This month I am taking part in Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo). I have found these pressure/challenge writing situations are good for me, because I work to deadlines – and maximise the last minute!! PiBoIdMo is not a waste of time, play-around game. My week of picture books in May, and month of poetry every January, is rich with good writing.
And of course, once again I am also delighted by the friendly people I meet on the journey. So many lovely new children’s writers/illustrators that I am following on Twitter as a result of #PiBoIdMo. Just look for the idea lightbulb.
My first idea put to paper was inspired by this tweet.
At the end of Week One I can report thirteen new ideas. The start of my week I have more think time – which resulted in double/triple ideas for some days. It slowed down to one-a-day for the second half. Not that all of them are good ideas – but I’m writing them down and claiming them anway. And I am excited about a couple of them – rolling them over and over in my mind, their quirky lines popping out of my mouth at frequent intervals. One of them is actually already starting to shape up – very loosely – into a PB.
I am also loving the inspirational blog posts that Tara is putting up daily on her blog. They’re a fantastic resource and I suggest that if you’re ever lacking motivation, slip over to http://taralazar.wordpress.com and search ‘Inspiration’. You’ll get it!
A bonus that has got me buzzing is the fact that I won a free caricature – of me! – from Neil Numberman, illustrator of the ‘Joey the Fly’ graphic novels, written by Aaron Reynolds. It took me ages (!!) to find a suitable pic (and I feel a bit like a bug under a microsope as a result) but it’s done now, and I can’t wait to see what Neil will do with my buggy self. (I am just relieved that spiders are not insects – because I would freak to be a hairy huntsman spider!! Eeek!)
Speaking of Neil and Aaron – check out this fantastic post from last year’s PiBoIdMo Inspirational blog. It is 100% AWESOME – and I can’t believe how perfectly they have demonstrated HOW to write/illustrate a graphic novel. They are obviously an incredibly talented duo.
This week it is my turn to inspire others. I’ll be popping up on Tara’s blog on the 7th November (US) to talk about what inspires me. (Here) And all week I will once again be chasing ideas … while sharing the journey with Tara and the great fun #PiBoIdMo crew.
Do you take part in writing challenges?
How do you respond to the pressure – and the inspiration?
Kathryn Apel 
Good on you Kat. Sounds like your month is bubbling away with inspiration. I don’t think I could do it. I don’t like pressure or deadlines. I like to drift along in my own little writing world and pretend that the rest of the real world doesn’t exist. I like to wait for ideas to sneak up on me and then I like to leave them to grow safely in my head until they’re ready to come out. I find I’m usually aware of too many ideas that want my attention but I don’t have time to nurture all of them so I try to focus on listening to the loudest ones. Hmm. Think I’ll stop this comment now. I’m sounding flakey…
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You’re not flakey at all, Katrina! And I do understand where you’re coming from. I confess I was a bit dubious, both about the week of picture books (May) and the month of PB ideas (Nov) but so far it is GOOD! And looking back to my May PBs – one was finished with little polishing on the day – and two have been the long, slow ponder/tweak… but I also love them! So three exciting stories is a fantastic result for one week of writing! I hadn’t expected to have usable PBs as a result of the challenge – but I do! (I haven’t got back to finish editing the others. Oops! Note to self: Must do!)
But everyone writes differently – and if that’s not you, there is no shame in that. xx
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I had the exact opposite experience to you and struggled at the start of my week! I wrote about it on my blog 🙂
I am also very glad you won one of the caricatures – I would love to see it!!
I look forward to seeing you on Tara’s blog tomorrow.. good luck!
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Oh! I hadn’t discovered your blog until this, Kathleen. Thanks for letting me know. I like your style. 🙂 And I’m so glad your ideas are flowing now.
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Thanks so much Kat! I’m glad your ideas are multiplying like rabbits!
I’m really luck to have so many talented people contributing to PiBoIdMo. You’re up tomorrow! Woo-hoo!
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Oh cool!
It’s been great, Tara. The PB community owes you – big time! 😀
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Thirteen, wow, well done you!!! Can’t wait to see your caricature 🙂
Rach
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If it’s okay with Neil, I will happily share my caricature.
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I’m loving it too.
I was wondering what the light bulb was for.
great post Kat 😀
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You haven’t got a lightbulb! That’s how I remember who is participating. (If you’re lightbulb shopping, I recommend the yellow one. Oh! That’s right. They’re all yellow. :P)
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I’ve got 7 for 7…and happy with that. Not even looking at them at present, just noting them down in a file on my desktop.
It’s interesting how you get into a rhythm, like pb fitness that comes from training. I’m hoping that by 30 November the ideas will come fully formed and perfect!
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Oh – I like that idea, Claire. Fully formed and perfectly written!
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Love the new look blog, Kat.
Sounds like you are doing really well with PiBoIdMo. Congrats.
I reached 18,000 words with my NaNoWriMo novel today – fairly happy with that – life has been hectic:)
Deex
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Thankyou. I think it (new-look blog) came together quite nicely – after a few litters of kittens in the process!
It has been a productive week for me in so many ways, Dee. And for you too! You NaNo-ers are another challenge altogether. I am in awe of what you’re doing. 18,000 words in 7 days?!?! You have to be thrilled with that! Keep going at that pace and you won’t NEED a month to clock up 50k.
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I too was dubious about NaPiBoWriWee and PiBoIdMo but I have really taken to them. For me it is valuable to prioritise the capturing of ideas. It has somehow made me feel a little more confident in myself – if that makes sense 🙂 I have always had ideas for short stories but I have often pushed them to the back of my mind as I concentrate on other things (like writing my PhD). So for me these times have been a great exercise in training myself to take my ideas seriously, no matter how small they may be, and actively involve myself in capturing them when they arise. It has also meant that I have been having more ideas (maybe even better ones) and I think that is a result of allowing myself to listen and pay attention to them. Maybe that sounds silly..
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That is so true, Chloe. The ideas come at random times – but if we don’t catch them, they often fizzle out of memory. PiBoIdMo has the two-fold purpose of catching those random thoughts – and eliminating procrastination at a later date because, ‘I don’t know what to write about!’. (That is a classroom quote, btw. A refrain heard often over the years.)
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Lucky you–maybe will see antennae on your avatar instead of whiskers soon!
I’m loving PiBoIdMo too. Love focusing on PB ideas, checking out Tara’s blog each day and all the great people chatting across the world about it. It’s habit forming!
Thanks for sharing, Kat!
Looking forward to reading your post on Tara’s blog.
@danaFR
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Heehee… Imagine that. Antennae with my whiskers. 😛
It is habit forming. And friendship forming. It can not be said that I write in solitude anymore. 🙂
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Can’t wait to see your caricature Kat. I guess PiBoldMo gets harder in the last two weeks, let’s hope we don’t all run out of steam.
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I almost came unstuck on Day 9, Catherine, as you’ll see in my next post. But all is well. (Phew!)
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I can’t imagine having that many ideas for picture books. they’re too hard for me. the fewer words the harder to write is my motto.
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Whereas I am always in awe of anyone who can write more than 6000 words. (My current limit. It used to be 600!)
Thanks for visiting, Dale.
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