In the Lit Blitz Hall of Fame, we celebrate authors published in previous Mormon Lit Lab contests by asking their thoughts on Mormon Lit, writing, and life. Check back twice a month for new Hall of Fame interviews.
Previous Lit Blitz pieces by Merrijane Rice:
"Building an Ark" (13th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"Nexus of Everything" (12th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"Leah at the Edges" (11th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"116 Pages" (10th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"Family Tree" (9th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"Before the Healing" (8th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"Low Tide" (8th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"On the Death of a Child" (6th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"Ghost" (5th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"From the East" (5th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"Mother" (4th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"In Remembrance" (3rd Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"Sister" (2nd Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
"Stillborn" (1st Annual Mormon Lit Blitz)
An Interview with Merrijane Rice
What’s one of your favorite Lit Blitz pieces written by someone else?
One piece I remember off the top of my head is “When the Bishop Started Killing Dogs” by Steven Peck. It is equal parts hilarious and horrifying and somehow perfectly captures a fundamental truth: that it is very difficult to consistently love and get along with every person we serve in our Church callings.
There are also several speculative fiction pieces I remember very fondly, including “The Trail” by Stephen Carter, “Three Dogs in the Afterlife” by Luisa Perkins, and “The Hills of Heaven” by Scott Hales.
What advice would you share to future submitters?
Don’t be afraid to experiment with something quirky, whether in subject or form. The Mormon Lit Blitz is definitely a contest where taking risks is rewarded. I am repeatedly amazed by the inventiveness and creativity of the finalists.
What is the best advice you have received as a writer?
I had a mentor in the Utah State Poetry Society who taught me how to give and receive critiques. Her best advice was that I should not argue with my critics. If I ask for feedback, I need to make it safe for people to give it to me without them having to worry about whether my feelings will be hurt. I don’t have to agree with or implement the feedback, but I should always receive it with grace.
How do you hope your work will impact your readers?
I try to write artfully, but not simply for art’s sake. I hope my poetry will build people up rather than tear them down, and that my words will encourage goodness, kindness, and faith.
I try not to lecture or criticize. Instead, I intend each poem to be a conversation, not just me telling the reader what to think.
I want to spark the kind of questions and self-reflection that ultimately leads to personal revelation. In short, I hope the reader will experience the same process of discovery that I experience when I write my poems in the first place.
What else have you been doing, whether in writing, other creative fields, or life?
I have an ongoing project of publishing poetry collections I wrote in conjunction with my scripture study. I’ve published three volumes (Grace Like Water, Out of the Dust, and Like a Fire Burning), and plan to publish Not in the Wind next year. I also have a podcast called Follow: A Latter-day Saint Poetry Podcast (available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts) in which I share one poem a week concurrent with the Come Follow Me study manual.
For updates on my various projects, visit MerrijaneRice.com.
Thank you, Merrijane Rice, for sharing your insights with us for the Lit Blitz Hall of Fame!
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