LDSPMA

Empowering Latter-day Saints to spread light and truth by connecting them at the intersection of faith, creativity, and professional skill

Uncategorized

Zoom Discussion: April 23, 2026: “The Power of Free – Grow Your Audience with Lead Magnets”

By Leave a Comment

Casey Cline portrait

with Casey Cline

Thursday, April 23, 2026, 12 pm (Noon) Mountain Daylight time

Register Here

The Power of Free – Grow Your Audience with Lead Magnets

What to create, why it works, and how to deliver it with BookFunnel

You’re creating incredible work, but how do you turn casual interest into a lasting audience?

Whether you’re an author, artist, composer, or any other kind of creative, this practical session will teach you the what, why, and how of using free lead magnets like sample chapters, bonus scenes, sheet music, song files, art print files, etc. to grow your creative following.

Discover possible lead magnets for your creative field, why they are one of the most powerful tools for attracting your ideal audience, and how to seamlessly and professionally deliver your content using BookFunnel.

By the end, you’ll have the know-how to create and distribute an irresistible lead magnet that builds meaningful, lasting connections with your audience.

Bio:

Casey Cline collects hobbies and pursuits as quickly as she reads books. She likes to believe her degrees and licenses in business, law, and real estate aren’t entirely incongruous with writing historical stories about the ultimate adventure in life—love. Casey lives in Nebraska with her husband, two daughters, and three cats. She currently serves as LDSPMA’s Vice-President.

Join LDSPMA and Casey Cline for this informative discussion.

Register Here

Links: Casey Cline’s website: https://caseycline.com/

Margaret Blair Young and the Power of Stories that Matter

By Leave a Comment

In a small town in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a man stares at a hand-bound book in disbelief. Inside are the pages of his own story.

“I’ve been poor my whole life,” he says. “I’ve been cheated out of a lot of things. But look, there’s a book about me.”

For filmmaker and former Brigham Young University creative writing professor Margaret Blair Young, moments like this emphasize the power of storytelling. Throughout her career, Young has used stories to restore voices that history has overlooked—stories that heal, foster understanding, and illuminate faith.

Young’s work documenting the history of Black members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began in 1998. “I had written quite a few books,” she recalls, “but I wanted to do something that really mattered.”

After praying for guidance and receiving a blessing from her husband that confirmed her spiritual promptings, she latched onto this idea: “Why don’t I write stories of Black Mormon pioneers?”

Soon afterward, she met Darius Gray under what she calls “pretty miraculous circumstances.” Gray is a journalist, businessman, and expert in Black Latter-day Saint history. He’s been actively engaged in human rights and civil rights causes for decades.

“I actually had a cassette tape recording of him in my purse because I had ordered it while doing research,” Young recalls.

When the two connected, Young had already written about one hundred pages. After reading the manuscript, Gray recognized the importance of the work. He looked over it and said, “Let’s do this together.”

Young and Gray delved into history and wrote a trilogy of novels, Standing on the Promises, about the lives of early Black Latter-day Saints. When the pair began, these stories were largely undocumented. Even after publication, they continued to uncover new information that corrected earlier assumptions.

“It’s a history that wasn’t terribly well known,” Young explains, likening the research required to that of three PhD dissertations.

Confronting Racism in Church History

Young’s work led to the documentary Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons, which explores the experiences of Black Church members before and after the 1978 revelation extending priesthood and temple blessings to all worthy male members.

“We could say things that Church leaders couldn’t necessarily say and really hit the complexities and the depths of the issues head on.”

Before the documentary’s release, Young and her collaborators showed it to the Church History Department and several General Authorities. The project was well received.

Young’s determination to address such complexities stems from personal experience. She first confronted racism directly at fourteen when her seminary teacher used a racial slur in class.

“I had a really visceral reaction to it.” She dropped out of seminary because of the incident. “That kind of [intensified] my own realization that we had a problem we needed to deal with.”

