It's Kidlit Summer School Time!

Funny how things change - when I was a kid, summer school is not something to get excited about. But now I look forward to this opportunity to hone my writing skills by learning from some awesome kidlit authors.

This year, the focus is on heart and humor - perfect.  While you're out soaking up that summer sun, hop on over to Nerdy Chicks Rule and soak up some writing knowledge, too.

I love April because it's National Poetry Month and along with that, RhyPiBoMo!

RhyPiBoMo is a month-long challenge for children’s writers to learn more about rhyming, poetry and poetic techniques.

Everyone is encouraged to follow along! Here is the pledge:

Let the Ideas Begin – PiBoIdMo is Here!

If you create children's stories (or want to), join this fun writing challenge for picture book writers and illustrators. The idea is to come up with one picture book idea every day in November, so by the end of the month you'll have 30 new ideas to help you throughout the year! 

Don't miss the daily posts on Tara Lazar's site from authors, illustrators and picture book professionals to help you along on your 30-day idea journey this November.

Kidlit Summer School

Are you ready to delve deeper into your book plots? Join me at Kidlit Summer School!

If you haven’t registered yet, click here to do so by July 20 to be eligible to win prizes, participate in special webinars and a private Kidlit Summer School Facebook community!

What is Summer School?

The brainchild of authors Kami Kinard and Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen

Here is a little about it (from nerdychickswrite.com):

"Kami and Sudipta both enjoy writing, and teaching writing, so their idea was to create a program that offers in-depth writing advice on a particular topic each summer. The 2014 focus was on character development. The 2015 focus will be on plotting in children’s literature.

Daily blog posts by authors and writing professionals will offer inspiration and help you hone your craft. Our “faculty” includes award-winning PB, MG and YA authors!
Kidlit Summer School is for anyone one who loves to write children’s literature, from accomplished writers, to those just starting out."

RhyPiBoMo 2015

Happy April! Not only is it the month where Spring REALLY arrives here in St. Louis, but it's also National Poetry Month and along with that, RhyPiBoMo!

RhyPiBoMo is a month-long writing challenge for children’s writers aspiring to write rhyming picture books poetry and to add poetic techniques to their prose.

There's still time to sign up (you have until April 8) , or just follow along! There are daily posts about rhyming and optional challenges – if you've ever considered writing in rhyme, no matter what THEY say, join in the fun! If you're up to the challenge, and a chance to win some prizes, here's what you need to do daily:

Rules of BRAINSTORM

I love the posts over at Tara Lazar's site every November during PiBoIdMo! Some inspire me by presenting a new way to look at creativity, and some are reminders of things that I already knew, but seem to forget about when trying to create.

The last few on not censoring yourself inspired me to write this post. Back in the days when I was a graphic designer in the advertising/communications field, we would have brainstorming sessions for new projects. We would have to repeat the rules about 10 times each session because someone would say, "that's stupid," or "don't write that one down!" That breaks the first rule – anything goes – NO CENSORING! You gotta get the bad ideas out somehow!

Here's a quote from the great Chuck Jones about creating art:

 

Switch out ‘drawings’ with ‘ideas’, or any creative endeavor.

Here is my list of Brainstorming Rules written in deference to the Movie Fight Club, and the Rules of Fight Club:

Rules of BRAINSTORM

• 1st RULE:  You do not censor ANY ideas in BRAINSTORM.
• 2nd RULE: EVERY IDEA gets written down in BRAINSTORM.
• 3rd RULE: No Judgey Judgersons! If someone says 'that's stupid' or 'don't write that down' BRAINSTORM is over for them, and escort them out of the room. (This includes your inner voices!)
• 4th RULE: Only 15 minutes for each BRAINSTORM. (If nothing comes out of it, take and break and come back to it.)
• 5th RULE: In BRAINSTORM, quantity trumps quality. The more ideas, the better.
• 6th RULE: Build upon other ideas. Take an idea you wrote down and add to it.
• 7th RULE: Sketch you ideas out. If you just thought 'but I can't draw' please leave the BRAINSTORM. (Back to 3rd RULE of BRAINSTORM!)
• 8th RULE: Wild ideas are welcome. This is the time to think of the wildest ideas you can imagine! Having toys and puzzles around may help get your juices flowing.

Good luck with your ideas!

It's PiBoIdMo Time Again!

It's that time of year again – the leaves are turning, the weather is colder, and it's Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo)!

PiBoIdMo is a writing challenge for picture book writers and illustrators. The idea is to come up with one picture book idea every day in November, so by the end of the month you'll have 30 new ideas to help you throughout the year! I just love the adorable banner for this year, designed by Vin Vogel!

