Another Picture Book Idea Month Has Come and Gone. Sigh.

Well, it's December 3, and that means November is no more. I've never done NaNoWriMo, but I do enjoy a good PiBoIdMo — the Picture Book Idea Month (aka November) that comes around every year now, thanks to founder Tara Lazar.

This was my third time participating, and I tallied my ideas on Sunday: 38 with 4 series in the mix. Not bad! I did come up with more in both 2011 and 2012, but still . . . 38 is not bad at all. It's good, even.

As I've already shared elsewhere, I announced my magic number to my husband with an enthusiastic "I win!" (note: anyone who makes it to 30 ideas wins this game, as well we all should) — and his immediate response was "Are you going to write them?" Of course he truly meant that in the most positive, encouraging way. But I admit to thinking (and then telling others, and now you) that I could have used a quick minute to enjoy my victory before launching an action plan for turning my little seeds into full-blown story gardens. Or something like that.

In any case, I will do this again next year and, I hope, every year — regardless of how long the event itself lives in the kidlit writers' community. It's such a fun challenge, and the benefits are tangible. The exercise is a great way to make yourself focus on idea generation, and I find that it also helps me come up with story ideas for different levels/audiences, as well as ideas for spicing up whatever I happen to be writing at the moment. Creativity begets creativity, and work begets work, and that's just the way things are.

How about it — did you do PiBoIdMo this year, too? I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments!

Seattle Workshops for Editors

www.the-efa.org

Taking a moment to plug two upcoming workshops I organized on behalf of the Editorial Freelancers Association's Seattle chapter. The instructors are all experts in the field, and each workshop offers a unique professional-development opportunity for freelance editors.

Note that these events are open to EFA members and nonmembers, and both require advance registration (see the course descriptions below for links to EFA's online registration form). Registration for each one will close 24 hours before its date or when we reach capacity, whichever comes first.


Workshop 1: Helping Authors Through the Self-Publishing Process
Learn how to help clients conquer the new frontier of publishing!

Saturday, November 9, 9:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Seattle Public Library, 1000 Fourth Ave — Level 4, Room 2, Seattle, WA
EFA members $49 / nonmembers $64

Register here: http://www.the-efa.org/eve/registration.php

Details:

Publishing has changed — and so, too, has the average client freelance editors see walk in the door. Once, we could help authors polish their manuscripts or tell a better story; we could even help them draft a proposal. But what happened next was up to agents, in-house editors in New York, and the vagaries of fate. Today, authors may still harbor traditional publishing aspirations or may be completely committed to going the self-publishing route. Whether self-publishing clients are looking to put out a Junior League cookbook, tell their life story, or publish the ongoing adventures of Argon the Space Pirate, freelance editors have an incredible role to play in helping them navigate the process.

At Girl Friday Productions, we have done it all, and we’ll help you help your clients:

• Determine what services they need. Do they need a developmental edit? Do they need a copyedit or only a proof?
• Decide whether they need outside help in addition to editorial (for example design, project management, and/or publicity and marketing services).
• Choose between different self-publishing service providers.
• Understand what’s needed for electronic conversion. In which formats do they want their book to appear?
• Prepare for the role they will need to play in marketing their work and using social media.

Girl Friday Productions is the West Coast’s premier boutique editing, writing, social media, and book production company. While we all got our start in-house, since 2006 we’ve helped aspiring authors put their best work forward. Executive directors Ingrid Emerick and Leslie Miller will share editorial war stories and logistics, while social media pro Andrea Dunlop will give you an expert overview of how the publicity and marketing landscape for books has changed.


Workshop 2: Getting the Most Out of The Chicago Manual of Style

A great in-person opportunity to learn from one of EFA's most popular instructors!

Saturday, November 16, 9:00-11:00 am
Present Sense, 4131 Woodland Park Avenue North, Seattle, WA

EFA members $39 / nonmembers $54

Register here:  http://www.the-efa.org/eve/registration.php

Details:

The Chicago Manual of Style is used to edit journal articles, academic papers, and trade and academic book manuscripts. This comprehensive style guide can be difficult to use, but mastering its intricacies transfers to using other specialized style guides. This workshop shares techniques from finding the most relevant citation to making decisions when Chicago and the dictionary don't agree. Bring Chicago—and the dictionary it's based on (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Ed.), if you have it—to do exercises and discuss concepts regarding this powerful editing tool.