Sharing Jane Manning James’s Story

Young turned to creative work to confront the problem. She wrote the play I Am Jane about early pioneer Jane Manning James. When it was performed in Springville, Utah, around 2001, the production sold out and drew audiences from across the state. Many said they’d needed to hear Jane’s story, especially her petitions to President John Taylor asking about temple blessings. Young’s play captures the spirit of Jane’s appeal: If this was truly the “fullness of times,” and the promises to Abraham meant all people could be blessed, where was her blessing?

Jane’s faith and courage invited audiences to open their hearts and recognize Christ in every person they encounter.

In October 2020, President Russell M. Nelson called on members to “lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice.” For Young, that work begins with recognizing when conversations are built on racist assumptions or when history is minimized or ignored.

Meaningful change, she believes, begins within individuals. Too often, conversations about racism end quickly, dismissed with a clever comment or meme. Real growth begins with humility and willingness to examine one’s own heart. The point is not condemnation but to allow God to reveal attitudes that might otherwise remain invisible.

“Ask the Lord to help you discern where [racist views] are and how you can clear them out.”

For Young, confronting prejudice is not separate from faith. It’s a central part of it. Latter-day Saints have a unique foundation for combating racism in the Book of Mormon, which repeatedly emphasizes unity and equality.

“There were no ‘ites’ among them. That should be the foundation for everything we do.”

A New Calling In the Congo

Young’s work eventually expanded beyond American history. “Darius was… the one who told me a whole lot about Africa.”

At the time, she and her husband were serving in an MTC branch where missionaries were learning to speak French. Through those missionaries—many of whom were preparing to serve in Africa—she began corresponding with individuals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Cinema had died about forty years ago in the Congo,” she explains. Government corruption and economic collapse left once-beautiful areas abandoned and in ruins. Yet she believes film offers a path toward renewal. “Cinema allows us to present new narratives.”

At first, Young thought they would be “making a movie that happened to be set in the Congo, but was maybe filmed somewhere else.” Instead, they discovered they were meant to support a Congolese team in reviving the country’s cinema industry.

Following the Work

Young realized that individualized storytelling could bring even more meaning to the community. When the team traveled to a remote town, the Congolese film director discovered his great-aunt living there. His mother had lost her own mother in childbirth, and this aunt had cared for her.

His great-aunt wept throughout their meeting. Because they spoke different languages, a translator helped them communicate. The following year, the team returned with his mother so the two could reunite.

Experiences like these confirm the stories of the Congolese people are waiting to be told. Young believes these stories carry a sacred weight, revealing the true character of a nation often portrayed only as a tragedy. She feels called to help share a broader vision of the Congo—one that reveals its beauty and reminds people that its citizens are “our brothers and sisters,” and that “we should strive to have ‘no ‘ites’ among us in our hearts.”

Young’s team collected oral histories from residents eager to share their experiences.

“We would bind the books using whatever materials they could find—cardboard, fabric…” With a generator powering the printer, Young helped students produce books featuring their own photographs.

The long-term vision was to create a library made up entirely of local stories. Many had lived through the devastating war that ended in 2003. “Some of the stories are horrifying, but they matter.”

Finding Her Path

Looking back, Young does not describe her path as carefully planned. She says it unfolded simply by being willing to begin.

“I don’t know that you’d want to follow the way I do things because I’m a little bit crazy,” she laughs. But her approach has always been rooted in openness, paying attention to ideas that feel meaningful, and acting on them before the full path is visible.

“If you’re not moving, not much will happen.” Her advice is to pray about what kind of work might bring good into the world, then begin. “Be open to anything. Trust that when you start doing something that is truly meant to edify and bring greater light into the world, it will be sustained.”

For Young, the work has always been about helping people see one another more clearly and remembering that every life holds a story worth telling.

This article is based on a Called to Create podcast aired season 1, episode 11. To hear the full podcast, click here.

Why and How to Recognize AI Writing

By 1 Comment

Can you really spot AI writing? Here are the subtle clues to look for.

One of the biggest topics being debated in the writing world is how to approach or handle AI in writing. On one hand, AI can be an incredibly helpful tool for authors. It can help brainstorm, organize research, spark ideas, explore alternative verbiage, help you remember how to use a certain phrase—all things that most people agree can boost the writing process in a great way. 

