What Do You Create?

by Jewel Leann Williams

I have a new hero. Her name is Sharon Eubank and she is one of the most inspirational women I’ve listened to since Sherri Dew. Heck, dare I blaspheme and say that she inspires me MORE than Sherri Dew? Or maybe they can be the Hawkeye and Black Widow of my own personal Avengers. I don’t know. Maybe I need to watch less Marvel property entertainment. 

Nah.

Anyway, Sister Eubank is the bomb.com. She is currently the director (or is it Director with a capital D?) of LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of the church. She has been active in the world as a giver of aid to those in the most desperate need. She has spent much of her life in the trenches. She also has made presentations to the United Nations, to international coalitions, and various other outlets.  She is the epitome of that LDS woman that Spencer W. Kimball prophesied of in 1979, when he said:

“Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that they are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways— from the women of the world.”

She is certainly articulate, and I would add fearless and about a hundred other superlative adjectives. I just—I want to add her to my posse of BFF’s because man, I can’t imagine anyone who has her for a friend can do anything but be awesome.  I’m gonna post some links to some of her talks below, just because.

But, this isn’t about her, but just about something she said and how it got me thinking. In one of the addresses I watched, Sister Eubank, my new secret best friend, mentioned a statement made by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf in 2008 General Conference, in a talk titled, “Happiness, Your Heritage”:

The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.

Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty—and I am not talking about the process of cleaning the rooms of your teenage children.

Sister Eubank asked a question:  “What do you create when you feel the Spirit of the Lord?” She talked about making a quilt for her nephew, even though she couldn't sew and didn't have the slightest idea how to make the pattern correctly. She learned techniques, picked stitches out and did them again, and muddled along until she got it finished to her satisfaction. It was a labor of love that expressed her love for her nephew, and she was proud of what she'd done. 


In many ways, writing is much like that quilt. Some of us have advanced degrees in writing, and many of us would have advanced degrees in writing if we were writing in college instead of in chairs soaked with what we hope is water because it's now soaking our own trousers by osmosis. Not that that has happened lately or anything.  Many of us have learned and continue to learn the art of writing through trial and error, picking out our missed stitches, so to speak. 

The point is that when we write, we are reaching up and snatching ideas out of the ether and shaping them with words, sentences, paragraphs and pages into something greater than the sum of its parts. Unorganized matter becomes a thing of beauty that can bless other people. It is even more so when we take the time to ensure that we are writing while under the influence of the Spirit of the Lord.

That is no small thing. Remember what President Kimball said above, and then think about your own efforts to be articulate and to use your creative powers to influence the world for good. 

Is it worth it to pick at the stitches of your writing, to mold those words into something again and again, until they become the form you desire of them? Is it worth it to ensure that you are feeling the Spirit when you write (even if it's a story about zombies)?

Well, of course it is! 

Your words can be the words that reach someone's heart and teach them truth. 

Your words can spread the light of Christ. 

It is worth it. Keep creating, keep molding, keep working at it.

Create!

PS here are some of those links: 

talk to read: 

http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2015_07_14_Eubank.htm

talk to watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5-qncZmvWg    FAIRMormon conference address 18 June 2016 in Sweden. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OasXz7LVRCg   TedxBYU talk, about slowing down

Mid-November

-a post by Jeanna Mason Stay (who has written absolutely nothing of interest on her writing blog since the dawn of time . . . and yet, she continues to link you to it)

I tend to write blog posts that are way too long, and then I have to slash them a great deal. And then they are only sort of too long. Well, in one of my editing rounds for my last blog post, I cut out a part where I said that since my next post (this one) would be in the middle of NaNoWriMo, it would probably look something like this:

“Well, it’s the middle of November, and I have nothing brilliant to say because all of my brain power has been sucked up by trying to get through this stinking novel. So, um, have a great day!”

And that was going to be it.

Well, I’m happy to say that now it’s the middle of November, and I pretty much have nothing brilliant to say because all of my brain power has been sucked up by trying to write this really atrocious novel that maybe has some seeds of awesomeness that are really deeply buried in manure. (At least that’s a good thing, I suppose—seeds in manure should theoretically grow really well, right?)

So, um, have a great day!*

*And because this is probably the dorkiest post ever, I will supplement it with someone else’s motivational awesomeness. Someone recently shared this with me, and it was a wonderful reminder of one thing it takes to be great. My favorite part: “The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.” So go forth! Begin again, fail again, succeed again. In writing, and in life.

