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July 12, 2022: Commas, Colons, and Semicolons—Oh My! A Punctuation Crash Course

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July 12: Commas, Colons, and Semicolons—Oh My! A Punctuation Crash Course

A discussion with freelance editor Brittany Passmore

Ever said you would use semicolons more if you could remember how to use them? Ever felt overwhelmed by all the comma rules? This punctuation crash course is here to save the day! Learn the basic rules surrounding semicolons, colons, em dashes, and commas as well as easy-to-remember tips that will make you more confident in how you make rhetorical choices with your punctuation.

Bio: Brittany Passmore is a freelance editor who specializes in developmental, substantive, and copy edits in fiction. She graduated from BYU with a BA in Editing and Publishing. She loves working with writers in every stage of the editing process and helping their stories reach their full potential. When she’s not editing, reading, or writing, Brittany enjoys being a stay-at-home mom, dabbling in her musical hobbies, practicing yoga, and playing board games with her family.

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June 23, 2022: How Words & Pictures Rely on Each Other, & Other Picture Book Writing Tips

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June 23: How Words & Pictures Rely on Each Other, & Other Picture Book Writing Tips

A discussion with author/illustrator Brooke Malia Mann

Brooke Malia Mann, author & illustrator of Miracles of Jesus and Teachings of Jesus, published by Deseret Book, will reveal her process of creating a book she both writes and illustrates—sharing how to begin, how to submit and work with a publisher, and what she feels are the key points of a successful children’s picture book. You won’t want to miss this discussion!

Bio: Brooke Malia Mann graduated from Brigham Young University with a BFA in illustration and a minor in English. She is a proud stay-at-home mom who works on her art on the side. Since she was a little girl making stapled-together picture books, Brooke has been involved in art. Her art has been influenced by her Japanese heritage, childhood in California, and young adult years living in Utah. Brooke Currently lives in Wyoming with her family of boys.

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May 26, 2022: How to Outline a Romance Novel and Keep the Love Scenes Sweet with a Little Bit of Heat

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May 26: How to Outline a Romance Novel and Keep the Love Scenes Sweet with a Little Bit of Heat

A discussion with romance author Julie L. Spencer

How far is too far in clean romance? Heat level is important to readers of all genres–but especially romance novels. And that heat level is often subjective, which means writing clean romance isn’t easy! On top of that, most story structure models don’t work for romance. Outlining is not the same thing as plotting, but they go hand in hand.

Bio: Julie L. Spencer is a best-selling author of over 30 books, most of them romance novels. As an author and publisher, she has mentored other authors to springboard their own successful careers. Her stories include snarky, flawed characters and romantic twists and turns.

This free Zoom event features a short presentation by Julie, followed by Q&A. Julie will be presenting a longer version of this presentation at our conference in October.

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Portrait of a Painter: The Journey of Latter-day Saint Artist Dan Wilson

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Dan Wilson began drawing from the time he could pick up a pencil. “I doodled on everything,” he recounts. “My first sale was in 7th grade to one of my teachers. She had me draw John Wayne. I couldn’t believe she gave me $20. But I battled being an artist. I studied chiropractic, fire science, and business, but I always felt a tug to go back to art.”

“Before graduation, Dan was all over the place,” said Heather, Dan’s wife of 13 years. “He couldn’t figure out what he wanted to do. I asked, ‘Why not art?’, but I never thought he would do it full time.” 

Early Inspiration

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dan graduated from Utah Valley University with a bachelor degree in fine arts. “My greatest mentors were Perry Stuart, a UVU art professor, and William Whittaker, who mentored me after college. I was inspired by Danish artist Carl Bloch and French artist William Bouguereau.”

Dan is also inspired by his wife. “I wouldn’t be able to give it 100% if she wasn’t behind me,” he said. Dan first met Heather at Gold’s Gym. “I didn’t want to be that guy who gets her number at the gym,” he admitted, “then I ran into her at a dance two months later. The rest is history.” The couple has four boys and two girls ranging in age from two to eleven.

