Roll With It

 

It is day ten of PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month)and we are swimming in ideas. A poll on Tara's FB site started by JackieWellington asked: "How many picture book ideas have you logged thus far?" The answers range from just a few to 30+. Impressive!

PiBoIdMo challenges us to come up with at least one picture book idea/day for the month of November. Some people lament the fact that they have great difficulty coming up with ideas. Others find them pouring in.  For me, this is not a difficult task, ideas seem to attack me from every angle; usually when I least expect it. I have pages and pages of ideas every month of the year. An idea might be as specific as a plot or problem. Others as obscure as a character name, but they are all ideas, just the same. The difficulty, for me, lies in the next steps. Now What?

Which story do I think about next? In what direction will this character take the story? Should I finish the oodles of stories I've already started or roll with one of my new ideas? I am fairly scattered when it comes to writing - I can be distracted sooo easily (look - squirrel!).

I have found that my best strategy is to let the ideas take me and not try to control them. One day, out of the blue an inspiration will hit me and I will go back to a story I started months ago. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but I do know that I can't force an idea that just isn't there. My best ideas/strategies seem to come when I'm not trying. I might be in the middle of a story and hit a wall. Instead of trying to plow my way through it I back off. In doing something else... something mindless... the wall sometimes crumbles. It isn't always that easy, but it is far less frustrating for me than chiseling away at the wall with a pick and hammer.

 So, whether you have one fantastic idea (that might turn in to a best-seller) or pages of cryptic words, roll with it and take it where it leads you. And most importantly - have fun!

A Community of Beautiful Strangers

PiBoIdMo participants, 12 x 12 groupies, critique group members, Writer's Support 4 You folks, bloggers, editors, agents....... I am amazed every single day at the community of writers that I find myself a part of. After all, I haven't met any of them in person ..... not one..... but they help me every day! There are people in my life, even relatives, even published writers, who have not stepped up in the way these individuals have.

Daily I read messages via the internet from aspiring and published writers alike, sharing their own secrets to success. They WILLINGLY help their competitors.... do you get that? We critique one another's works in an attempt to improve their chances of publication - the very prize that we covet!

We blog and post via FB - sharing the resources that we have discovered. Many spend countless hours organizing online contest and instructional sessions. We remind one another of contests that we are entering ourselves. We share strategies, encourage one another and give constructive criticism.......... all in an attempt to help one another.

We don't get paid for it, there is no proof that it will help us in our own journey to publication and we know that others are too busy to acknowledge our efforts at times, but we venture on. Some would say it has something to do with the "misery loves company" adage, but it is, in my opinion, more about camaraderie and support. We all get discouraged and overwhelmed at times... and there is always someone there to pick us up.

We are cheerleaders and therapists, teachers and event planners. And in the end there is comfort in knowing that there is someone there, day and night, to enable our dysfunctional behavior and tell us that the housework will wait, because it's all about the books!

The Liebster award has been making its rounds. It is awarded to blogs with fewer than 200 followers who have inspired others in some way and could use more love from readers like you.  I am honored to be nominated by Jackie Wellington.

I have been asked to answer 10 questions, nominate 5-10 other blogs for this award, and ask them some questions as well.

Here are the questions from Jackie at Why I Write Picture Books. My answers are in RED.

1. Which do you prefer in a picture book — Rhyme or prose? I love rhyme, but it doesn't work for all stories. So, I guess that means, both.

2. What is your favorite season of the year and why? I love Spring because it is the promise of new life and the beauty of growing things.

3. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas because it is a time to spend with  family.

4. How many children do you have? If you do not have children, do you want children someday? I have two beautiful grown daughters who I am VERY proud of.

5.  Favorite TV show (s)? That's tough, because it really depends on my mood. I love Big Band Theory when I feel like laughing, Chicago Fire, Parenthood and even some reality TV when I feel like escaping from my own reality. :)

6. Favorite author (s) My favorite children's authors include Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, Frances Hodgson Burnett, E.B. White - there are soooo many. For my own reading, I love Jodi Picoult.

7. Favorite movie (s) Again, this is mood dependent, but I love a good romantic comedy like The Holiday or Sweet Home Alabama. I also love some classics like It's a Wonderful Life.

8. If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be? Hmmmm. I have been lucky enough to travel quite a bit, but I think I would have to say Italy.

9. If you could award, “THE MAKE A DIFFERENCE AWARD”, to whom would you give it? Ellen DeGeneres. She gives back a great deal and makes people laugh every day.

10. What is it that you want everyone to know about you? That I care about doing my best for myself and others.

The Perils of a PB Critiquer. (I know, that isn't a word, but it should be)

I have spent a great deal of time, during the past couple of years, studying, enjoying and learning from the blogs of other folks who write for children. I can honestly say that I would not have persevered without their wisdom and inspiration. So... I have decided that it is my turn to give back by encouraging others, sharing resources and building a community.

I could spend my first post telling you why I think it is important to have a blog (aside from the above statement, of course), but we all know that. I have decided, instead, to relay an experience that I had yesterday - an inevitable side effect to this journey of writing for children.

I had the opportunity, last night, to spend a rare 30 minutes in one of my favorite places: Barnes and Noble. Thirty minutes? Seriously? It was all I could do to tear myself away once I got there. Intent on capitalizing on every second, I planted myself in front of the New Release Picture Books. To study those lucky folks who (in my mind, anyway) have accomplished a dream.

I declared yesterday that I was making an "Old Year's Resolution", because I didn't want to wait for the new year to start: "I will get a literary agent!" Did you hear me? I WILL DO IT!

As an active critique participant and one who changes her own work often (several time a day sometimes) to follow all the "rules", I have honed my skills. I am one of the weird ones who actually enjoys ripping apart my work and that of others.... and, ultimately, seeing the end result. It is so exciting to see a project go from idea to an amazing story.

So... back to the bookstore. Last night, unfortunately, I found myself reading the beautifully glossy new PBs with a critical eye. And guess what? I didn't enjoy them nearly as much. I was, instead, picking out every little thing that I had been cautioned against. "Hey... wait... I thought PBs were supposed to state the problem right away" or "the MC didn't solve her own problem."  What I should have been saying was, "Hey... I really liked/didn't like that story."

I was cursing myself for this behavior when (honestly... this really happened), I heard a "blip" from my phone. A message from a new crit partner. It said, "Thanks for the suggestions! I'm honestly not trying to butter you up here, but 99% of ever comment you make I go "duh, why didn't I think of that?" You're the best! Back to revisions."  :)

Okay, so maybe the revision/critique process has tainted my abilities to read and enjoy PBs in quite the same way, but if I can continue to help and be helped by others..... it's all worth it. After all, there is no way I could do this alone. So, thanks to all of my critique partners. You're the best!!!