Darlene Young has always had a knack for embracing the messy parts of life. This perspective has fueled her art and paved the way for a golden opportunity in New York City.
Perhaps you’ve read a romantic, gothic, or even contemporary poem, but have you ever dabbled in Latter-day Saint poetry? Adjunct Professor Darlene Young (Creative and Technical Writing) has made a name for herself in the genre—and she’s just getting started. In October, Young will begin a residency with the Center of Latter-day Saint Arts in New York City where she hopes that exposure to a new place and new artists will help her grow in her craft.
The Center of Latter-day Saint Arts describes itself as existing at the “. . . intersection of cultural relevance and divine creativity.” It seeks out diverse Latter-day Saint creators and helps them connect to a broader audience by offering them the chance to live in New York City for a time while working on their art. Artists from many different backgrounds and specializations are accepted into the residency and then work with each other and the Center’s staff to create some amazing art.
Knowing What’s Out There
Young has written her entire life, but she really began to explore writing as a career when she published a poem in Orson Scott Card’s newsletter as a young mother. Young says that after that, she wanted to improve her skills and become a better writer. Though she had already graduated with a degree in humanities (with an emphasis in English teaching) and was in the midst of raising a family, she began to take more creative writing classes at BYU. Eventually, she had the opportunity to further her education. She says, “When the youngest was well settled into his elementary school, I thought, ‘Now’s time to be a little bit more serious.’” She went back to graduate school—and her career took off.
Although Young has enjoyed being able to share her work with the world, she has found that publishing in her specific genre can often be difficult. Young says, “It is difficult to be a writer working in the LDS culture because it is super hard to get publicity. If you’re not published by Deseret Book, you don’t get into any LDS bookstores. And so, people don’t know about my work. Even if you’re writing work that people love, it’s really hard to let people know it’s out there.” Young hopes that her upcoming residency will not only help her improve her writing but will also give her the boost to overcome this particular publishing hurdle.
What I’ve learned about good writing is it’s a matter of pushing yourself to a place where you surprise yourself a little bit.
Surprising People
Though not everything about her writing career has been easy, Young has grown a lot in her craft since beginning. She says, “What I’ve learned about good writing is it’s a matter of pushing yourself to a place where you surprise yourself a little bit.”
Young’s poems often do just that—surprise people. She says that most people recognize her for her most famous piece: a poem titled “Angels of Mercy.” The poem depicts the sometimes quirky culture of Latter-day Saints through the lens of a Relief Society presidency deciding whether or not to bring dinner to a woman who had cosmetic surgery.
Flaws and All
Young says that she loves to write poetry that celebrates the messy parts of Latter-day Saint culture and adds that she does so because she doesn’t want anyone to think of cultural quirks as a negative thing. She says, “I don’t want people to be embarrassed. For example, Joseph Smith was not a perfect guy. But dang! Isn’t it cool that God could bring about good things through an imperfect guy? That means God can bring great things through me, too. Isn’t that exciting? That’s the God I believe in. One that loves His kids, flaws and all, and is willing to let them learn and grow.”
Young says that she considers the residency, beginning in October 2024, an important part of her growth—both spiritual and otherwise. She says that it will take a big leap of faith to go to New York City but that she knows she will be inspired by the many other artists attending and hopes that it will propel her work even more. “There’s going to be another writer, two visual artists, a choreographer, and a composer. I’m at a place in my career where I want to try some new stuff and go a different direction. I think I could learn a lot from people who are doing different kinds of art. But also, I was born and raised in Utah. I have lived very few years away from Utah, and I think just spending some time in New York and scaring myself a little bit will spark me in a new direction and will affect me and nourish me in a new way that might jump-start my work.”
To see more of Darlene Young’s work, click here.
To learn more about the New York Institute of Latter-day Saint Arts and who else will be attending the residency, click here.