Lightbulb Moment

“I originally painted just to have a career. I did portrait art and wanted to get into galleries,” Dan said. “Then I painted my first image of Christ, and two families bought simple prints. One mother stopped me the next week at church, got emotional, and said, ‘You have no idea how much that image is uplifting us in our home.’ I thought, ‘That was really cool.’”

The next week at the exact same spot, another woman stopped Dan. “She also got emotional and said, ‘I gave my print to my sister who’s trying to keep her family together. You have no idea how much it means to them and how much it’s helping.’ She said almost the exact same words. The lightbulb went off and I knew—I’m supposed to be painting for a reason, and that is to uplift people in their homes with images of Christ.”

I’m supposed to be painting for a reason…

“When Dan was deciding what he wanted to paint, he was up and down,” said Heather. “When he realized he wanted to paint the Savior, everything just fell into place.”

Rigors of Aspiration

But it hasn’t always been easy. To support his art career, Heather cleaned houses and Dan managed a freight forwarding business for FEDEX. “My first year I made $7,000 from my art,” he said, “but Heather never second-guessed the whole thing.” 

In 2014, Dan started painting full time. “It’s not a normal nine-to-five job,” said Heather. “There’s no paid time off. His schedule varies. At six pm he may be in the middle of something he can’t leave. Sometimes he paints until midnight. But he’s a hard worker and takes on the responsibility of providing for the family. He constantly studies the work of other artists.”

Inspiration is a Process

Dan relies heavily on the power and process of inspiration. “If I’m painting the Savior for a temple, I just want to do Him justice. I’m intimidated every time,” he said. “I spend a lot of mental prep work getting ready to paint. I get a father’s blessing. I include it in my fast. Then I do the best painting I can with the Lord’s help.”

Dan is quick to add that inspiration doesn’t come all at once. “I can take it only so far, and then I get stuck where I just don’t know what the best thing for the painting is. It’s then that I receive more answers.”

Washington DC Temple Painting

This process was repeatedly manifested in his largest work to date, “His Return,” a depiction of Christ’s Second Coming for the Washington DC Temple.

Dan had already completed six paintings for temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he received a call from the Temple Department to do another: an eight-by-twelve-foot oil painting for the Washington DC Temple. It needed to be completed in time for the temple rededication in the summer of 2022.

“This Second Coming piece was a big slice of humble pie. I ran into several things I didn’t know how to do,” said Dan. “I’ve never done a mural this size before with 300-plus angels. It stretched me. When I get overconfident and don’t rely on the spirit, I make a lot of mistakes I have to spend the next day fixing. It’s pretty easy to stay grounded when you realize you’re painting stuff you can’t paint by yourself. I learn something new each time.”

“The temple department gave me the idea for the painting based on scripture, with the Savior coming in the clouds clothed in a red robe surrounded by numerous angels,” said Dan. “I produced preliminary sketches with graphite. When they were approved, I was asked to do a one-by-two-foot painting which the temple interior designer would use for their color palate. When that was approved, they let me loose.”

Dan went to work finding models and clothing for them, creating concepts for the trumpets, and conducting numerous photoshoots before putting it all together. “I spent hundreds of hours in Photoshop just placing the angels so that they didn’t create a pattern and the diversity was not stacked in one section. I had about 30 models, but as you go further away from Christ the detail isn’t as apparent.” 

God is in the very details of our work.

There were more layers of approval for the painting, the last one being a member of the First Presidency of the Church. It took Dan an estimated 2,000 hours to paint “His Return”—a fourth of it in preparation alone. 

Specific Revelation

Dan’s original concept was for 120 angels. To give greater depth to the painting, the number grew to more than 300. “I painted one angel at a time,” he said. “It took one to three days per angel. All of them had slightly different contrasts. The hardest thing about painting 300 angels surrounding Christ is to have them not consume all the attention and to have them go back in space evenly and consistently. I was really stressed out about it, and I prayed and fasted a lot.”

One morning Dan awoke early and visualized the use of a specific white glaze to apply in variation to make the angels complement and not compete with the image of the Savior. It gave them a glowing feel and helped them fit perfectly in atmospheric perspective. 

