I'm sitting here at 10:45 p.m. on a Friday night working on final edits on
my manuscript, a novel called _Bound on Earth_. This novel might not have
been written and most *definitely* would not be going out into the world (it
will be released in a few months by Parables) without the AML. The fact
that I owe so much to this organization, and the people who run it, got me
thinking about a few things:
-I can see why people are hurt and scared and sad about the possibility of
the AML-list changing. When I lived in Minnesota, I called the AML-list
people my "pretend Mormon friends" because 1. I posted rarely but read every
day, and even though most of the regular posters didn't know me, I felt as
if I knew them (hence the "pretend" part); and 2. I had very few "real"
Mormon friends in Minnesota and needed some. I particularly needed some
Mormon friends who were interested in the same things I was interested in:
writing, reading, and yakking about writing and reading. The AML-list
provided a connection I yearned for. When the list went dead for a few
months a couple of years ago, I felt like one of my very good friends had
suddenly stepped off the edge of the Earth without so much as a phone call
to say goodbye. When it came back to life I was very grateful. I'm sure
many of us have deep and meaningful connections and friendships that have
been forged on this list, so the thought of it changing--or of having to
give it up--arouses all sorts of strong feelings.
-I have seen firsthand the kind of passionate, dedicated, and largely
invisible work that goes into keeping the AML afloat. The people who have
dedicated hundreds--maybe even thousands--of hours to organizing writers'
conferences and editing magazines and moderating email lists and running
awards and keeping websites going and begging the state of Utah for money
and on and on and on do it primarily for one reason: love. This might
sound cheesy but it's true. Love of literature, love of the gospel, love of
the friends they've made and the connections they treasure and even a love
of the particular tensions and conflicts that arise when one tries to
balance a commitment to the church and a dedication to good art. Although
there may be any number of secondary motivations for volunteering precious
time to the AML, almost every single person I've met in my few years of
involvement with this organization has his or her motivations primarily
grounded in loyalty to the AML and a desire to serve. Although I realize
that many people feel strongly about the way in which the current situation
has been handled, to paint the AML leadership as uncaring and unengaged--and
as getting some kind of dictatorial thrill out of ruling by "fiat"--well,
it's so far a field from the real motivations of the real people I know who
run this real (and complicated and time consuming) organization that it
makes me wonder if I'm in the same AML as some of the rest of you.
-I don't think people should have to pay dues to comment on the forums, for
lots of the same reasons as other more articulate people have expressed.
But I do think that we've got to do *something* to get people to actually
join the AML--put their money where their mouths are, as it were. There are
lots and lots of mouths on this list, and while I realize that some people
have financial constraints that make it impossible to join, there are many
people who have enjoyed the benefits of the AML for years and years and
years and have never bothered to join, not because they can't afford it, but
because they simply haven't felt like they needed to. It's like how for
years and years and years, whenever they'd pass around the sign up sheet for
the macaroni factory I would pass it along because I figured somebody else
(somebody who *liked* the macaroni factory??!?!?) would do it. Finally I
grew up enough to realize that nobody likes the macaroni factory--it's just
that some folks are more willing to step up. Same thing here. I'm sure
there are many people who've struggled to pay that $25, but they've done it
because they believe it's the right thing to do. I'm sure that there are
just as many (or even more) who could pay the $25 pretty easily--as easily
as a night at the movies--but haven't done it because they, well, don't feel
like it. Or think it's someone else's job. Or something. But I do know
AML needs support, and without support, it will die.
-AML can't die. It's meant so much to me as a writer and as a thinker and
as a Mormon. I've made friends through the AML that have inspired and
encouraged me. I've established connections through the AML that have
enabled my writing career. I know so many of you feel the same way. So
let's use this time as an opportunity to recommit and really fight for this
organization. There are a lot of people out there who obviously care for it
very much.
And now it's 11:22. I've got to get back to editing . . . .
Angela Hallstrom
On 10/26/07 10:26 PM, "Stephen Carter" <sugarbeetnik@???> wrote:
> Darlene Young is one of my favorite people of all
> time. Thanks for humanizing this issue for us.
>
> My two bits:
>
> I LOVE the idea of the AML as an organization even
> though I usually can't get more than just Irreantum
> out of it. I keep paying my dues mostly on that
> idealism. I also try to contribute writing to
> Irreantum and the AML Conferences (but that hasn't
> worked very well for reasons unknown to me).
>
> The thing I like about the idea of the AML is that
> there is a group of people who care deeply about how
> our culture and worldview is expressed in writing.
> There is a lot of crap crap crap out there (and I mean
> that for popular as well as less popular writing).
> Just mundane, self-absorbed, unimaginative stuff that
> feeds the status quo and does nothing toward drawing
> true greatness out of Mormonism.
>
> If the AML dies, I wonder if our hope for declining
> the learning curve Mormonism must go through before
> coming into its own won't be severely diminished. Will
> we set ourselves back another 50 years or more by
> letting the AML go?
>
> I know that the AML started out as a more academic
> group, interested mostly in approaching Mormon writing
> from an academic point of view. I think its role as a
> critiquer and promoter is tremendously valuable.
> Mormon writers need Irreantum's contests (I hear
> Charlotte England is planning to sponsor a personal
> essay contest in Irreantum soon). They need a place to
> show their stuff. They need someone to tell them
> they're good (when they are) and give them help when
> they aren't, but willing to work.
>
> Most people, even people who read a lot, don't have
> any idea how to write well. However, most people think
> that they DO know how to write well. And they figure,
> "Why should I pay to read what other people write? I
> could write just as well if I got a few minutes to
> myself." There are only a few people who know how to
> write well by themselves. There are others (I count
> myself in this group) who can write well when
> surrounded by a good, knowledgable, open and sharing
> community. We need this community to come together and
> make this good writing happen. Then we need an
> organization that promotes this good writing.
>
> Maybe I see the AML as being more of a producing
> community (meaning producing good writing) rather than
> as a spectator community (watching writing go by and
> commenting on it). I think the AML is well situated to
> do that. In fact, it was a lot of fun to sit on a
> recent committee for Irreantum and see with what
> passion and intelligence a collection of pieces was
> evaluated. I kinda wished we could have encapsulated
> that meeting and sent it out to the rest of the AML
> list for their enlightenment.
>
> Anyway. I appreciate the effort that has gone into
> keep the AML alive. I very much look forward to the
> fruits of all that effort.
>
> Stephen Carter
>
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