P.S. In other news, I’m barely keeping up with my NaNo schedule, despite having started off with a bang. For various reasons, it turned out to be a rough time to write a novel. But still plugging along—because something is better than nothing.

And how are you all doing?

Further Along the Journey

by Mare Ball Adventures in the Ballpark

The writing world is all a-twitter about NaNoWriMo, which starts today.  A writing frenzy has commenced, and hopefully, by November 30, writers will have a novel written.  Maybe a sloppy, typo-laden novel, but a good foundation and a complete idea to tighten and polish later.

I love this idea.  I'm writing non-fiction, so my month of writing frenzy is called NaNonFiWriMo.  Doesn't quite roll off the tongue like NaNoWriMo, but the spirit is in there.   I've actually been working on my book since September, but I'm hoping to finish it by November 30.  I think I can, I hope I can!  Writing a book really is like birthing a baby.  You get so weary of the labor, and when you think you might be done....nope, there's one more big push.

I enjoyed Kasey's recent post on the writing conference she attended.  She was a smart cookie to take business cards and her pitch for her book.  She came back fired up to finish her WIP.  Writing conferences are great, because you can talk to other writers who have also been holed up in a corner somewhere making their dream come alive.  You realize you are not the only one who works in your PJs some days and eats M&Ms for dinner.  

I've mentioned a few times I'm taking an author's marketing course.  My last class is Monday, and I've found it so helpful.  I also recently plugged into a seminar by Jack Canfield (author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.)  Marketing your book is a whole other field of study.  Writing the book is 10%.  Marketing is 90%.  Ouch.

Here are a few things I've learned:

1.   Jack Canfield's book proposal was rejected 144 times before he found a publisher.  I need to develop a thicker skin.
2.   Know your target market.  Who are you writing to?  Research titles that are similar.  Know your competition.
3.   Build a platform pre-publication.  This is where blogging is helpful.
4.   You need a promotion plan.  (A what? I said.  Then, I learned.)  What are you willing to do to sell your book?
5.  Publishers are looking for writers who will also be good business partners.  Publishing is a business. 
6.  To get published, you must be committed to it.  No matter what.   
7.  Once you have a publisher, be prepared to write your book again.  And maybe again.

If you're still with me....bravo.  I had a few bubbles burst during this marketing course.  I just wasn't being realistic about the publishing process.   But, the blinders are off now, and I'm hoping I can navigate the publication maze.

For anyone interested in the online/teleseminar/marketing course I took called Author's Training 101, you can find information here: NINA AMIR.

Nina offers all kinds of services to writers.  She's smart and quick to tell you the truth, which I appreciate.  Her class was an eye-opener.  I'm getting no kick-back for promoting her; I just wanted to share.  In fact, she doesn't even know I'm doing this. 

Here's to inspired writing for all who are going to have their bums glued to the chair this month! 

The Aquisition of Talents

By Lacey Gunter

The parable of the talents, most of us are familiar with it. If not, you can read it in the Bible in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 25.

I have been thinking a lot about this parable lately. A couple of weeks ago a neighbor gave a talk in church and referenced the parable. He reflected on the idea that there are many followers of Christ who are generally good and honest people, but who are essentially the same person they were 5 or 10 years ago.  Not much had changed about them. In essence they were living life in their comfort zone. He likened this to polishing up their talent so it looks nice, but then putting it away in storage for safe keeping. Wow! Kind of makes you pause and reflect upon your own life and consider what you're doing to try and improve yourself, doesn't it?

Sometimes we can get caught up in thinking if we are living "righteously", Heavenly Father will just bless us with a bunch of knowledge and skills without have to work for it. But that isn't really Heavenly Father's way. As a previous LDS President, Spencer W. Kimball, put it¹:

"We must do more than ask the Lord for excellence. Perspiration must precede inspiration; there must be effort before there is excellence. We must do more than pray ..., though we must surely pray. We must take thought. We must make effort."

In terms of developing our writing talents, what does this mean? If we are aspiring to be that next great author whose works are well read and who leaves a lasting impact on those who read them ,we better do more than just live righteously, pray for it and then sit around waiting for inspiration. As LDS Apostle, Dallin H. Oaks, suggests²:

"We can measure up to that challenge only with solid individual effort... isn't it significant that [the Lord] has revealed .. scientific wonders through natural channels, to persons who were pursuing learning by secular means and for secular purposes?

