baumgarten
- 10:00am-11:20am
- Absent a Rating System: Helping LDS Audiences Find and Trust Your Content – Marcus Williams
- 6:00pm-7:20pm
- Pitch Workshop and Q&A – Angie Fenimore
- 6:00pm-8:00pm
- Start Saving for Retirement Now: Retirement Savings Options, Tax Considerations, and Tips for Getting Started – Nick Peterson
- Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon through Visual Art – Jennifer Champoux
- 6:00pm-7:20pm
- No Creator Is an Island: Networking to Build Strong Relationships – Barry Rellaford
- Insights From the Top of Podcasting – Benjamin Hancock
- 6:00pm-7:20pm
- Pre-conference Connections Event
- 10:00am-11:00am
Is there a virtual-only option?
Yes! Virtual-only attendees may attend pre-conference virtual sessions in the weeks before the main conference. In addition, virtual-only attendees will also have access to the recordings of all virtual and in-person breakout sessions and keynote sessions after the main conference takes place.
We are also offering an online Fast Pitch session and online Quick Critiques. Workshops are not available virtually.
Deep-Dive Workshops
The day before the main conference, we offer 15 hands-on, half-day workshops as optional add-ons.
These deep-dive workshops are consistently reviewed as one of the most impactful parts of our conference. The four-hour format and small classroom setting (capped at 30 people) allow for thorough learning, hands-on application, and real-time feedback from the instructor.
Morning Deep-Dive Workshops
Thursday, October 16, 8 am – 12 noon
- The Write Start: Mastering Craft, Building Confidence, and Navigating the Path to Publishing – Samantha Millburn
- The Art & Science of Breakthroughs: Using Neuroscience-backed Tools to Break Through Blocks and Create Success in Your Craft – Ann Ferguson
- How To Make a Viral Music Video (From Someone Who Has Made More Than 90 of Them) – Nick Sales
- How to Grow Your Podcast – Lisa Valentine Clark
- Watch the Pros Produce a Song in Real Time! (Includes a field trip to Noisebox Studios) – Daniel Blomberg and Dave Zimmerman
- Sharing Your Sacred Experiences: A Writing Workshop That Harnesses the Power of the Divine to Change the World – Bridget Cook-Burch
- More Than an Actor: Becoming a Well-Rounded Creative – Paul Cartwright and Jade Gottfredson
- Choosing the Right Art Publisher vs. Self-Publishing – Steevun Lemon
Afternoon Deep-Dive Workshops
Thursday, October 16, 1:30–5:30 pm
- Developmental Editing for Fiction: Character Development, Dialogue, Pacing, Setting, and Head-Hopping – Suzy Bills
- Book Marketing for Authors: How to Publicize, Promote, and Launch Your Publication – Scott T. E. Jackson
- Writing Your Debut Novel – Shelly Brown
- Use Short-Form Videos to Attract Loyal Fans! – Austin Falter
- Your True Voice: If You Can Speak You Can Sing – Debra Bonner
- Blue Bird Onstage! – Gale Sears, James Stevens, and Daniel Blomberg
- A Nonfiction Writing Workshop: The Ins and Outs of the Most Overlooked Genre – Krista Isaacson and Whitney Hemsath
If you register for BOTH a morning AND an afternoon workshop, you will receive a catered lunch and a lunchtime keynote from 12:00 to 1:20 pm.
Our lunchtime keynote speaker is Sharon Eubank, director of Latter-day Saint Charities.
What Past Attendees Are Saying:
“I took so many notes and know what I need to focus on next in building my brand and marketing my design.”
“I have gained way more knowledge than I imagined possible.”
“What sets this conference apart from the rest is the spiritual component, which I really appreciate. I also love the camaraderie and genuine feeling of rooting for each other.”
“I liked the smaller nature of LDSPMA. Other conferences I’ve attended have been overwhelming in attendance and class sizes.”
“It’s a great conference—a hidden gem of the industry.”
“I didn’t know what to expect coming here, but it was fantastic. A bit of sensory overload for a novice like myself, but it made me put myself and my work out there a little more, and that is incredibly valuable to me.”
“This conference really helped me get a foothold of understanding the writing and publishing world, meet people who could help me, and feel a little less alone on my writing journey.”
“I hoped to gain information about getting published and I got SO MUCH MORE!”
“I wanted to feel the Spirit and be uplifted. I came to enjoy the people and the ambiance. And I did.”
“What I love about this conference that I don’t get out of most other writing conferences is the publishing and marketing tracks. I love coming and getting to learn how I can better promote my fiction novels to my audience and think of what a publisher is looking for.”
“I wanted to gain contacts and instruction for my editing career and inspiration for my writing hobby. All of my expectations were exceeded.”
“This was probably the best conference I’ve ever been to in Utah, and I’ve been to a LOT of them.”
“The sessions I attended strengthened my spirit and invited me to elevate my vision and personalize it for reaching hearts.”
What if I come from out of state?
We got you covered!
Get a discounted rate (with free cancellations until the day of) at the Hampton Inn & Suites across the street from UVU campus. Book a discounted room here. Only 25 available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to attend?
Definitely not! LDSPMA is an international organization for members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who work in media, the arts, and publishing, or seek to do so. Please come and enjoy!
Do you offer a student discount?
Yes! We offer a half-off discount to anyone who will be a part-time or full-time college student at the time of the conference.
Do you offer bulk registration discounts?
Yes! If you order 5 or more registrations at one time, you get 10% off the current discount rate. Email us at [email protected] to arrange a bulk registration. This option is ideal for publishing companies, universities, or other organizations who want to send several of their employees or students to our conference.
Can children and youth attend the conference?
We welcome youth ages 12–18! They get a steep discount—half off!
Babes in arms (approximately 12 months or younger) are allowed for free as long as they do not overly disrupt the conference experience of other attendees.
To preserve the conference learning environment, we ask that you not bring children between 1 and 11.