Last November I decided to participate in PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month), a fun project started by author Tara Lazar. I’m going to do it again this year, but I thought I’d share what I did with my calendar of ideas.
One Completed Manuscript
One of the ideas I wrote down turned into a really fun story with two main characters. I worked on it for quite a while, revised to make it the best I could and got it to my agent. After a few more rounds of revision, she sent it out to publishers and they all eventually passed. Some gave feedback, but I was so in love with the existing version I couldn’t see it any other way. So I set it aside and worked on my YA and another picture book manuscript (from an idea I got not from my PiBoIdMo list, but from reading another picture book 🙂 ).
I finally was able to disconnect from the story enough that I was able to give it to my new picture book critique group. They gave me some fabulous feedback and I am now fired up to revise!
Three New Ideas
Interestingly, I would look at the list at least once a month and none of the ideas got me excited until recently. I identified three ideas on the calendar that I’d like to try to turn into stories. Hooray! I’ll keep you posted on those and the new ones I generate this November.
Lots of Big Intentions
This new critique group has really inspired and motivated me to keep my picture book manuscripts flowing. So my intention is to have a revised version of the two character manuscript to my agent before the end of 2015. And five to six manuscripts to her during 2016 (in addition to my YA. YES. It will get to her in 2016. Miracles do happen!)
If you did PiBoIdMo last year or are planning to this year, I’d love to hear about it!
To see my original PiBoIdMo posts, see the links below.
Picture Book Ideas-I’m Going For It! (Nov 6, 2014)
PiBoIdMo (almost) Halfway Report (Nov 13, 2014)
PiBoIdMo–the results are in! (Dec 5, 2014)
I discovered this challenge in 2010 … too late. I’ve participated since 2011. I write down all my ideas and let them “sit” for a bit. I pick a few ideas to work on throughout the year. I also pick a dozen to consider for the May writing challenge NaPiBoWriWee by Paula Yoo (National Picture Book Writing Week)… where you write seven drafts in seven days. It’s always fun! Good luck with your ideas!
Love your strategy, Stacy! And I forgot about the NaPiBoWriWee – thank you so much for that reminder. These are all good things to keep us going throughout the year. Not only are they fun, but they are integral to our writing practice, helping us improve our craft as well as contribute to a growing crop of manuscripts for submission. 🙂
This will be my fourth PiBoIdMo. Especially after the real-time connections made at the regional conference in Denver, it has become my favorite time of year to mingle and find mutual motivation within the online-kid-lit community. Like putting on skates to glide through the winter!
Yay! That’s so great. Would love to hear where your ideas took you. Love that it’s one of your go-to’s for motivation and pals. And love the image of gliding through winter on creative, community-driven skates!