“Such a specific revelation is a testimony to me that God is in the very details of our work. That doesn’t just apply to me as a Christian artist working on temple paintings, but it applies to anyone in any career. God is in the details of our work, and He can answer specific questions to help us be better providers, better employees, better employers, better husbands or wives, or wherever we need help. If we’re specific with Him, He’ll be specific with us.”

Howard Collette

Author Bio

Howard Collett has two novels in production, Erika’s War, a spy novel set in contemporary Berlin, and Lost in the Wilderness, the tale of a 10-year-old girl lost in Utah’s Uinta mountains. He has published 1,600 articles and 300 photos in aviation, medicine, software, and education in national and international magazines. His capstone achievement documented life-saving humanitarian aid on four continents. Visit www.howardcollett.net for more information.

    How to Publish Your Audiobook for Less

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    Julie MacNeil thought her work on her award-winning book The 50-Year Secret was done when she published it. Although she did successfully find readers, many of her friends told her, “I don’t read much, but let me know when it’s on Audible!”

    In the ever-shifting world of publication, authors must keep up with current trends to get their work published, noticed, and to increase shelf life. One of the biggest recent developments is streaming audiobooks on platforms such as Audible.

    Streaming on Audible comes with several advantages, as Julie discovered when she researched the platform. There are far fewer books on Audible as opposed to ebooks or in print, and its connection to Amazon is enormously powerful in finding new readers (and listeners!)

    How to publish on Audible (the easy way)

    According to Julie, the easiest and fastest way to publish on Audible is to hire a professional narrator using Audible’s “back office” site and service called ACX.

    The first step is to apply and get accepted for publication with Audible. Next, create a client account on ACX. From there, you can browse the profiles of the people who narrate books. You can listen to voice samples, and even solicit auditions from prospective narrators.  

    Audible’s connection to Amazon is enormously powerful in finding new readers (and listeners!)

    Once you find someone who’s a good match for your work, you and the narrator negotiate a price. Prices tend to be high — possibly thousands of dollars or even split royalties — because these narrators are professionals. While narrators work on recording, sections are sent to both the author and Audible for approval before being published as one whole book. When it’s done, your book will be available on Audible for purchase and streaming.

    This is the most common way to publish on Audible. However, Julie decided to do something different.

    The 50-Year Secret

    For Julie, writing and publishing her book wasn’t about fame or money — it was about saving lives. 

    She had already lived through several difficult events in life, from bullying to abusive relationships, when she discovered through a chance DNA test that she had a rare liver disease called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.  

    The genetic disease is potentially fatal, but because it is a tricky disease that can often manifest as respiratory rather than liver problems, an estimated 90% of people who have it are undiagnosed. So, Julie was especially glad that she found out.

    “I found it really empowering to learn about my disease,” Julie told me in a recent interview. “I wanted to encourage others to … be proactive about their health. Even if you find out you have it or some other disease — even if it means you might die young — I hope you’ll make the most of life.”

    Because Julie was adopted, her doctor suggested she try to find her biological family so she could warn them about the disease and encourage them to get tested. Her book chronicles this journey of finding her biological family. Although her father had already passed away from alpha-1, the lives of other family members were saved because they were able to get treatment for the disease they might have died of but never known about.

    Julie wrote her book largely because she wanted to help bring awareness to others about alpha-1 and encourage more people to get tested — and maybe save their lives too. Getting on Audible would amplify her message beyond Amazon.

    How to publish on Audible (the cost-effective way)

    Julie figured out she could still get her book on Audible — and save money — by doing more of the process on her own.

    First, she bought a software program for recording and editing audio called Hindenburg. Julie heard about it at a writing conference where she was nominated for an award for her book and was impressed with some of its features. Besides important tools like filters for canceling background noise, she said, “Hindenburg has classes and deals and free trainings to help you learn how to use it.”

    Armed with her own software, Julie didn’t need to choose a narrator on ACX. While some authors choose to narrate their own books, she enlisted the help of her friend, Christina Betz (aka Tina) to read for her. Tina set up her own account on ACX as a narrator so that Julie could select her, and then they negotiated their own deal. Tina had never done any professional narrating before, but she did have an advantage because her husband had a recording studio in their home for his own work.

