Don your thinking caps. . .PiBoIdMo is about to begin!

The month of November has slid into view once again. And for a writer, that means challenges.  And plenty of them!  There is of course, the ever popular NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and more recently added: NaNonFiWriMo (National Non-Fiction Writing Month).

PiBoIdMo

But for those of us who write for children, PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) is the way to go.  This will be my third year to participate, and to tell the truth, I almost declined the opportunity. I have so much on my plate already. We are home educating our two HS seniors, one of whom is preparing for college next year!

So, what is PiBoIdMo?  A fun challenge; certainly easier to accomplish than a 50,000 word novel. (I applaud anyone who is even attempting to write a novel in one month!) The goal is to come up with 30 picture book ideas in one month. 

It could be as simple as a title, or as complicated as a basic plot. . .the choice is up to you. Whatever inspires you for the day.  Now, don't worry.  Each day Tara Lazar will post an entry from a published author who will help you towards your goal.  And what's more, if you can't think of an idea for a few days, you are allowed to pick them up anytime during the month.  An idea a day? Great! Seven ideas all in one day, or more than 30 at the end of the month?  That's even better!  Whatever works.

Are you ready for the challenge?  If so, you have until November 7th to sign up HERE. Any questions will be answered at that link. Not only do you come up with 30 new ideas that you can transform into manuscripts, but there are PRIZES, too! Can you beat that??

To fill up your "think tank" check out Tara's list of 400 things kids love HERE.

Will you be joining us in 2013??

PiBoIdMo 2012

The big challenge begins tomorrow!  Sign up here if you are interested in generating 30 picture book ideas (PiBoIdMo) for the month of November.  I found it the perfect motivation to jumpstart my children's book writer's career, and you will too.  The fellowship with likeminded writers is amazing...you will be glad you participated!

Below is a blog post I wrote after last year's PiBoIdMo.  It will give you a picture of what the challenge entails, and why I loved it so much:

What an adventure! As you can see, this is a travel blog, yet today I'm veering off course...but not really. I've just taken a wild and crazy ride through the children's literary world via the PiBoIdMo challenge, a.k.a Picture Book Idea Month. And I haven't arrived at my destination yet, but sometimes the process is as important as the end result.

Although I love adventures, new sights, sounds and destinations, I have found this PB challenge to be an exciting journey of its own. And best yet, I don't need to leave my comfy chair, or ensure my passport is up to date!

All I needed to do was to come up with 30 picture book ideas for the month of November. Sounds like an impossibility? Well, I didn't go it alone. I had help, in the form of other aspiring authors, and those who have lead the way...authors, illustrators and editors. Each with their own unique point of view.

First, I experienced the wonderful camaraderie of fellow writers who, like me, adore children, and love to read and write for children. It's akin to riding with a tour bus full of people who have the same destination in mind. We are enjoying the journey together. No one writes in a vacuum; we need each other! Fellow PiBoIdMo contestants, critique groups, conferences, books and seminars dedicated to the craft of writing, are all things that help us grow our passion to write children's literature.

At one point during the challenge, I was worried that others would "steal" my ideas...imagine! Not that anyone would purposely do so, of course, but someone could POSSIBLY come up with the same idea. Diandra Mae, in her post, reminded us not to give in to negativity. We are a diverse group of writers, with a variety of experiences and backgrounds. There is an abundance of ideas to gather in God's world, so the chances are slim. And if so...so what? I have a mind to conceive many more over the course of my lifetime, and could use a little competition anyway to hone my ideas.
Carolyn Crimi reminded us in her guest post to turn our problems into stories.

I have been stretched in PiBoIdMo to go places I never thought possible. And, I've discovered something along the way....I am a non-fiction writer and reader at heart! No matter how many times I try to crack open a novel, I end up putting it down, and then move on. On to a practical topic such as health, decorating, and raw foods, or maybe a historic or spiritual book: the Bible or inspirational biographies. It must be the teacher or librarian in me. I'm thankful for Cynthia Levinson who connected us with the Carus group of children's science and history magazines, such as "Cobblestone", hoping we could catch a few sparks for the imagination. Laura Crawford confirmed my passion by sharing her A-Z picture books on Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims.

Even so, this challenge has drawn me into the realm of fictional picture books...to play with ideas, words, situations and pictures. No, to juggle them in my mind, until they land in a delightful way on the page. I'm finding myself melding the two, fiction and non-fiction, in unique ways. I like it! Aaron Zenz uses his children's artwork to spark PB ideas, and it drove me to the closet to unearth my teens early drawings. Julian Hecters cheered us with his "mousecycles", and Dianne de Las Casas reminded us that sounds can be a springboard for story writing.

Not only have I been challenged with the daily invention of ideas, but with technology as well. I can't figure out how to grab my badge and attach it to my blog...or my post, for that matter. Or, type those links that are hidden under a name or title. Just signing in for a comment during PiBoIdMo was daunting. So I've come a long way, kiddies! Brenda Reeves Sturgis relieves our fears as she shared links to those who have helped her with technical inadequacies.

There is a child in each of us. Picture Book Idea Month has expanded my horizons. Taught me to think more like a child. It's been fun to read fellow participants comments...upbeat, encouraging, ever the cheerleaders with their, "woots" and "woohoos" and such. What fun it was to look at the world from a child's point of view with Liz Garton Scanlon!

Every traveler needs a guide, and ours were fabulous! Whether they were authors, editors, or illustrators, they all led us through the month with their inspiring and informative posts. Our mentors revealed sources for ideas, helped us navigate the mechanics of writing and gave us hints to develop our writer's platform. Thanks to Linda Ravin for giving us four endings to consider as we polish our manuscripts, and to Becky Levine who urged us to revise again and again until we achieve our best work.

I HAVE been stretched...to go places I never thought possible....to connect with others...to push myself into the world of fiction. Plugging in to PiBoIdMo has been the highlight of my creative year. God had a purpose for my journey, and I salute Tara Lazar for hosting this life changing event.

Now on to challenge #2: 12x12 in 2012, hosted by Julie Foster Hedlund. I can't wait to develop the little nuggets I have picked up, and the seeds I have planted.  Note:  A year later, looking back on 12x12, I have completed 10 of the 12 manuscripts, and plan to complete the challenge.  I have developed tremendously during this challenge, and have had magazine articles published and have send two manuscripts off to editors because of it.  You, too, can join 12x12 in 2013 HERE.

On A Roll...or, Driving Myself Crazy?

As I told a fellow 12x12 in 2012 challenge member, I must be crazy for adding another thing to my proverbial plate.  In November, it was PiBoIdMo, which encouraged me to write down a picture book idea every day for 30 days...I did it!

This year, I've joined the 12x12 in 2012, which is quite a step up from the November challenge.  This contest of sorts, gives you the motivation to complete 12 picture book manuscripts in a year, using the 30 PB ideas from the PiBoIdMo contest.  I've finished my January ms...11 more to go!

Building my Writer's platform, (to ready me in the event that my picture book is published, and allowing me to promote my book to the world), has been in the forefront of my mind for at least 9 months.  So, I discovered the Writers Platform Building Campaign, which promises to help me in my quest.  This involves short spurts of energy and time on my part, during the next few weeks.  The signup ends this Wednesday, February 14th.

And last, but certainly not least, which will help me with all of the above, is the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, held during the Month of April.  Thirty days of blogging, each day, the theme of my post is to begin with a letter of the alphabet.  On the first day, the post theme or title will begin with 'A', the second day, 'B', and so on.  Wow...that will get me going!

Does anyone want to go with me?  Crazy, I mean?