Don't miss the daily posts on Tara Lazar's site from authors, illustrators and picture book professionals to help you along on your 30-day idea journey this November.

Participants who register for PiBoIdMo and complete the 30-idea challenge will be eligible for prizes, including signed picture books, original art, critiques, Skype sessions and feedback from one of eleven picture book agents! You have until Nov. 7th to sign up to be eligible for prizes.

Still Rhyming!

I have having so much fun at this rhyming stuff, I can't stop! Like Gloria Estefan says, "the rhythm is gonna get you!" It got me, all right!

I wrote a poem to enter the poetry contest that The Children's Book Academy is having. The theme is "Why Do Kids Love Poetry?"

Why Kids Love Poetry
by Lynn Alpert

Poems are pretty things to hear –
a sweet song from a wren.
They make me want to dance and sing,
and do it all again!

When I read a poem out loud,
I feel I’m in a trance.
It’s like my tongue and words
come out and do a little dance.

Clap and sing and read along,
it’s hard to not join in!
The rhyming party has begun –
try not to tap and grin!

Why do kids love rhyming texts?
I’ll speak for all us kids –
it’s fun to hear and say the sounds –
that’s it, that’s all there is!

Final Week of RhyPiBoMo

Books I read this past week:

A bittersweet ending to a wonderful month learning tons of stuff about poetry. I'm sad it's over, but I got great news this morning: I received an honorable mention for my poem Please Don't Make Me Eat Those Peas AND I randomly won one of the daily prizes! Yay!

There were some really good entries in the contest – check them out here!

I am now a graduate of the first annual RhyPiBoMo and I will proudly display this here:

RhyPiBoMo End of Week 4

Here are the books I read this week:

I love looking at these little squares of awesomeness! It just makes me happy!

I also have a poem to share with you –  the poem I entered into the Golden Quill Poetry Contest. Angie said she had over 40 entries! I'm excited to see the finalists!

Please Don’t Make Me Eat Those Peas

Please don’t make me eat those peas –
they stink and make me gag and wheeze.
I have a strong aversion to
those squishy globes of greenish goo!

I try to feed them to our puppy,
the hamster, and the family guppy.
They try a pea and spit it out –
they hate them, too, without a doubt!

I wish you would respect my wishes–
I promise I will do the dishes
if you don’t force me to consume
that evil, little green legume!

I’ll clean my room and make my bed
and make sure that the pets are fed.
If you love me, I’m beggin’ please,
Please don’t make me eat those peas!

RhyPiBoMo End of Week 3

Still plugging away on RhyPiBoMo and learning A LOT! I don't have any poems to post, but I'm almost finished with one that I'm going to enter into the Golden Quill Poetry Contest. In the meantime, here are the books I've read last week.

RhyPiBoMo End of Week 2

I am learning so much about writing poems. There sure is a lot that I didn't know that I didn't know!

One of the things that I didn't know about is a 5-line poem called a Tanka. It's similar to the Haiku, in that it has rules about how many syllables each line has:
Tanka- a 5-line poem

Line 1 has five syllables

Line 2 has seven syllables

Line 3 has five syllables

Line 4 has seven syllables

Line 5 has seven syllables

Here’s my Tanka:

Instantaneous!
Spring has sprung just overnight
Mother Nature just pressed ‘go’
Trees abloom with white flowers
We revel in the beauty

Books I read this week:

RhyPiBoMo - Day 8

One of the rules of RhyPiBoMo is to read a rhyming picture book every day. Here are the books I read in the fist week.

One week down and 3 to go! Today, we learned about the different quatrains and the different rhyming patterns they can have. Here is one with the ABAB pattern:

    Buddy
    Buddy is a crazy boy!
    He jumps on everyone around,
    because he can’t contain his joy.
    He’s such a wacky, happy hound!

RhyPiBoMo Day 5

Today, we learned about Haiku and Limericks. Here is a fitting Haiku for today since a tornado touched down about 2 blocks from my house this morning and I didn't even wake up!!!

Tornado
Wind bursts barrel through,
So strong and powerful, then,
Eerie quietness.

2014 Picture Book Dummy Challenge Steps 1-3

I'm excited to be participating in the Picture Book Dummy Challenge. I finally wrote my first picture book with the help of the Children's Book Academy's online class The Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books.
If you need help with starting to write, I highly recommend this course! There's a new one starting February 10th. 

So, I'm in the process of developing my main character (a dog) – right now I'm just sketching from real-life photos of dogs, (and my real-life little Westie) to get the hang of what really makes a dog a dog. Then my next step is to stylize the character and give her personality!

How is everyone else doing?

I've posted the schedule here to help me keep track.

The Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books Highly Interactive e-Course Will be Starting
February 10th 2014 - See more at: http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/writing-childrens-picture-books.html#sthash.fjzNKdul.dpuf

The Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books Highly Interactive e-Course Will be Starting
February 10th 2014 - See more at: http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/writing-childrens-picture-books.html#sthash.fjzNKdul.dpuf

The Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books Highly Interactive e-Course Will be Starting
February 10th 2014 - See more at: http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/writing-childrens-picture-books.html#sthash.fjzNKdul.dpuf

The Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books Highly Interactive e-Course Will be Starting
February 10th 2014 - See more at: http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/writing-childrens-picture-books.html#sthash.fjzNKdul.dpuf

STEP 1: Pick your project (1 week) Jan 12-18

STEP 2: Draft the story (4 weeks) Jan 19-Feb 15

STEP 3: Develop the characters (2 weeks) Feb 16-Mar 1

STEP 4: Storyboard text and art (2 weeks) Mar 2-Mar 15

STEP 5: Render tight, full-size sketches (8 weeks) Mar 16-May 10

STEP 6: Produce final art of two spreads (4 weeks) May 11 - June 7

STEP 7: Assemble the dummy (2 weeks ) Jun 8-Jun 21

STEP 8: Research submissions; prepare dummy package(1 week) Jun 22-Jun 28

STEP 9: Submit (1 week) Jul 6- Jul 12 (Because of the July 4th holiday)

STEP 10: Celebrate! July 17 #kidlitart chat Wrap Party

I'm a Picture Book Academy Graduate!

Today was the last day of an amazing online course called "The Craft and Business of Writing Children’s Picture Books," taught by the marvelous Mira Reisberg of The Picture Book Academy.

I actually wrote my first picture book manuscript! I've had the idea incubating in my noggin for years, and this class pushed me to actually write it! This will be my 3rd year to participate in PiBoIdMo, but I've never had the confidence to flush any of my ideas into an actual story until now.

If you're into kidlit in any way, I highly recommend her classes. She is an artist, writer, picture book scholar (she even has a PhD!) and has recently started her own literary agency where she works as an agent. She teaches all that stuff. . she knows a lot! And she is loads of fun. I'm going to miss the class, but I have met a great group of writers with which I plan to stay in touch.

Thank you Mira for this wonderful experience! In the words of Bruno Mars: "You're amazing..."

It's PiBoIdMo Time Again!

November is an exciting time for writers. There's NaNoWriMo, a write-a-novel-in-30-days challenge, and there's PiBoIdMo, a 30-picture-book-ideas-in-30-days challenge for kidlit writers and illustrators. This will be the 3rd year that I've participated and hope to get some great ideas. Even if you don't want to officially participate and be eligible for prizes, it's still fun to follow along and read the daily blog posts to get inspiration.

The posts have already started to help us get in the right mindset. Let the creative juices flow!

PiBoIdMo 2011

It's time for Picture Book Idea Month! For those who don't know, November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) where writers challenge themselves to write a certain amount of words every day in November, then hopefully have a finished novel at the end of the month.

Tara Lazar, a children's book writer started PiBoIdMo to coincide with NaNoWriMo for picture book writers. The challenge is to come up with an idea for a picture book every day in November. I participated in PiBoIdMo 2 years ago, and I'm signed up to do it again! It really helps stretch your creative muscle!

Check it out! There will be guest posts and prizes all month.

p.s. Isn't the banner cute? One of my critique partners, Bonnie Adamson, created it and I think it's as cute as a bug (oh, wait, it IS a bug!) She did such a wonderful job!

Inspiration

I read blogs for inspiration and one of my favorites is Penelope Dullaghan's. She has a great post today with two great pieces of inspiration. I had to repost this one since I love Elizabeth Gilbert much and this is a great talk. I had the opportunity to see her speak about the book, “Eat, Pray, Love” at an Oprah taping (actually, there was so much good stuff, she taped two shows that day with Elizabeth ... and you can see me in the audience ... and I was "this close" to Oprah ... sorry, I got sidetracked). She is so inspiring! One thing she said that I will never forget is when she was talking about having a breakdown and writing to recover from it, “I wrote a ladder of words to get me out of the hole.” I love that. Check out Penelope's post to read some of her inspirations.

I'm Participating in PiBoIdMo

What in the heck is PiBoIdMo, you ask? It's the brilliant idea of Tara Lazar for Picture Book Idea Month. It is an offshoot of NaNoWriMo (which is National Novel Writers Month in which participants write every day in November and have a completed 50,000 word novel at the end of the month). It's for us picture book writers (yeah, I said it, I'm a writer) to come up with an idea a day for the month of November. I've already got 9 ideas! Who knew I could do this??

For anyone wanting to be a picture book writer, check it out - there's a new inspiration every day this month.