ANWA--How You've Grown!

Quite a few years ago, I attended one of the early workshop meetings of ANWA, over on the west side. It was okay but, truthfully, I wasn't interested in joining at that time. More recently, but still a few years ago, I attended another workshop meeting. Things were picking up, but at first I felt no real compulsion to join, feeling it would profit me nothing. After thinking it over, I did join, thinking it would get me started writing, since it cost a small amount to join, and I hate to waste money. My own malaise was the problem.

The past two years I have gained some momentum, and, as a member of the critique line, I get to exchange ideas with neat women who live (and write) by Gospel standards in many locations, in several states. As I looked around on Saturday and listened to the speakers who had actually "made it" to the published stage, I thought, "You've come a long way, Babies!" And I didn't mean only those who had been published. The organization founded by Marsha Ward has prospered and grown, and not just in numbers.

This year's workshop was well done, encouraging, fun, and inspirational. Not many of us there are great writers by the world's standards--money, fame, and critical acclaim--but by writing at all we are attempting to live by God's standards. We have an idea that we might be able to advance the cause, set a higher goal, bring satisfaction to ourselves and family, and even reverse the torrent of sleaze that is flowing from too many of the publishing houses.

I was asked to write about the group wrap-up at the end. My notes were so scanty that I want to share some of the thought-provokers from both morning and afternoon round-table sessions. As a group, we were not very forward in our questioning of The Oracles, which surprised me. Individually, we're not hesitant to speak at all!

Jeni Grossman was an able and focused moderator, and the presentations covered everything from beginning balks to finished product--really quite a banquet for book writers. There was something for 'most everyone.

Quotes, Quips and Questions: The following are some of the comments that really made me think, or laugh, or redirect my paths. My thoughts are in red italics.

Valerie Holliday--"We have to be careful not to let the truthful details of the events we are writing about get in the way of the truth of our story." I'll remember that, or try to, the next time my husband gets all the details wrong. After all, does it matter that it was 10 years ago, not five, or that his mother was there, not his dad? Or even that it was in August, not May?

Kerry Blair--"Happy is getting your first book published." Happy is getting ANYTHING published! Happy is also listening to Kerry's exuberant presentation.

Kenny Kemp--His advice was to tell a story, "loan it" to family, friends, and then to strangers. Get reactions, polish it up, and edit. Edit some more. For self-publishers, check out the amazing Internet resources.

Doug Stewart--"I wish I had taken every course I could in playwriting at college." Also, I loved Doug's touching remembrance of himself as a little boy seeing "Bambi," jumping to his feet and sobbing loudly, "Bambi, your mother's dead!" Books we read and movies we see which become real in our minds can influence our whole lives.

Jeni Grossman--Outlined her methods for establishing a time line, a beginning date, and an ending date, so you won't get things out of sequence, or include incidents that could never have happened in that year or that century. Also, she gives each character a name, description, and age on a separate card, and outlines the actions. Gee, and I thought you just sat down and wrote "the stupid book," to quote Kerry. Does this mean I need to get organized?

From the Attendees: Writer's Blocks--The magnitude of the project; time; perspective changes; focus; training (or lack of); fore-shadowing; persistence; practice; fear of rejection and/or failing.

Doug Stewart--Talking about movies and TV scripts that manipulate the audience to desire a murder, an illicit affair, or worse, made a comment which rings with truth: "Never cheer for evil." "Camelot was great because it showed there were consequences for infidelity." Beautiful people and immoral solutions to problems are positively mesmerizing on TV, and they're written to deceive and gain converts to Satan's way.

President Kimball--"The music that defines our Church has not been written."

Kenny Kemp--On flattery: "I hate this and I can tell you why." He would rather have an honest word of criticism from someone, because, he says, "I like that because they're able to make you a better writer. I need constructive honesty."

On why his book sells: "It's short; it has pictures; and women will buy it!"

On finding out what you like, and why: "Review books; review movies," to help you recognize good writing and bad. And he asserts, being a Latter-day Saint is about "good people trying to be better."

Extra Nice--The variety of speakers; having a musician on the staff; the personal stories; the enthusiastic audience; and nearly last but not least--the mixture of great soups! Add, especially, meeting the faces that go with the critique line names.