     There have been inspired men and women in every discipline. The Lord expects us to learn what we can from what he has previously revealed. ... We must put our own efforts into paying the price of learning, of degrees, and of all intermediate steps necessary to acquire depth in our individual disciplines and skills. Future revelation in a particular discipline or skill is most likely to come to one who has paid the price of learning all that has previously been revealed."

So there it is. If you want to be a great writer or you're looking for that great inspiration for your current WIP, dig in and get to work! Start reading all the great books around you. Take classes or go to conferences. Talk to people who have been successful and learn from them. Share your work with others and get feedback. Practice, write and practice some more. Then, after you have done all that you can do, leave it in the Lord's hands.

Well, I better go now. I got a lot of work to do!





¹Spencer W. Kimball, "Second-Century Address," BYU Studies 16, no. 4 (1976): 453.

²Dallin H. Oaks, "A House of Faith," BYU forum address, July 5, 1976.

Are You in the Arena?

by Mare Ball  Adventures in the Ballpark

Brene Brown, PhD

Are you familiar with Brene Brown?  She's a motivational speaker whom I saw for the first time on OWN, and I was so inspired with what she had to say about moving forward with your dreams.  

When Brene first began to speak/write, she received some criticism, and it bothered her.  She got snide remarks on Facebook and Twitter about her ideas, but also stupid stuff.  Some people focused on insignificant things, like her hair and weight.  She read everything, and it began to unsettle her confidence.   

Then, she had an epiphany.  She realized "if you're going to be in the arena, you're going to get your butt kicked."  She also realized she couldn't do anything about what other people think. 

So, her next thought was this: "If you're not also in the arena, I'm not interested in your feedback."

It's so easy to critique or criticize others who are playing a game we're not in.  We think we could do it better; look better, handle the pressure better.  Only because we're not doing any of it, and fantasy is always more wonderful than reality. 

As I mentioned last time I posted here, I'm taking a marketing class regarding getting published, and I'm realizing the world is a competitive place with all kinds of people, and compelling people to want to hear my voice is going to be hard work.  Some days, I'm sure I'll get my butt kicked.

But, the bigger lesson is that criticism from people who are in my game are likely going to have significant things to say.  I want to be open to those folks.  If I was looking to start a talk show, and Oprah had a few suggestions, I'd be taking notes.

People who are not in the writing/publishing game....they are welcome to their opinions, as everyone is.  But I want to keep Brene's words in mind.  Writing and getting published are marathons, and I have to keep my eye on the prize.  If people have something to say about my weight, or my hair, or my ideas, but they're not in the arena....I'm (respectfully) not listening.

Saturday So What: "Opportunity looks a lot like HARD WORK."

- a post by Betsy Schow

Usually, I'm not a big fan of Ashton Kutcher. To be honest, he always seemed like a moron. Recently I've had to revise my opinion. If you haven't seen his acceptance speech at the Teen Choice Awards, I highly recommend that you do.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNXwKGZHmDc


He said one line in particular that stuck out to me: "Opportunity looks a lot like hard work." In the writing business, everyone knows there is definitely a bit of luck involved. Having the right book, at the right time, seen by the right person -- boom -- hello J.K Rowling.

There is so much more to the story. It was not an overnight success. It was not a magic spell that fixed her world. She worked her tail off to be where she is.

How many rejections did she get? No clue how many agents she queried and got put off by. As far as publishing houses go, 12 turned the manuscript down. It was picked up by a little publisher in England. The first print run was laughable. But it got bigger and bigger. Faster than you can say "alohamora" all doors were open to her.

Very few will ever attain the level of "success" that Ms. Rowling has. No matter how much we pour into our craft. However, I will never know if I don't put in the time and effort. Moving a little farther everyday. Not turning back when the road looks too long and the goal too far. Each blog post, each short story, each book gets me closer to where I want to be.

There is a famous LDS picture and saying that brought me great comfort as a teen.

Now as a wife, mother, LDS woman, and writer, these words are my daily mantra. And right next to them on my desk is a new little post-it note, "Opportunity looks a lot like hard work" - so get going.

Starting next week I will be sharing a bit of the hard work. Please tune in next Saturday to hear the wise words of my new blogday partner, Lacey.