    The longest part of the publishing process was recording because there was a learning curve that Julie and Tina had to overcome. Tina would read a section and send it to Audible for approval, and Audible would reject it if it wasn’t perfect. In the beginning, recordings were often rejected, most often due to background noise. Tina had to make her recording studio more soundproof and get better microphones. Tina and Julie even had to change the lights because professional recording equipment can pick up many lights’ hum. 

    Writing and publishing her book wasn’t about fame or money — it was about saving lives.

    After about six months of trial and error (and help from another friend who worked in audio and video marketing), they were finally able to produce quality recordings that lived up to Audible’s standards. After that, it only took Tina about a week to record the 6-hour audiobook. The book was submitted in pieces and finally published all together as an audiobook.

    And now, Julie finds it’s easier to find listeners than readers.

    If she had to do it again…

    With the gift of hindsight, Julie told me she wouldn’t change anything. The hardest part, she said, wasn’t the long recording process. “It’s getting people to leave reviews!” 

    I asked her if it would be practical for other authors to do what she did to get on Audible. “It’s the cheapest way,” she said. “We could have hired someone else who had the recording equipment, but it might have cost thousands of dollars. It took a long time, but we learned a lot.”

    With a little extra effort and research, authors who are accepted for publication on Audible can do a lot of the work themselves for less cost and learn something along the way. Tina enjoyed the process so much that she decided to keep her profile on ACX so that she could narrate again. 

    Readers who are curious about Julie’s disease — or who might be interested in her inspiring story of adoption and overcoming trials with a positive attitude — can visit her website The50YearSecret.com and check out her book on Amazon or Audible. The book will also be made into a movie.

    Sapphire Hodges

    Sapphire Hodges has taught anthropology and middle eastern dance at the University of Oklahoma and courses in English as a Second Language at Utah Valley University. Along with her studies in linguistics and anthropology, she has been a licensed massage therapist since 2009 and has taught a little massage. She likes to read, write, dance, and teach her blue heeler, Beowolf, new tricks. 

      Inspiration & Service in the Creative Process

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      Some years ago, I became friends with a man who was a Biblical scholar and a prominent Protestant minister. For several months we discussed the gospel. He agreed with almost every key doctrine and accepted my invitation to meet with our missionaries. When the day arrived, the elders did their best to look relaxed but were obviously intimidated. Then my friend said, “Elders before you begin, I want you to know everything you are going to tell me, I already believe!” With an almost audible sigh of relief, the elders proceeded with confidence.

      Serve God by Serving Others

      Although my friend did not join the Church, my experience with him was profound. In one of the missionary sessions, he picked up his Book of Mormon and read aloud King Benjamin’s words, “And behold I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings you are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). He explained that to view helping our fellowman as a literal and direct service to the Savior was a fundamental principle among early Christians. Over time, this understanding was lost. Today, too many professed Christians fail to actively practice that belief. That this truth is stated so clearly in The Book of Mormon affected my friend deeply.

      Years ago, he corresponded with Mother Teresa of India. She and her co-workers would regularly visit a muddy, smelly field at night. They would stand in a line holding hands and stretch out so they could barely touch one another’s fingers. Then they would drop their hands and slowly walk forward—listening carefully for the sound of a baby—a baby thrown away by its mother. Once they’d hear the cry, they’d dig through the muck and rescue the child.

      To view helping our fellowman as a literal and direct service to the Savior was a fundamental principle among early Christians.

      This saintly woman walked through the sea of humanity flooding the streets of Calcutta, searching for those who were dying. Her workers carried them back to her home to wash and feed them. She would sit with a stranger’s head upon her lap for hours to give comfort and consolation in his or her last moments of life.

      My friend wrote Mother Teresa a letter asking how she could do this day after day. How could she continuously serve under such horrible, revolting circumstances? Her reply simply stated, “Dear Pastor, don’t you understand? When I am holding a baby covered with slime or a ragged beggar’s head in my lap, I am holding Jesus Christ.” Mother Teresa lived what King Benjamin taught. She followed his direction to “take upon you the name of Christ. . . .  (and) remember to retain the name written always in your hearts” (Mosiah 5:8,12; Emphasis added).

