1000 Miles of First Steps

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. -- Lao Tzu

Even the simplest journey feels like a thousand miles because I keep having to take the first step over and over again. --Jewel Leann Williams (Not as profound a saying. More of a whine).

Seriously, folks. Every time I set any sort of goal, I go a little ways, and then fall off the wagon, so to speak (no, my goal isn't to stop drinking).  I have to keep starting over.

As a kid, I wanted to read the Book of Mormon straight through. I memorized "I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents..." pretty quickly with all of my false starts.

It's the same as an adult. It seems like it's the same with every goal. My family needs to eat healthier and exercise more. We need to not watch so much TV and go to bed earlier. So, for a few weeks, we eat healthy food, we go for walks every night, and we make a rule that we only want to watch TV or movies on Friday night. My husband and I both lose weight, we feel great, and we actually feel like we get enough sleep (almost. I do have a seminary kid, after all).

Then, the new series of Doctor Who kicks off (or Bones, or NCIS, or NCIS Hunky Guys with Dreamy Eyes  Los Angeles) and we can't resist. I lose my motivation on making a weekly research project out of trying to buy fresh fruits and veggies on our budget, and go back to casseroles. We stay up too late one night, so we're too tired for the nightly walk the next night, and the TV magically turns on, and boom! We're back in our rut.

I know I'm not the only person who has this happen.

Here's my (possibly temporary) triumph. I have been staying up really early in the morning to get things done. My son gets up at 4 am to get ready for seminary, and it's one of my jobs to make sure he actually GETS UP at 4. I had been going back to sleep, and then either waking up later if it was my day to carpool the kids from seminary to school, or just staying asleep.  So, I decided that I needed to just stay up, to steal some moments to do my scripture studying, morning prayers, and..... WRITING!! Oh, the rapture I felt at putting words on paper again was worth the agony of dragging my sore, tired, protesting body out of my bed.

Of course, this was Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.... and then Thursday came along. I couldn't do it. I slept in. I slept in ALOT. I also felt like crap all day after I got up--not any less tired, and like a doofus for not keeping up with a goal, AGAIN.

But you know what, on Friday, I had the battle with myself that eventually I hope I won't have to have every single morning.  I told myself that even if I slept more, I would still be tired, but that I needed to have that time to be able to study the Lord's words, to have a conversation with him, and yes, to exercise my mind. I dragged myself out of bed--okay. I'll be honest. I went back to sleep. But Heavenly Father helped me out by sending a preschooler to climb in with me, which kept me awake long enough to decide to get up. So, up I got.

The false starts are okay. I'm not a failure because I keep having to begin again. Actually, I think that's kind of what life is about. Little by little we overcome things--but sometimes it takes so long to root those things out of our lives and replace them with better things, that we feel like we aren't progressing quickly enough. It's okay. That is what the Atonement is for--as long as we keep on starting over, we will overcome, with the Savior's help. Every time we start, we get that much closer.

As a writer, I have to forgive myself as well for all the false starts. My creative soul gets really, really angry with me for not working on the art of expression. But the same thing applies. My muse comes back whenever I ask. Every time I start working on something, I get that much closer to doing it the way I really need and want to.

It's the same for all of us. So I want to encourage you--whether it be in your writing, or just in life in general. Please don't stop starting over. Even if it's the ten millionth time and you know that you'll just fall again, just start. This may be the time that you learn what you need to and you're able to overcome and move onward and upward. Or, maybe it's not. But that means that you're one more false start closer to the time that you DO overcome.

We always say that it's more important that you get up and keep trying, than it is that you fell in the first place. It sounds trite, but it's true. Sometimes, it really is the journey. Sometimes it really is the climb that makes the difference.

Keep going! Step by step, first step by first step, you'll get where you need to go. I know you can do it!

A Note to Write Upon

When I write, there are times when I like it serenely quiet.  There’s nothing wrong with this as I’m sure some of the greatest works of literature were penned (or typed or dictated or…) by the side of a placid lake, the edge of breezy beachhead, or in the quiet introspection of one’s writing ‘place’.  There are times when I need it to be void-of-space quiet, lest the least bit of distraction ruin a perfectly good train-of-thought and make me reconsider my recent self-diagnosis (based upon a somewhat reliable website) of adult ADD.

There are other times, though, when there is a need to pop on the headphones (ear buds, et al) and surrender my creative processes to a higher plane of melodic-inspired musings.  In fact, I’m going to recommend that, as often as possible, authors make it a practice to write with music.  To take this a step further, I’m going to recommend that the music you choose to have playing as you write fit within a certain criteria, and not merely be a collection of our favorite techno dance songs from twenty years ago.  There’s actually a bit of good research out there pointing to music being an intellectually healthy addition to our creative endeavors.