On the other hand, there are many fears about AI writing becoming a replacement for real writing—whether that means writers relying on AI or AI replacing humans altogether. 

The key is to use AI responsibly and not let it replace your own voice. Readers can tell when AI has been used too freely, even if they don’t immediately recognize what’s off. When people copy and paste whole paragraphs of AI-generated content, that’s when inaccuracies, fabricated sources, awkward phrasing, or overly formal styles are noticeable. 

Why Should Writers Learn to Recognize AI Writing?

Why is it important for writers and readers to recognize AI writing? Here are a few reasons:

To Stop Misinformation

AI can and has spread inaccurate facts and information in the publishing industry.

Imagine following a top summer reading list published by multiple newspapers only to realize that 10 of the 15 books were just made up by AI and, worst of all, were attributed to real authors. That actually happened in May 2025 in newspapers like the Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Notably, the fake reading list was published just two months after the Chicago Sun-Times had announced that 20% of its staff had accepted buyouts as the paper dealt “with fiscal hardship.” Naturally, subscribers were outraged, and the situation sparked debates online about publishing standards and credibility in a time when AI is being used more and more.

Now imagine browsing books on Amazon, finding an intriguing one with numerous positive reviews, only to realize the reviews seem to be written by AI. And maybe the book itself is AI-generated. That is all too common now.

AI-written “companion” books (summaries, workbooks, and guides of legitimate books) are also becoming a widespread problem on Amazon. These low-quality books are designed to piggyback on the success of new, human-written books by using nearly identical titles and the original author’s own name. By the time these books are caught and taken down, damage has already been done in the form of stolen sales, ruined reputations, and confused readers.

Recognizing AI writing helps writers judge the trustworthiness of certain sources and ensure the accuracy of references. This is especially important for authors of nonfiction books.

Generative AI chatbots are designed to be very agreeable, and their responses to prompts sound very authoritative and convincing, even when they are completely wrong. Many writers—or, unfortunately, their readers—are finding that AI boldly cites sources that don’t exist, attributes fake quotes to characters, or proclaims wrong details as truth. Authors, reporters, and lawyers who have relied on AI to assist them in writing have taken public hits to their reputations for publishing incorrect information. Learning to spot AI writing can help authors choose credible and real sources. 

To Protect the Revision Process

Some authors have paid for beta reading services only to discover later that the “feedback” was produced entirely by AI. The so-called beta readers confidently referenced sentences and ideas that didn’t exist anywhere in the manuscript, leaving the authors with wasted time and money, not to mention reduced confidence in the revision process.

Being aware of AI writing could help authors—especially those self-publishing—put safeguards in place to find beta readers who won’t use AI and to spot AI-generated feedback.

Some ways authors can carefully vet beta readers include reading detailed client reviews instead of relying on five-star ratings, utilizing reputable author circles for recommendations, and exchanging a small sample at first. Authors can also request examples of the reviewer’s work, use AI content detectors (imperfect as they currently are) as a preliminary screening tool, and request to pay for services after the feedback is received. For more on this topic, see 7 Ways Writers Can Prevent Beta Readers From Submitting AI-Generated Feedback.

Occasionally checking out publishing forums, such as r/selfpublish, is a great way to stay informed on recent trends and pitfalls in the publishing industry.

To Preserve Creative Writing

From deciding to engage with a lengthy post on Reddit to picking a book, readers want to read content that is original, nuanced, relatable, and real. Aka, the kind of content that comes from lived experience.

Almost every piece of published creative writing comes with an unspoken agreement between writer and reader: that it is written by another person. We care that care has been put into the media we consume and become invested in.

AI can suggest ideas, but it struggles to form cohesive storylines or maintain consistent character and plot threads. Writers who can see these shortcomings can better appreciate the skill they bring to their own work.

How Can Writers Recognize AI Writing?

When it comes to AI writing, there are no hard and fast methods to determine if a piece of text is, in fact, AI. AI-detection software is getting better, but so is AI. The only indisputable way to tell if someone is using AI models, like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini, in their writing is if they forget to cut out their prompt.