Instructor Kris Fulsaas is a freelance editor and proofreader whose clientele includes Countryman Press, Media Partners, Sasquatch Books, Mountaineers Books, and Seattle Homes & Lifestyles. She is also an instructor in the University of Washington editing certificate program. In her 33 years in publishing, Kris has worked in-house as a book production editor and a magazine production manager.

Musical Message: Sing It to Me, Mama Cass

It's just before nine o'clock this morning, and although I've been up for hours now, it took me a while to truly get "at 'em." Not that there's anything wrong with the occasional slow start. I enhanced this one with a few tunes that fit my mood, which is a-jumble with flashes of transitional melancholia and hopeful determination. (Yeah, it's Monday.)

This song has always warmed me, so I was pleased to stumble upon it when initially searching my library for the more on-the-nose "Monday, Monday."



It perfectly speaks to my mindset as I continue defining and refining my path as a children's writer — and the other things I am, and do. My path, my interests, my work, my particular skills? Well, they are mine. Not yours or his or hers. Mine. And any day in which I get a reminder to sing my own special song is a good day, indeed.

Sing your song today, too, please — okay?

Coming Up for Air

Summer is just about over, huh. I know this because I've met all of my most pressing end-of-season freelancing deadlines and have already switched over to thinking about how to handle The Holidays, work- and otherwise.

But I need to stop that madness. It's time to breathe, take a beat to appreciate exactly where I am in time and space, and focus on crafting an approach to enjoying the rest of the year. Which — according to that primary source known as the calendar — is just not over.

Something to relish after weeks upon weeks of editing other folks' books? How about this: Tomorrow, I write!

Writers (and All Publishing Pros): Beware

Popping in to reblog this excellent piece by David Gaughran: "Penguin Random House Merger Helps Author Solutions Exploit Writers."

The title itself speaks volumes, and I urge all writers, editors, and publishing pros — in-house and independent — to read this important look at how industry changes have expanded the reach of Author Solutions, the world's largest vanity press.

As Gaughran's chock-full-o'-useful-history blog outlines, this new marketing power is NOT a good thing for the authors the press seeks to exploit. Nor is it good for publishing, for the consumer, or for anyone involved in the genuine pursuit of creating quality books using fair business practices.

Please read the piece, check out its internal links for the troubling backstory, and pass along the information to all your publishing pals — especially your writer friends and, especially-especially, to new writers trying to make sense of the myriad self-publishing options available to them. They do not have to get scammed to take a nontraditional path to publication.

What's Brewing This Morning?

I hope it works!

And the Books Go to . . .

My Books for Writers Giveaway contest has closed. Thank you to all who entered. I crossed my fingers and rooted SO HARD for everyone!

No doubt you want me to jump straight to announcing the winning names, but I have to take a moment to say that — holy COW — running the entrant lists through the List Randomizer was downright stressful. I'm definitely going to need some chocolate this afternoon.

But. Back to the contest results:

(1) The lucky recipient of Mary Kole's Writing Irresistible Kidlit is Laurie Thompson!!!

(2) The lucky recipient of Chuck Sambuchino's 2013 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market is Tricia Lawrence!!!

Congratulations! I'll get in touch with both of you to arrange prize shipment.

Thanks again to participants for commenting on children's books you love. It's always fun to see which ones make other writers' hearts go pitter-patter. The new-to-me titles are going on my to-read list, pronto! (Anyone reading this can find some great book recommendations and writer blogs/sites at the original contest post.)

Okay, I'm publishing now. It took a while to run the randomizer, refrain from snacking, find a suitable (and free) piece of megaphone clipart, and decide whether — according to my blog's established post title style — I needed to capitalize "to."

Blog at you again soon!

Books for Writers Giveaway!

Here's a shocker for you: I own lots of books about writing.

Sometimes, for whatever reason (such as when an unexpected gift or review copy shows up), I find myself in possession of two copies of the same title.

Well, guess what! In my hot little hands at the moment are extra copies of [imagine a crisply dramatic drum roll, please] . . .


(1) Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers by Mary Kole

(2) 2013 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market by Chuck Sambuchino

I couldn't possibly bring myself to toss these in-demand books into my donation pile. They're too good. People need these. MY PEOPLE need these. So because I'm already in a sharing mood, I've decided to give away these gems in a little contest that starts NOW.