Music is one of only a few activities that exercise both hemispheres of the brain; and, if you happen to have played an instrument (or still do and haven’t hidden your talents under bushels like I have), you have huge advantages in your cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal (i.e. writing) skills.  Based upon a study of nursing students at Texas Woman’s University, the application of music to learning or creating non-music related topics (so in this case…writing) were obvious, the advantages being that the use of music improved motivation, concentration, reasoning, confidence and self-efficacy.  In other words, we feel like writing, we write like a marathoner, our writing makes sense to others (Obviously it makes sense to us. Duh!), we believe strongly that our final product will sell, and even if it doesn’t go ‘Top 10’, we still believe in our future potential.

But what kind of music is responsible for this leap in creativity?  My high school Chemistry teacher played baroque music during exams, claiming that it helped the brain with recall.  It might have, but it was so relaxing that it usually only helped my brain take a snooze.  I’ve reviewed education journal articles that trumpeted Mozart; human resource journals promoting the group-think music selection as the golden path; and of course, the religious admonition to ‘just sing a hymn’ if the mind wanders. 

May I suggest a more umbrella solution that incorporates all of the above and none of the above.  What? (He’s lost it…He should relax and listen to Mozart.)  What I mean is that it does not matter what music is chosen so long as it meets two important criteria: 1) There must be modality.  There must be interplay between traditional and irregular scales with resolution; light versus dark; good versus bad. 2) If there are lyrics, they must be conducive to the Spirit.  

There aren’t a lot of things in life where a person can say ‘I know’ or ‘I guarantee’, but this is one of them for me.  I know that there are harmonics in a lot of great music that resonate with our soul, which thereby achieves the modal interplay that exists at a higher plain of existence and which can unlock a higher level of inspiration and creativity; and, if we sup at the table of lyrics that can comfortably meet a Christ-centered focus (could be regarding the physical world or universe; could be about emotions associated with the Savior; could be about anything that is true and good), then I can promise that our level of inspired authorship will rise and improve.  We will feel it when we are in sync.  It’s tangible.  It’s delightful.  It’s delicious. 

So, take some time and go through your collection of CDs and playlists.  Sample everything.  Add more if you need to do so.  Make a ‘writing music playlist’ or mix CD.  It will probably span the range of genres, and so long as it meets the modality and lyrics template, you’ve probably got a winner.

Interview with Cassie Mae: Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing

by Katy White

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to interview the brilliant Jolene Perry about the differences between self and traditional publishing. Today, I'm excited to share another interview with another brilliant author, Cassie Mae, who has oodles of experience in both forms of publishing! Cassie is the author of a ton of adorable books, including the adorable Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend and her new release, Secret Catch, which she cowrote with Jessica Salyer!

Without further ado...

Cassie, you’re a successful author with loads of wonderful books that you've published both traditionally and self. Yet, I've seen enough cute pictures of your family on FB to know you’re also a wife and mother. How do you do it all?

You have to come out with the hardest question first, lol.

I don’t.

Or I do.

I don’t know, lol.

Mainly, I prioritize. I write 1000 words a day (or try to) and if I set aside a half hour-45 minutes a day to do so, then I get it done.

But sometimes, I don’t write, and I make it up later. Honestly, I just make time for it.

How did you get started writing? In which type of publishing did you get your break?

I got an agent in 2012, but while I was on submission I decided to self publish in January 2013. Also in January, I signed two deals (a two book deal with Random House and a two book deal with Swoon Romance), so it kind of all happened at once. I can’t say which one was my big break, haha.

What have you learned about publishing since then?

It’s hard, lol. Lots of pressure and deadlines and if I thought I was crazy before, it no way compares to how I am now. But I’ve also learned when the best time to release a book is, what works marketing/promotion wise and what doesn’t, and also when to run from a contract and when to sign.

Where would you tell someone interested in self-publishing to start?

Focus on your book. The quality of your book is more important than any other thing in self publishing. Once you have had the thing through several critique partners, beta readers, and an editor, and you are 100% satisfied in its quality, then you can start looking at the other stuff. Whether or not you want it exclusively on Amazon or not, cover designers, stock photo sites, formatters, if you want a publicist, etc.

Why do you pursue both types of publishing? Do you have a preference between them?