But the more AI-generated content is used in online discourse, social media, emails, and even creative works, the better we are getting at identifying it. This is because people are wired to recognize faulty patterns, inconsistent tones, and unnatural expressions. That’s why the concept of the uncanny valley—when something looks or sounds almost human, but feels slightly off—is a thing we pick up on fast.

You can also identify multiple clues found in AI writing patterns that indicate the writing likely wasn’t written by a human. If you see a few of these clues in what you’re reading, be wary of the source.

First Clue: A Dramatic Change

The best clue might ultimately be familiarity. If a person’s writing style shifts dramatically within the same piece of content, or if they use more complex vocabulary or grammatical phrases than usual, it stands out. A sudden shift in tone, style, verbiage, etc., is something to take note of.

Second Clue: Frequent Em Dashes

A common attribute of AI-generated writing is its frequent use of em dashes. It is no surprise that AI favors em dashes, since AI models are trained on real human writing. And writers love em dashes!

Em dashes are some of the most versatile punctuation—they can function like a colon, semicolon, parentheses, or even comma. Those of us who love to write probably use em dashes on an hourly basis; however, the general public does not—especially on social media.

Because em dashes are easily identifiable, a piece of informal content like social media posts or articles that are filled with them may be an early indicator that AI was used, because humans likely wouldn’t use em dashes in these contexts as much.

Third Clue: Overly Formal and Structured

Remember the structured paragraph essay format you were taught in school? Introduction (broad overview and thesis statement), body paragraphs (supporting details and transition phrases), and conclusion (restatement of introduction). That structure was designed to teach students how to organize their thoughts clearly and is still used in professional reports, proposals, and academic-adjacent writing. But in everyday situations, few people write this way. AI, on the other hand, often does.

AI tends to default to professional or academic language. It favors grammatically perfect sentences with predictable connectors like “furthermore,” “in addition,” or “it’s not x but y.” While these phrases aren’t wrong, their overuse can make the writing feel stiff, robotic, and overly polished. The issue is when this formula shows up in places where writing is usually more flexible, like emails, social media, casual articles, or creative writing. The rigid structure of the formula throws the casual tone off.

In short, if the writing feels like it came out of a textbook or a standardized test—especially in places where a looser or more conversational tone would make sense—it might be AI.

Fourth Clue: Surface-Level Substance

AI-generated writing tends to lack substance. This is partly because AI is trained to predict what sounds plausible or typical, not what’s nuanced or new. As a result, its writing often resembles marketing copy: agreeable and inoffensive. But unlike marketing copy, which is typically concise and snappy, AI-generated writing tends to be verbose and overly relies on metaphors to explain simple concepts. You’ll notice familiar buzzwords, vague clichés, and an overall upbeat tone that avoids conflict or complexity.

In sum, it’s writing that wants to please everyone.

Fifth Clue: No Mistakes/Too Perfect

We’ve all encountered the red or blue lines that show up under our misspelled words or incorrectly formatted phrases. And what are the programs that mark our mistakes powered by? AI. So it makes sense that AI-generated writing rarely contains typos, misspellings, or incorrect grammar.

But flawless grammar and punctuation just isn’t part of the writing process, especially in early drafts. And flawless content is often not the goal in the first place. People bend grammar to sound more natural or to make a point or to simply be creative. We start messy and then revise. We leave a sentence fragment for emphasis. AI can’t make those intentional deviations effectively.

So, when you encounter flawless and overly professional or stiff text on places like social media, that may be an indication of AI.

Authors can use AI to support their work, but they must do so responsibly—for their readers and themselves.

These are all helpful clues—but that’s all they are. Even when several signs point toward AI, there’s still plenty of room for doubt. Writers who use em dashes and ensure their writing is error-free shouldn’t feel afraid that their work will be confused with AI. Unless you have hard evidence, it’s best to assume the writing came from a human.

Make AI a tool, not a replacement. At the end of the day, readers love, value, cherish, connect with, and pay for books written by humans.

This article was written by Amy Guan and was republished with permission from Ever Editing.

