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It means that I have been blessed with the desire, the drive and love to pursue the talent that my Father in Heaven has bestowed upon me.
It means that I have a voice that will reach outside the bounds of my vicinity and I will influence those with my inner strengths.
It means that I will serve the Lord with my might, mind, and heart and I will do all I can to honor Him through the talent He has so generously blessed me with.
Here's something I've found on the Church's website. I invite everyone to read it. It is enlightening!
"“Why did you write this story?” I asked. “Is this the real you coming out, the inner self that just had to be expressed?”
“Oh, no!” she answered. “I’m not at all like that, Bishop.”
“Then why did you write that way?”
“Because I thought I had to write that way to be published,” she said."
What does it mean to you to be a Latter-day Saint writer?
What a great article! I love that it was published in 1973, when we think the same things today (and act like it's something new, LOL).
ReplyDeleteMy favorite parts:
guidelines. It is fashionable these days to be crude, harsh, negative, cynical, flippant, and artily obscure in writing, and apparently the students, at least a good many of them, don’t want to be out of fashion.
But writers who want to resist the popular fashions of our times and write in harmony with convictions and ideals that may be out of fashion also need reassurance that this is their privilege and that there may be an audience larger than they realize who will rejoice in their affirmation, integrity, and courage.
A writer’s realm is the whole of reality, and it is his privilege to explore whatever aspect of it he desires.However, it is also a writer’s privilege to be discriminating and selective, and it is his responsibility not only to reflect the world honestly but also to reflect himself honestly.
It isn’t easy to resist popular trends, writing out of fashion in subject matter and tone, and still matching the best of outside the Church in articulateness and brilliant technique. But it can be done.
And this!
There is a magic about creativity that justifies the effort even when the result may be mostly for personal joy and not for public sharing.
Thanks for sharing this! Just last night I was talking with some other LDS authors about how we feel about our characters swearing and reading swearing characters from LDS authors. Good timing!
I am very cognizant of my role as an example of a Mormon when I write my books (and my blog). I don't feel comfortable reading books that contain certain aspects and I don't want to make my readers uncomfortable by writing those kinds of things. I do have a few mild swear words in my books since it would be inconceivable that people would never swear under any circumstances (my characters are not LDS, after all and lived a long time ago) but I don't feel comfortable with that, either.
ReplyDelete<3 this, thank you!
ReplyDeleteJordan, thank you for reading and quoting! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it and that it will help out your group. I think it's fantastic, too! There's a great article in this month's New Era about old fashioned things. you can read it here:
ReplyDeletehttp://lds.org/new-era/2011/05/the-worst-cake-ever?lang=eng
How TIMELY, as you said, that this article has been published as well!
Heidi, I am too! I avoid it at all costs. There is one book, however, that takes me a bit away from those boundaries, but I was inspired to write it. I've prayed about it, and still will when it comes time for its publication...
Rue, you're welcome! :D
Thanks for posting the link to this article. It was a literal answer to a prayer. It seems so easy to get discouraged by what can be seen as the limits of being an LDS author. I loved how he spoke about how LDS authors who let their values and beliefs show through their writing are needed. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post Elizabeth. So thoughtful and needed.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post and a good article to read. I feel since the article has been written that many great LDS authors have come about.
ReplyDeleteLately, I ask myself if my sister would like to read my book and be uplifted afterward. Strange, yes. I thought of putting a "dang" in my story and it didn't feel honest to myself or the character. And I would want my sister to enjoy the book. However, sometimes I feel some 'curse' words are necessary for a story's context.
Having the Spirit is always the best guide. Thanks for the insight.