      Create in the Name of the Savior

      What does this have to do with the creative process? After all, there are practical guidelines to help us be effective writers, musicians, artists or any creative endeavor with which we are involved. Who hasn’t heard these principles for success before? Study what others who are successful have done. Get tutored by experts. Be open to honest critique. Practice, practice, practice. Don’t quit! Etc. Etc.

      Mastering technique, however, is not the same as creating something meaningful or life-changing. If our desire is to do that, King Benjamin and Mother Teresa’s perspectives and examples regarding our relationship with the Savior is key.

      The Apostle Paul said this in his letter to the Colossians, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17; Emphasis added). As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as creators, ALL should include the art we create, the novels we write, the music we compose, and so forth.

      Receiving & Recognizing Inspiration

      I strive to consider all my efforts as opportunities to magnify Jesus Christ. When I write, I want to bring about His purposes. I try to remember to do it in His name. Admittedly, I lack consistency here, but when I do this, it opens the door for inspiration. My writing becomes more meaningful…because it isn’t just me creating!

      How does God’s inspiration come? In my experience, the timing and process vary significantly. Usually, it is a slow, imperceptible flow of ideas, though at times I might have a eureka moment. Often, I simply remember something I’ve read, heard, or experienced that is relevant to what I am trying to convey. Either way, we must seek inspiration if we are to receive and recognize it. We should follow Paul’s admonition and do what we do in the name of the Savior. Then we need to listen and humbly receive that gift with gratitude.

      We must seek inspiration if we are to receive and recognize it.

      As creators seeking inspiration, we can apply God’s guidance from Doctrine and Covenants: We “must study it out in (our) mind.” Then “if it is right, (the Spirit) will cause that” we will “feel that it is right” (See D&C 9:8; Emphasis added). As we feel it is right, we are given means to convey that feeling and spirit to those who read, see, or hear what we produce.

      Through this process, we are as blessed as those whom we seek to bless. When we strive to uplift those who experience our work, and when we do what we do in the name of Jesus Christ, we become more like Him. As covenant-keeping creators, that is our eternal quest.

      Steve Dunn Hanson

      Steve Dunn Hanson is the author of several books, including inspirational and adventure fiction and self-help non-fiction, which have been traditionally published and self-published. In addition, he has had articles published in The Ensign, and writes poetry and hymns. He and his wife, Joyce currently live on a scenic hill in northeast Washington.

      Visit Steve Dunn Hanson at https://stevedunnhanson.com/

        April 2022

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        Photo of Bonnie Dillabough

        April 21: Self-Publishing Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

        A discussion with fantasy and sci-fi author Bonnie K.T. Dillabough

        Bonnie K.T. Dillabough, author of the Dimensional Alliance series, published her first book two weeks before her 64th birthday. So if you think it’s too late for you, you’re wrong!

        In this free Zoom event, Bonnie shares the self-publishing lessons she has learned the hard way and answer questions for aspiring authors.

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        The Power of Asking ‘Why?’: Improving the depth and credibility of your writing

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        When I emerged from the diminutive mosque in a remote African village, I had a burning question. It came to mind while sitting reverently during prayers which the Imam had graciously invited us to observe.

        I was a writer and photographer in Sierra Leone with two senior missionaries and a two-person video crew for LDS Charities filming a documentary on clean water projects (see more).

        The village was home to a thousand people: half Christian, half Muslim. After thanking the Imam for his invitation, I asked him, “How do you get along with the Christians?”

        Asking the right questions

        The puzzled look on his face mirrored his reply: “What do you mean?”

        Stammering, I said, “Well, half of the village is Christian, the other half is Muslim. How do you get along?”

        When he gave the same response again, I wondered how much English the Imam understood. Then I realized his point-of-view on world issues was vastly different than mine. The village had no electricity, no running water, no televisions, scant public transportation (unless you call the back of a motorbike or the top of a cargo truck public transportation), few cell phones, and no world news.

        To provide perspective, I mentioned that throughout history Muslims and Christians had battled each other. Then I repeated my original question.

        We work in the fields side by side just to survive. What is there to fight about?