A headshot of Amy Guan

Amy Guan

Co-Owner and Managing Partner, Ever Editing

I edit because I love it. I love plotting outlines, treading through unfamiliar topics, and discovering misplaced modifiers. Editing is an adventure, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything. I love playing video games (open world only), eating whatever my husband grabs from the clearance section at Asian Mart, and being taken on walks by my two big dogs. I have a BA in English and a minor in editing.

    How “Save the Cat” Can Save Your Story – Part Four

    By Leave a Comment

    So, your hero has accepted the call, and the adventure is officially underway. Welcome to Act 2: the wild and crazy rollercoaster of your story! Now the real fun—or maybe the real trouble—begins. Let’s dive in!

    Beat 7: B-Story

    Every hero needs a sidekick, mentor, or love interest to help them navigate their new world. This supporting character might bring a different perspective to the narrative, provide comic relief, or even become an antagonist. The B-story character adds depth to your main character and creates opportunities for conflict and growth. They also provide an excellent character foil, reflecting qualities or abilities the hero needs to embrace to complete their developmental arc.

    For example, Ron and Hermione are Harry’s sidekicks (Harry Potter), Peeta is Katniss’s love interest (The Hunger Games), and Bumble Bee is Seth’s mentor (Transformers).

    Sometimes, the main character meets the B-story character earlier in the story, but they either aren’t close to each other, dislike one another, or aren’t active in each other’s worlds.

    Beat 8: Fun and Games

    Here’s where the rubber meets the road—your character grows, learns the ropes, and faces challenges. Think of Fun and Games as a series of adventures, obstacles, and triumphs where your character develops new skills and learns the rules of their upside-down world.

    This setup to the midpoint is a long beat—25% of your novel. The clock stops temporarily, and the stakes take a back seat. Your main character’s problems don’t disappear, but they aren’t urgent.

    In The Hunger Games, Katniss practices her weapon skills and performs for the crowd as the “Girl on Fire.” The Games haven’t started, but she tries to gain favor with the audience in hopes that they’ll send gifts to help her survive.

    In Harry Potter, Harry and his friends explore the world of Hogwarts with all its funny, odd, and sometimes questionable magical features. They also attend classes where they learn to brew potions and cast spells to help them survive later in the book.

    See how it works?

    Beat 9: The Midpoint

    The midpoint is the halfway point of your novel that sets the tone for the events to follow. This single-scene beat is the moment when your character realizes that circumstances aren’t as they seem, the stakes are raised, and things get real. Think of it as the climax of Act 2 that leads into the final push toward the climax of your story.

    A literal clock or bomb is often used in this beat to trigger the reader’s sense of urgency.

    Act 2 is where your story truly takes shape. It’s a playground for character development, plot twists, and world-building. Understanding these key elements will help you create a compelling story that keeps your readers hooked.

    Quit thinking of the middle of your novel as the messy section because challenges and surprises make for pure awesomeness! With these plot-mapping tips, you’ll be equipped to craft a compelling and well-paced middle in no time!

    Next, we’ll tackle the second half of Act 2, where everything is darkest before the dawn!

    A headshot of Ali Cross.

    Ali Cross

    Ali Cross is a USA Today bestselling author, motivational speaker, and story development coach who loves to help writers level up both professionally and personally. A happiness enthusiast and believer in hope and magic, Ali’s a sucker for underdogs, redemption stories, and happily-ever-afters. She explores the concept of joy and where it can be found in her YouTube show and podcast, Write4Joy. She lives in Utah with her hacker husband where they collaborate on stories, artificial intelligence, and their plan for virtual world domination.
    Find Ali at her website or @thealicross online.

      How “Save the Cat” Can Save Your Story—Part Two

      By Leave a Comment

      In Part One of our article series, we introduced “Save the Cat” (STC) Acts as a guide to help you understand the purpose of each part of your story. Each act is broken down into “beats”—essential story parts. It’s entirely up to you how detailed you plan out each beat prior to writing, making STC completely customizable. As a rebel myself, I thoroughly enjoy things I can make entirely my own—and I suspect many of you feel the same too.