I actually wrote a blog series on the pros and cons of self publishing and traditional publishing :) I’ll put the links right here:

Being a Hybrid Part One: Why I’ll Continue to Traditionally Publish

Being a Hybrid Part Two: Why I’ll Continue to Self Publish

Being a Hybrid Part Three: What Book Goes Where

You publish several books a year. How do you write So. Many. Words?

I’ve seen people write 4-5K words a day. I can’t do that. On a good day, I write more than 2000. So I’m not a big chunk word writer. I do a little bit at a time and in sprints. Half hour of nothing but writing. Sometimes I get 1000 words in that half hour, sometimes 200, but I do it every day. Sometimes twice a day.

How do you keep your ideas and characters fresh?

I read a lot. I see what’s out there and what’s missing or less of and I say, I want more of that! Then I write it :D

How important is editing in self-publishing versus traditional publishing? Do you recommend hiring an editor in either/both?

Editing is the most important in both aspects. Not everyone can afford an editor, so I understand not hiring one. If you choose not to, you better make sure you have kickbutt critique partners, and some who are experienced in working with an editor.

I don’t know why you’d hire an editor for a traditionally published book, because the editor is given to you. Hopefully you’ve got yourself a good agent who got you a credible publisher. Those editors have been doing this a long time.

Everyone talks about the importance of covers in publishing, but especially in self-publishing.  Do you agree? Where do you go to find your adorable covers?

Yes. As much as I hate that people judge books by their cover, they do. Your cover sells your book, your words keep people coming back.

Some of my covers are stock photos, some are original photos. Because I can afford to do it now, I try to get original photos for every book I self publish. (I also try to talk my publisher into those as well ;))

What are the advantages/disadvantages to traditional publishing vs. self-publishing?

Oh! I’m just going to point you to my blog series again :D

Being a Hybrid Part One: Why I’ll Continue to Traditionally Publish

Being a Hybrid Part Two: Why I’ll Continue to Self Publish

Being a Hybrid Part Three: What Book Goes Where

Any last words or advice for authors looking to publish in either format?

Do not slack on research.

Know what your contract says before you sign it.

Have fun :)

Writing a book in a month and publishing it the next is not the way to do it.

Edit.

Edit a lot.

Have fun :)

Do not get discouraged.

Keep comfort food within arms’ reach.

Have fun :)

Cassie, thank you so much for your fabulous help and your fabulous, smoochy books! We appreciate your time and perspective. Now, to read Secret Catch...

You can find more books by Cassie here! For now, though, if you have any questions or comments about either form of publishing, please sound off below!

Modern Revelation

by Anna Jones Buttimore

If you have any contact at all with Mormon circles (and you're reading this blog, so I'm guessing you do) then you can't have missed the fact that we have just enjoyed General Conference weekend. It's a very special semi-annual event where our church leaders address us and give us important messages.

I read a blog the other day (no link, you'll see why in a moment) in which a member of the church was complaining that there is no longer any revelation in General Conference. In the early days of the church, he pointed out, the Prophet would call missionaries, make "thus saith the Lord" declarations, and ratify new policies and even scriptures. These days, the malcontent grumbled, they generally repeat the same old messages about being obedient, shunning pornography and loving thy neighbour. Why, he asked, is there no longer any revelation at General Conference?

Well, first off, can you imagine how long Conference would take if all missionary calls were given at that time? We have 88,000 serving missionaries at the moment. Correct me if my maths is wrong, but doesn't that mean 22,000 are called every six months? Now that would be one looooong conference session.

Secondly, I dispute the suggestion that there is no longer revelation from God at General Conference. There is plenty of it. Let me explain what leads me to that conclusion.

Each week I take notes during my regular church meetings and post them on Facebook as "What I Learned At Church Today" (#WILACT). I started doing this a couple of years ago as a way of helping myself remember all I gained from attending, and can usually come up with six or seven brief points. I've found it really helps me get the most from church, and many people look for it every week, and enjoy being uplifted by it. I have friends who can't get out to church and they often let me know how much my updates touch them.

I have just one simple rule when I take notes in sacrament meeting and lessons for this purpose: it has to be something I learned, not something I knew beforehand and am restating. This has to be new knowledge I have come by simply through attending my regular church meetings.

"What I Learned At Church Today" is not about what was said that Sunday morning but about what was heard. It's not what was taught, it's what I learned. I learn in many ways at church: though the spirit, through reading the scriptures and lesson manuals, through the words of hymns, through speaking to other members, and through paying attention to what is being taught. Any time something new comes to my mind I note it down and share it for others to benefit from. I learn a great deal from attending church, and that's what I wanted to show in my WILACT posts.

I think what I am receiving at church each week is revelation.