        The Imam answered, “You don’t understand.” Then he gave me perspective. “The Christians helped us build our mosque. We helped them build their houses. We work in the fields side by side just to survive. What is there to fight about?”

        Perhaps I should have first asked “why.”

        Getting to the point

        Not too long after my trip to Africa, I interviewed a science professor at BYU in Provo, Utah. He was renowned for his work in a particular field. I asked him why his work was so important. He answered with a barrage of scientific jargon, little of which I understood.

        Unfortunately, I repeated the mistake I’d made with the Imam by asking the professor the same question again. His answer was mingled with words such as “leading research,” “peer-reviewed trials,” breakthrough technology,” etc.

        Flustered, I blurted, “Why should I care?”

        Startled, he looked at me thoughtfully, then answered, “It’s a possible cure for cancer.”

        “Now I have a story,” I said. And a headline, I thought. People don’t care about a process until they can see the potential impact it can have on their lives.

        For example, when Joseph Smith walked into the Sacred Grove that spring morning in 1820 to ask which church he should join, he had little knowledge about the nature of God. He received an answer to the “which” question but also learned why. God revealed the nature of Himself and His Son, knowing it is easier for us to pray to a God we can comprehend rather than a nebulous, unknown being. And that understanding would be essential for the revelations that followed in the years to come.

        Who knows where “why” will lead

        My final story comes from a sister missionary in Germany. My wife and I were senior missionaries and district leaders for an all-sister district. Wanting to know why they decided to serve missions, we asked questions. Our dialogue with this particular sister went something like this:

        “What did you do before you started your mission?”

        “I played soccer at a junior college.”

        “How did you do?”

        “I scored a lot of goals.”

        When you think you have all the answers, ask one more question.

        I could have ended there, but I’d learned when you think you have all the answers, ask one more question.

        “Why?”

        “I was the smallest player on the team,” she said, “so I knew I had to be faster, smarter, and more determined than anyone else.”

        Now I had something to write about. I knew the why as well as the what and how. In fact, the physical characteristics and personality of the female protagonist in my novel are based on our missionary’s answer. You never know where asking why will lead you.

        Asking questions leads to discovery

        Asking questions while researching your book (or preparing for a presentation, podcast, interview, etc.) will add depth and understanding to your work. Ask questions of your characters to understand them better and make them more believable to your readers. We told our missionaries in Germany to ask questions before they started teaching. It not only endeared them to their friends, but their answers about their joys, concerns, successes, and failures often led to gospel discussions.

        The concept of asking the right questions is not new, as Simon Sinek described in his acclaimed book, Start with Why. His Ted Talk on the topic has 56 million views. Simon says every inspired leader or innovator asks the question “What.” A smaller number ask “How,” and very few ask “Why.”

        The essence of “why”

        The plot in my upcoming novel, Erika’s War, is about uranium being smuggled from Germany to Russia. There, the Russians will generate vast amounts of electricity and sell it to the Germans at an extremely low price. The conspiracy will drive renewable power and other sources of electricity out of business, eventually giving the Russians economic control over Germany on a scale not seen since the Cold War.

        Plausibility for my plot is strengthened when I discovered that growth of renewable sources of energy is already faltering in Europe. Asking the right questions gave me the why. For example, I discovered that villages in Germany are taxing wind farms for noise pollution and limiting encroachment to two kilometers. This raises the cost of land acquisition and wind farm operation, and increases the likelihood of acceptance of lower-priced energy from Russia.

        “Why” has to do with purpose, cause, or belief, not results. It’s the reason Christians and Muslims get along in Sierra Leone. It’s the reason the science professor spends untold hours of research. It’s the reason my soccer player was so good. And it’s the reason the protagonist in your novel just might prevail.

        Author Bio

        Howard Collett has two novels in production, Erika’s War, a spy novel set in contemporary Berlin, and Lost in the Wilderness, the tale of a 10-year-old girl lost in Utah’s Uinta mountains. He has published 1,600 articles and 300 photos in aviation, medicine, software, and education in national and international magazines. His capstone achievement documented life-saving humanitarian aid on four continents. Visit www.howardcollett.net for more information.