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By Mark Wright
At BYU-Hawaii, Card Tells Students How to Write
LAIE, HAWAII -- Orson Scott Card, well known-novelist and member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has found his own
way to meld his religious beliefs and his creative writing. Earlier
in his career, he briefly attempted to separate his personal moral
compass from his writings. He was, by his own admission, mostly
unsuccessful in the attempt. Now, realizing that his religious
perspective is part of "who he is," Card is comfortable with the
results that come from his harmonization of the sacred and the
secular. "What I do as a Mormon writer is no different than what you
do as a Mormon insurance salesman, a Mormon student, a Mormon clerk
at the grocery store, a Mormon doctor, that is, I try to make
everything I do a part of life as a Latter-day Saint," he said.
Card was speaking to a small audience about the concerns, problems
and benefits of being a successful Latter Day Saint writer while
visiting the Aloha Center on the campus of BYU-Hawaii. While
answering questions, Card provided his insights about what it takes
to be a successful writer. "Write your brains out," he said. "If
you're writing, you're a writer. If you're not writing, you're not a
writer...If you're serious about writing, just do it."
He also offered advice about the "right" way to write, saying, "Pay
no attention to what you have been told what good writing is."
Finally, Card noted that many writers have to spend time trying to
unlearn incorrect writing principles that they were taught in school.
Best known for his Hugo and Nebula award-winning stories, Card is
pursuing the possibility of moving his work to the big screen.
Current discussions with Nickelodeon Films may eventually bring
Card's wildly popular sci-fi novel, Ender's Game, to a theater near
you. Hopefully, Card will continue to find a way to mesh his
imaginative writing with his core LDS beliefs and produce many more
entertaining stories for all to enjoy.
Source:
Writing as a Mormon
BYU Hawaii Ke Alaka'i 2May01 A2
By Nate Sadowski: Staff writer
Successful LDS writer Orson Scott Card
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