Another Challenge? ReviMo, you betcha!

January is ReviMo!!!

So friendly writer folks, it looks like I am gearing up for another writing Challenge, as if November crazy write-extravaganza wasn't enough. :-)
When I heard about my super industrious writer buddy, Meg Miller's January challenge encouraging writers to revise, Revise, REVISE those PB manuscripts for a fulll week in January, I knew it was just the thing to get me back in the proverbial saddle. And I don't know about the rest of you, but I have A LOT of manuscripts just itching to be revised! (Hanging out of draws and off tables, clogging up my hard-drive, and sometimes, even haunting me in my dreams.)
And with November's challenges in our tail lights, and in a couple days the holidays behind us, it will be the perfect time to dive in and get back to creative work. 
Personally, I am quite excited! *cracking knuckles and getting ready to work*

So, hop on over to Meg's blog, register for the challenge, and get ready for great pep talks, prizes, and fun. Sign up at: http://megmillerwrites.blogspot.com/p/revimo_16.html

ReviMo - Revise More Picture Books Week ---- January 12-18, 2014
She's got some great prizes cooked up, including:

*A picture book critique from the Simone Kaplan

*A Making Picture Book Magic Class with Susanna Leonard Hill

*Basic Rate Your Story Year Membership for 2014

*The Picture Book Academy's Grammar Groove Course with Miranda Paul

*A chance to submit to Hummingbird Literary

 *A critique from Miranda Paul  (PB or first two chapters [up to 15 pages] of MG or YA)

*Critique of a query letter from Miranda Paul

*Nonfiction PB critique from Kristen McGill Fulton

*A picture book critique from Margo Dill, Editor 911 (1000 word max.)
*A picture book critique from Alayne Kay Christian (prose only)
*Beth Stilborn's Flubs 2 Fixes Copy Editing Service for 1 or 2 Picture Book Manuscripts and a One-Page Query Letter. (MS should be submission ready. Beth's service is primarily final-step copy edit prior to submission)

*Copy of Linda Ashman's Nuts & Bolts of Picture Book Writing (PDF or EPub Version)

*Signed book and swag from Ame Dyckman

Woohoo, I want all these prizes! But, I will remind myself the virtues of sharing. ;-)

Can't wait!!! 

It will be just the thing to start the new year off right! 

Productive November!

Hello my lovelies!

This November is really humming along! AND, I am so proud of myself. I've been participating in both NaNoWriMo and PiBoIdMo. Which if you've never tried them before are two incredible writing experiences that take place the whole month of November.

NaNoWriMo (click here to check it out) is National Novel Writing Month where people pledge to write 50,000 words in 30 days.

PiBoIdMo (click here to visit) is Picture Book Idea Month where people pledge to think up 30 picture book ideas in 30 days.


Both are incredibly challenging, but super exciting, and I'm glad to be a part of them! It's getting me to come up with some intriguing, slightly wacky, endearing PB ideas and getting me to finally write that non-fiction book that has been swimming around my head. So while I have no clue what tomorrow, let alone the rest of the month will bring, I know that this has stepped up my motivation. Go ME!

Sometimes it comes easily, and other times it is a bit like pulling teeth, with me searching all around me for inspiration.

It's Day 8, and I'm about 13 picture book ideas in and about 8,000 words into my nonfiction book. Plugging along and having fun doing it!

Studying Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul

Today marks the begin of my study group for Ann Whitford Paul's "Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication." I am super excited!

A FB buddy of mine suggested that we go through the book together. Of course I said yes! Then we opened it up to some of our Facebook writing groups, and within less then a week we had close to 50 people joining in!!!

I'm amazed, but I guess I shouldn't be, by how many wonderful, dedicated (did I mention friendly) writers there are out there, who are just aching to improve their craft. It makes me feel good. And, not only that, but now I have a group of people to work this book with!

So, I'll be posting over the next weeks. Sharing the process and what I learn. Hope you get something out of it too!