Now, let's take this a step further. At General Conference we have the wonderful opportunity to listen to Prophets, Apostles and other church leaders talk to us about subjects they feel inspired to address. I learn so much during General Conference that I don't even attempt to take notes. I gain new insight, answers, understanding and testimony. In a nutshell, I gain revelation. It generally takes me the better part of six months, and a copy of the Ensign and a highlighter pen, to work through it all and think about how it impacts and changes my life.

It's true that we haven't had any official declarations for a while, and that the prophet hasn't revealed next week's lottery numbers from the pulpit. (Remember, though, that the job of a prophet is not so much to foretell as to forth-tell). But my answer to those who say that there is no longer revelation at General Conference is that they are simply wrong. There is plenty of it, but now it's personal. We receive revelation for ourselves, and surely that's of much more value than hearing 22,000 mission calls.

Of Ravens and Writing Desks

by Merry Gordon

My desk is a mess.

I've always been envious of famous authors' writing spaces. Maybe it's because my writing is almost never done at my desk (‘cluttered’ is my euphemism of choice, but if we’re being honest I could headline Hoarders).  When I write, I curl into piles of unfolded laundry with a laptop balanced precariously on my knees, trying to ignore the sticky fingerprints on the screen, or I throw a towel around me, scribbling my best shower ideas on Post-Its with my children’s stubby crayons. 

But I've seen where the magic happens. 

I spent part of one glorious summer in Wales, a stone’s throw from Dylan Thomas’s home on the Taf estuary.  Tucked into a shed overlooking his “heron priested shore,” he wrote (and drank) himself into immortality here.  The place is incredible only in its ordinariness.  It’s been lovingly restored—crumpled paper, cigarette butts and all.  Picturing the addiction-riddled genius writing in this space, raging against the dying of the gentle Carmarthenshire light, is easy.  I think of my own desk, heaped with receipts and books and half-empty water bottles, and feel better.

Writers write in hovels, and sacred spaces, and sometimes they are one and the same.

Can you guess these famous writing spaces? The correct answers will be in the comments below.

1)  "There is nothing to writing.  All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." 

2)  "I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word."

3) "What should I do with your strong, manly, spirited sketches, full of variety and glow? How could I possibly join them on to the little bit (two inches wide) of ivory on which I work with so fine a brush, as produces little effect after much labour?"

4) "You have to resign yourself to wasting lots of trees before you write anything really good." 

5)  "I'm just going to write because I cannot help it."

6) "A poem deserves its title only inasmuch as it excites, by elevating the soul."

Righteous Traditions

by Becky Porter

I love traditions.

{cue Tevya passionately singing in Fiddler on the Roof}

One of the joys of parenting is providing anchors for our children.  Traditions make great anchors.  They give our children memories, bond family members closer together, and teach what is important to us.

The best are righteous traditions, centered around our religious holidays and observances.  When we have the opportunity to meld the wholly fun moments with the simply holy, we give our children a priceless gift to treasure.

At the Porter house, watching General Conference for two full days every six months is one of our favorite traditions.  It is fun to remember how this--like all good family traditions--has evolved over the years with the growth and changes of our family.  Believe me, listening to General Conference as newlyweds is lightyears different from watching it with toddlers and preschoolers.

Like a gift with many layers, good traditions often have sub-traditions attached to them.  Thus it is for us.  Here are some of the favorite sub-traditions we associate with General Conference weekend.

1.  Making goody baskets for the ladies I Visit Teach. I've been doing this for 5 1/2 years now, and I've done it many different ways, from quite elaborate to very simple to I-just-plain-forgot-to-do-it.  I've used baskets, bags, and buckets.  Pinterest, of course, has a gajillion ideas if you want to incorporate this tradition into your life. 

{the first ones I ever made}

2.  General Conference packets.  This weekend's conference is the first one where I did not kill a thousand trees by printing reams of paper for my kids!  Now that more of my kids are 9+ than otherwise, I don't need as many coloring pages and bingo sheets, etc. to keep them busy, but they sure came in handy when they were all little!  Of course, there have been sessions where I have used the packets myself since I love to take notes and doodle. :-)

{my oldest, five years ago}

{my notes from a couple years back}

3.  Pictures of the prophets and apostles. We want our children to recognize the speakers and be familiar with Heavenly Father's latter-day servants.  We also have used Conference as an opportunity to review all the Latter-Day prophets.  We have done this many different ways, including a Prophet Matching Game I made when they were little.  Currently, we love to hang an 8x10 picture of each of the First Presidency and Quorum of the 12 on the wall, and add sticky notes (each person in the family) to their picture as they speak.

