Well, my February was a HECK of a lot better than my January in terms of writing! If only I could take a 3-day writing retreat with friends up in the mountains EVERY month. I wrote my first new draft of the year (yay!), made final revisions for my agent on a manuscript I hope will be on submission before the end of the month, AND revised a couple of other first drafts. Plus, thanks to the discipline of coming up with ideas every day in StoryStorm, I’m still getting lots of hits on new ideas.
Your turn!
Tell us your progress. Did you complete a draft and/or revision in February? Let us know in the Rafflecopter and in the comments. Our prizes comes from this month’s Featured Author Andrea J. Loney. There will be THREE lucky winners this month. You could win a picture book critique, a BunnyBear mug, OR a copy of the BunnyBear!
Here is what you need to do to check in for a chance to win:
- See the Rafflecopter widget at the end of this post that says “Picture Book Critique from Andrea J. Loney” at the top.
- Click on the “Comment on Andrea’s post” button. Commenting on Andrea’s post is mandatory for this giveaway and you can enter the Rafflecopter even if you didn’t write a draft this month. You can comment on the post here. Click ENTER.
- Click on the “Wrote a PB Draft” button. This will ask if you completed a PB draft in February. If you did, click ENTER, if you did not, move on to the next step.
- Click on the last “Revised a PB Draft” button. This will ask if you revised a PB in February. If you did, click ENTER. If not, move on to the next step.
- That’s it! Rafflecopter will track your points.
You have until midnight Eastern on March 1st to enter your results. Rafflecopter will draw a winner and it will be announced on the blog on March 2nd.
(Remember, monthly draft and revision badges are awarded separately from your Rafflecopter entry. Watch this handy tutorial to find out how to get your badges. CLICK HERE.)
81 Responses
My February was also a lot more successful than my January. I think part of my success this month is due to reading Writing Picture Books with the 12×12 book group. So many new ideas! I think I have a pretty solid draft/revision under my belt for this month. I send it off to the critique group tomorrow so we shall see! 🙂
Love Bunny Bear! Congratulations, Andrea. Thank you for the excellent advice on how to deal with rejection. So helpful!
I’ve gotten a couple of drafts done in February, and working hard at revising, revising, revising other stories. Excited and grateful to be a part of a community where hard work turns into success.
I had a great February, with three new manuscripts started! One is “Finished” and has been submitted twice. Although I did break my own rule about letting it rest a month or two before sending it out. :/
I only hope March can be just as strong!
Well, aptly for the guest post, I had a couple of rejections this month. But it was exciting to send the work out into the world and keep working and revising. I’ve written and revised a new story this month that I really love (of course we all love our own stories) and I’m looking forward to the next set of edits. I love 12×12!
I had a great month! 12×12 definitely gets me motivated! I wrote my second new manuscript for the year this month, I revised my January manuscript and submitted a manuscript to four agents and I never submit so I’m super proud of myself! I’m starting the year with a bang!
I’ve started off strong in 2017! I’m so grateful for the 12 x 12 community…I really want to keep writing at least one draft a month! I’m submitting again, and I’m squaring my shoulders to deal with the inevitable rejections that Andrea described. I’m ready to face them with all my writer friends!
Congrats on such a productive month, Julie! I did the usual write, revise but ADDED a new thing! I learned (in a rush!) how to write elevator pitches! Woohoo!
Thanks for all the inspiration and encouragement from the 12 x 12 family. I had a great February. I made revisions to 2 manuscripts and finished one of the, Am moving on to a NEW one in March! Yay. Can’t wait to post it….
February was a slow month for me as my writing just puttered along. I did add a new rough draft to my list as well as revise 1 of my old PiBoIdMo picture book manuscripts and last week started to revise my chapter book, Anya.
Andrea, I enjoyed your post, especially your comments regarding rejections. They’re always hard, but there’s a lesson learned from each. Most important; keep writing and keep submitting! Thanks for your input!
I completed my February draft and worked on a couple revisions.
I wrote a new PB manuscript in February, one I’m excited about. My critique group, made up of other 12×12 participants has been so helpful in shaping my story and making it better. Thank you for all the opportunities this program is providing!
Not completely happy with my new MS but I did some good solid revision on my January MS
I’ve had a very productive year so far! I am happy with both my January and February manuscripts.
Congrats Andrea!
