NaPiBoWriWee Wrap-Up

At the end of #NaPiBoWriWee I have;

3 rhyming stories & 4 unrhymed (This is notable because last WriWee I made my first moves away from rhyme.)
2 sets of connected books. (Dare I say sequel?)
1 rocket rhymer
2 stories inspired by students
2 stories inspired by (pesky pest) animals
1 manuscript inspired by Twitter
2 heart stories, 3 warm stories, 2 silly stories
7 stories that excite me
7 stories that need a lot more work

Today I started the editing process. I can’t bear the thought of the roughness – and I needed to re-read to know what I’d written, because I’d honestly forgotten.

Just one more day…

This year’s (Inter)National Picture Book Writing Week has been a real challenge. As a family, our lives have been rich and full – with little time for writing picture books. I knew this when I made my scrambled start – but wanted to give it my best shot, because truly, #NaPiBoWriWee was such a worthwhile writing excercise for me in 2010.

With one day, one story to go, I’m glad I jumped on board. It has been tough, and my stories are much rougher than those I produced last year – but I can see good stuff in all of them. I’m a bit of a perfectionist writer – polishing as I go, but this year I’ve had to let go more and just get it down. (Though there was one day where I had a 90min drive by myself, and I honed it in my head, then typed it straight in. THAT was fun!)

One Week in May

Somehow, it’s that time of year again. May! #NaPiBoWriWee – writing a picture book a day for the first week of May.

Only problem being… I forgot!

In my head I still had another month to prepare. Only remembered half-way through Day One. Had NO idea of what to write about. Didn’t know where to start!!! (That was where the panic set in.)

Thankfully, @jimhill tweeted a lifesaver (though he didn’t know it at the time) about #PiBoIdMo that I completed in November – a picture book *idea* every day for the month of November. Suddenly I had ideas!!! Forty-five ideas. At 5pm I sat down to write…

NaPiBoWriWee Update Day 6

The light is glowing brightly – and it’s not just the light that I’ve been burning into the night to get my PBs done. No – this is the light at the end of the tunnel as National Picture Book Writing Week (NaPiBoWriWee) draws to a close. It’s been so much fun participating. I’m loving the sense of accomplishment and community – and meeting lots of lovely people on the way!
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NaPiBoWriWee Update Day 4

You know that #NaPiBoWriWee – (Inter)National Picture Book Writing Week – that I signed up for? Well… I have just bagged my fourth story, and I’m passed half way. Hurray!

I almost couldn’t have chosen a busier week if I tried. Seems like I’ve been writing into the night a lot.

Day One: Sentimental story about a boy and his chook. Inspired by a complilation of my boys’ quotes that I found in the week prior to NaPiBoWriWee. (What a boon that was.) The story is finished – but by no means right! (This after I pondered for 6hrs over one point before I could move on.) I think with this one, reality was getting in the way of creativity.

NaPiBoWriWee – What?!

I am getting a little bit anxious… a little bit jittery-nervous… a little bit worried…

Just 2 more sleeps, and I will be throwing myself into a 7-day writing frenzy – and I don’t know what I want to write!!!

Last month I was so excited about the prospect of NaPiBoWriWee that I flicked my hat into the ring with zest and anticipation. Seven days of intense picture book writing – a picture book a day for the first seven days of May… What FUN! 

(What productivity.)