{made this matching game using the Latter-day Prophet posters} 

{fuzzy Instagram shot of our fave new tradition with the sticky notes}

4.  Candy.  Kids always like it when traditions involve candy.  OK, who am I kidding?  I love chocolate!  So, we always eat M&Ms on conference weekend.  They started out as markers for the bingo games in their packets.  Then, we realized we could eat chocolate without having an excuse. Haha!

5.  Spending time together.  No matter what else happens, General Conference weekend is always an opportunity to be together as a family.  Little kids might be crawling around, dogs might be barking at something across the street, older kids might get in a heated argument...but we're together.  And when the prophet of the Lord speaks, we all get quiet for a few minutes.

Tradition...{cue the music. Fade out}

#LDSconf #ShareGoodness

The Fleeting Muse

By Lacey Gunter


An idea flit flutters on a perch in my mind.
It whispers a tune, soft and faint, but lovely.
If I stop and I strain and I listen, intent,
Sometimes I can coax her to teach me her song.
But I must be quick and pay attention,
Or the melody and details are quickly forgotten.

Try as I may, to cage this rare bird,
She’ll only squawk and cackle when compelled for a song.
Instead I must let her fly free as she may,
With a bird’s eye view of the tangled forest of my mind.
Until once again she finds a nice perch
And her faint sweet tune comes wafting along.

Thanks, Ladies

By Mare Ball @ ADVENTURES IN THE BALLPARK
Join me on FACEBOOK!

I just spent an hour reading posts on this blog, and I felt such a connection with so many writers.  Women had written about things I am dealing with myself.  I often find that when I come here.  Women of faith who are moms are the most poignant writers on the planet.

Non-moms and men can be great writers too, I'm not dismissing any one's efforts.  I simply enjoy this little corner of Blogwarts.  Moms who are committed to serving God are honest about their struggles, and quick to encourage others.  The world needs more of these traits.

Gratitude for the writers here kicks off my list of things I'm grateful for recently.  It's been a rough month, but when I examine my life, there are always blessings to be found.

2.  Extra funds that came in this month.  We're replacing a door that's been torn up by a dog that's no longer with us and three grown children that no longer live here. 

3.  That fact that despite almost daily flooding rains here in central Florida, no water has seeped into our sliding glass back door.

4.  TooJays restaurant.  They make an awesome Reuben sandwich.

5.  19 Kids and Counting.  I admire the Dugger family and how they live their lives.  It's encouraging.

6.  That, at the moment, my parents (91 and 94) are stable.

7.  That our teacher-daughter and some of her students are safely back from a two-week field trip to Ireland.

8.   That my daughter brought me back from Ireland some lovely tiger's eye earrings.

9.   Men's L.L Bean Oxford shirts.  Best wrinkle-resistant shirts ever.

10. MSM, the natural supplement that helps with pain and inflammation.  I pray it can keep me off meds for fibromyalgia/RA.

11. The lawyer I spent an hour with last week.  Did you know patterned Christmas paper and patterned fabric are copyrighted?  I didn't either.

12. Flannel sheets.  They're cozy all year round.

What has blessed you this week?

Why? (a conversation of parenthood)

- a post by Jeanna Mason Stay

Confession time: I wrote this post on my personal/family blog a few years ago. I ran across it again recently, and because I am absolutely without inspiration for this week’s MMW post, I’m totally cheaterpantsing and using it again here. Hope you enjoy my slackerliness!

Version 1:

Please don’t drop that toy in the toilet.

Why?

Because then we’d have to throw it away.

Why?

Because it would get germs on it from the toilet.

Why?

Because toilets are where poops and pees go, not toys.

Why?

Because that’s what toilets are made for.

Why?

Because someone invented them so that we could use them for poops and pees.

Why?

Because back in the olden days, people had to go to the bathroom outside, even when it was cold or dark out.

Why?

Because everybody eats, so everybody poops.

Why?

Because that’s how God made us.

Version 2, on a less patient day:

Please don’t drop that toy in the toilet.

Why?

Because I said so, that’s why.

Emily Dickinson IS THE SHIZ!!!!!

There's a certain Slant of light, (320)

BY EMILY DICKINSON

There's a certain Slant of light,

Winter Afternoons –

That oppresses, like the Heft

Of Cathedral Tunes –

Heavenly Hurt, it gives us –

We can find no scar,

But internal difference –

Where the Meanings, are –

None may teach it – Any –

'Tis the seal Despair –

An imperial affliction

Sent us of the Air –

When it comes, the Landscape listens –

Shadows – hold their breath –

When it goes, 'tis like the Distance

On the look of Death –