To be eligible to win one of the featured books, you must:

1. Write for, or sincerely aspire to write for, children and/or young adults. I will rely on the honor system.

2. Maintain your own website and/or blog. It does not need to relate to writing for children.


3. Leave a comment on this post. All comment conditions listed below must be met.

• In your comment, please share something you absolutely love about any one children's or YA book of your choice. It can be anything — a character, scene, theme, quote, dialogue snippet, setting, storyline, relationship, conflict . . . whatever makes your heart race with love for that particular work. There are no wrong answers. Any big or little thing that contributes to your kidlit book love is fair game!
• Link to or list your website/blog and tell us what kinds of things you write or hope to write for kids.
• Specify which ONE of the two giveaway books you hope to win.
• Note: If you wish to be considered for both book prizes, YOU MUST ENTER TWICE. To do so, leave two separate comments, with each one featuring a love moment from a select title — and each comment specifying your contest book selection. For example, if entering twice, you could mention a Mockingjay plot twist you love in your entry comment for Writing Irresistible Kidlit and then, in your entry comment for 2013 CWIM express your love for the magical visual world in David Wiesner's Flotsam.

The fine print: This contest kicks off at 12:00 p.m. Pacific on Thursday, February 14, 2013. It ends at 12:00 p.m. Pacific on Monday, February 18, 2013. The two winners — one for each featured book — will be selected from all qualified entries using an online list randomizer. Winners will be announced on this blog during the day on Tuesday, February 19, 2013, after which I will contact winners to make shipping arrangements. Postage is included in the prizes; the glass hearts and overhead-office-light spots pictured on the book covers are not.

I'm excited to run this contest (the first-ever for my blog!) and I hope you enjoy the thrill of the entry and seeing what makes other writers like you fall head over heels in love with books for young readers.

Remember to enter by noon Pacific on Monday, February 18, 2013 — and please share news of this contest with all your writer friends!

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Announcing the Share the Love Giveaway!

Happy Valentine's Day, literacy lovers!

As promised yesterday, I'm sharing a link to the Online Author Visits special holiday contest, which we've dubbed our Share the Love Giveaway! We're gifting one lucky winner — and the library of his/her choice — with a selection of titles penned by OAV authors. (Through our website, we offer virtual author visits to schools, libraries, and book clubs.)

OAV authors include:

Martha Brockenbrough

Dia Calhoun

Janet Lee Carey

Joan Holub

Deb Lund

Claire Rudolph Murphy

Lisa L. Owens

Trudi Trueit

Suzanne Williams

Here are the official contest rules:

"One winner will choose 3 books from the list in this post. In addition, a U.S. school or public library of the winner’s choice will receive a collection of 6 books (to be selected from the list by OAV and sent directly to the winning library). Please enter using the Rafflecopter form [at the Online Author Visits site]. U.S. residents only, please. The contest runs from February 14, 2013, through midnight (PST) Sunday, February 24, 2013. The winner’s first name and last initial, and the name of the winning library will be posted here following the completion of the contest."

Please feel free to share news of this contest with all your friends, colleagues, and social media contacts. If you link to the contest page on Twitter, use the hashtag #onlineauthorvisits.

Best of luck to all who enter!

And remember to check back here later today, when I'll announce my own Valentine's Day giveaway for writers. A little birdie tells me that contest post will go live at noon Pacific.

Stay Tuned for a Special Valentine's Day Giveaway (or Two)!

Are you excited for tomorrow?

I am, and here's why:

I get to celebrate everyone's favorite love-it-or-leave-it Love Day with my real-life sweethearts (the husband and the greyhound) — and I'm also participating in a super-cool giveaway with my wonderful colleagues at Online Author Visits.

Don't ask for giveaway details, because those are TOP SECRET for now. But all will be revealed on our group's blog tomorrow. I can't wait!


Psst! If you are a teacher or librarian, trust me — you will want to keep an eye out for our Online Author Visits special Valentine's Day blog post. You can bookmark the blog or watch for the hashtag #onlineauthorvisits on Twitter.

And now, because I am officially in the spirit (please note the distinction between that and "into the spirits"), I thought I'd up the giveaway ante by hosting my own separate little giveaway thingy on this very blog tomorrow. This one is for kidlit writers. And it's gonna be GOOD.

See you soon!