      The Transformation Machine

      Consider your hero’s transformation before outlining, and especially before you write. Knowing the hero’s wound (flaw or problem), their want (what they think will solve their problem or make them feel better), and their need (what you as the creator of their story know they truly need) will inform how your hero behaves at each beat. The Transformation Machine is about creating resonance between your reader and your hero by making the hero relatable. The more your readers can see themselves in the hero’s problem or flaw, the more readers will want to read about them.

      Enough chatting. Let’s get plotting!

      Thesis—or the World as It Currently Is

      Where we show our readers who the main character is, what’s lacking in the character’s life, and create that resonant bond between the reader and the hero.

      You need to establish a resonant connection to deliver on your story’s promises. The first three beats of Act 1—Opening Image, Theme, and Setup—are particularly      designed to do just that.

      Beat 1: Opening Image

      Beat 1 is a snapshot of the hero’s current life. You’ve heard the advice to start with action. A conflict reveals what’s wrong in their life, which captures the reader’s attention and builds resonant bonds. However, avoid so much action that the hero’s plight is lost beneath the action.

      Pro Tip: Imagine the ending and make your beginning the mirror opposite. If it ends with a happily ever after, then start the story with a breakup or with a character who can’t get a date.

      Plantser Tip: If you know the beginning and ending, you can happily draft knowing you’re heading in the right direction.

      Beat 2: Theme

      Beat 2 is “scheduled” for the 5% mark in a novel, but it’s very flexible. I like it during the first 10% of a book because it sets the tone for the character arc, but you can place it wherever makes sense to you—even at the beginning of Act 2. Later than that, however, and it loses its power.

      Imagine this beat as a conversation with your mom in which she says something wise and meaningful, but you brush it off because “she doesn’t understand.” The thing about moms, though, is that they usually do understand. You can substitute any kind of mentor/authority figure here. Deliver this advice or warning any way you see fit—a prayer, a song, a poem, an old wives’ tale. However it’s delivered, the hero needs to reject it, creating that resistance humans are so familiar with. By the end of the book, they’ll embrace the theme and grow—and perhaps inspire some positive change in your reader as well.

      Pro Tip: The theme is directly related to your character’s need. Knowing this need will help you craft the best rewards and punishments for your hero.

      Beat 3: Setup

      Beat 3 encapsulates up to 10% of the novel. Its purpose is to introduce the hero, the world, and hint at what’s wrong with the hero’s life. It reveals how the hero behaves at home, at work, and at play, which increases your opportunities to create resonance with your readers.

      Pro Tip: Don’t get hung up on “at home, at work, at play.” What’s important is to show how the hero’s problem affects their family relationships, their success at work (or school), and their friendships.

      Failing to establish these early beats is like trying to change a light bulb while standing on a cardboard box. You’re more likely to crash through the box than brighten your room.    

      -Ali Cross

      Examples of the Beats    

      In the opening scenes of The Hunger Games, Katniss struggles to do all the things under the worst circumstances. Poverty, oppression, and hopelessness are familiar conditions everyone fears. No wonder the book was so universally loved.

      In The Lion King, young Simba wants his father to teach him how to be a leader and a warrior, but his father never has time—another relatable problem. None of us have ever been lion cubs, but we’ve all experienced the sting of an absent or distracted parent.

      As we move into Beat 4, Catalyst, and Beat 5, Debate, we’ll be grateful we put hard work into those first three beats. I promise it’ll be worth it, whether you’re a Plotter or Pantser or something in between.

      See you next time as we explore “Fireballs, House Fires, and Other Disasters That Move You”—otherwise known as Catalyst, Debate, and Break into Act 2.

          

      A headshot of Ali Cross.

      Ali Cross

      Ali Cross is a USA Today bestselling author, motivational speaker, and story development coach who loves to help writers level up both professionally and personally. A happiness enthusiast and believer in hope and magic, Ali’s a sucker for underdogs, redemption stories, and happily-ever-afters. She explores the concept of joy and where it can be found in her YouTube show and podcast, Write4Joy. She lives in Utah with her hacker husband where they collaborate on stories, artificial intelligence, and their plan for virtual world domination.
      Find Ali at her website or @thealicross online.