Tag Archives: Picture Books

Keeping Up with Picture Book Month

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You thought I was going to say Picture Book IDEA Month, didn’t you? But today is all about appreciating the picture book. That’s the idea behind the Picture Book Month website, dedicated to encouraging everyone to celebrate literacy with picture books.

Every day during the month of November, a picture book author or illustrator will champion their thoughts on why picture books are important. Now honestly, I already know picture books are important. Picture books made my painfully shy childhood a happier place. Picture books were very often the only friends I had. And I can still remember favorite friends from so…well, we’ll just say my childhood and leave it at that. ( I’m not talking about just the titles here. I can close my eyes and see the pictures. I can recall lines and lines of the text. It sort of impresses me the way I can repeat whole pages of picture books I’ve loved.)

But enough about me (and my amazing powers). The point here is that in this digital age of publishing, picture books need a little love. It’s one thing to read a novel on an e-reader, but a picture book? Just not the same.

Besides, what’s the point of coming up with tons of picture book ideas if publishers decide they’re past their time? So while you’re working up those wonderful ideas, take a moment to check out why other authors and illustrators before you think picture books are important. Get inspired! Then put a Picture Book Month Ambassador badge on your blog or Facebook or forehead.

Because picture books can make a difference in a child’s life. I’m walking, talking (to just about anybody) proof.

Finding Motivation for The Picture Book Writer with PiBoIdMo

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Oh, my Seussical stars! I am SO excited that I came across Picture Book Idea Month (beginning October 30th)over at Tara Lazar’s very clever blog!

See, I’ve done NaNoWriMo a couple times. Okay, I haven’t exactly completed the 50,000 words at NaNoWriMo, but I did get most of my YA book down, and from that NaNo starting point, I completed the book. I know that external motivation gives me the push to finish projects. And I’ve had a few inspirational nudges towards picture books in the last year. So, I’m ready for PiBoIdMo to give me the swift kick I need to produce picture book ideas.

On the other hand, I am right in the middle of writing a Middle Grade novel and I need to finish that project. So, here’s my plan: One hour per day on PiBoIdMo. I mean, all I have to do is come up with ideas, right? I can come up with an idea in an hour. Heck, I can come up with ten ideas in an hour.

They might be really stinky ideas. But I’ll worry about that little glitch later.

(P.S. Let me know if you’re participating and we’ll motivate each other as well, and I’ll be posting updates throughout November. Remember, you must SIGN UP by November 3 at Tara’s blog to be eligible for the prizes. And of course, all that motivation, too!)