I completed a very short draft and another “normal” draft t his month, despite multiple hiccups. Looking forward to some writing time in March!
I started this year with some new ideas popping around in my brain. I wrote a new draft and with the aid of a critique group have been busy revising and rethinking. It may be a wonderful start to. A year that is already busy with life.
Got my February draft written and revised! I have learned so much in the few weeks that I have been a member. I’m am really loving the community!
I’m still dragging my feet and trying to catch up but I’m still glad I joined this community. Here’s to a better month ahead!
Yes, yes, and yes! I’m surprised that for such a short month, I did so much writing…two drafts…I think it was the inspiration from StoryStorm! And 12×12 is an important factor in keeping me accountable. Glad to still be chugging along on the 12×12 train. 😉
I had a rocky month. I revised a few manuscripts and cover letters and I am trying to muster up the courage to send them out. I feel I am growing as writer, but wonder, Does it ever become fun?
I was able to revise one story, write a rough draft of a new one, and read, read, read. I even got March’s draft written! I sure hope I can keep this up. Thanks! GREAT post by Andrea Loney, by the way.
I’m super excited to have had a productive month! Even though I SAID I was going to get back to my MG, two new picture books popped up and a third is beginning to hatch. Yay 12 x 12!
I wrote 4 first drafts and revised 3 this month, while pushing another to critique level. Soaking up every bit of wisdom from this group – I am SO grateful!
I’m on a roll so far in 2017! February saw me completing 5 new drafts, and making revisions to 10 drafts! I love the motivation that I get from our community, to keep me on track with jotting down ideas, organizing notes, devoting time to research, and gaining knowledge in the craft of picture book writing and the pursuit of publishing. I have reached out to a marketing consultant for some ideas in building up my social media presence, I have arranged 2 community events to preview my works, and I have already posted a manuscript here, for review by my peers. I am enjoying the networking and learning aspects of 12 x 12, and I’m very hopeful for what this year will bring. The delivery of my business cards today has brought me a tangible piece of this identity: I am a children’s author. At a reading today of my work, a child from the audience told me she wished her mom was an author like me. How thrilling to feel the way I do! My new mantra is “carpe every diem,” and I feel like with 12 x 12 and similar resource communities, I’m definitely doing that!
I’m glad I signed up for this 12 x 12 challenge, February was a good month for me. It feels good to be writing PB’s again.
I finished my February draft on the 6th of the month–that’s a record for me! I also did some good revisions on it and on two other stories. So happy to be starting my 12 x 12 year off right!
I just registered for the 12×12 (I know, I’m late!) but I had written two new manuscripts from StoryStorm in February and revised a draft in January AND February. I hope this counts for a least the February badge haha XD
I have been revising my first picture book for submission and it will go off in the next week.
I also have several others I work on all the time. I read picture books to my students and write when I am home. After one year, I am in a very different place…oh what JOY!
I revised and submitted for the first time as a Gold member. I like the motivation of submitting and the lens it offers to revision. February, you went by too fast.
Well, this was my first month, and whoa! What fun it has been! I’ve met so many great folks here and gained confidence as well, so win-win! Oh, and I’ve written my butt off too. What a productive month, phew! Only one problem though… 12×12 is ADDICTIVE! ?
Pretty darn happy to have written one ms this month, my first this year. Thank you, 12xers!
Congratulations on your progress! I too wrote and edited books, so high-fives all-around.
My February was better than my January. I actually am writing something everyday again. Not always good somethings but writing. Thanks for the community and I like BunnyBear and saw it at the bookstore yesterday. Thanks for the prizes.
I love Bunnybear, specially the illustration on the cover.
February was better than January, I’, hoping this is a trend! I submitted a ms- first time ever!
I had a productive February! I wrote two completely new drafts and rewrote an “old” story from scratch (no peeking at the old draft). I’m letting that one marinate for a bit so I’m not sure what I do/don’t have! 🙂
This has been a productive month! I’ve written one new ms and am continuing to revise two others. I’m taking a PB class and have a new critique group. Love both! This month’s 12×12 webinar was FANTASTIC! There are so many great new picture books!
Finally got brave enough to submit my first Full Manuscript and got helpful feedback!
I finally got brave enough to submit my first Full Manuscript and got helpful feedback!
A busy month but I made good progress. Thank you!
Got swallowed up by the revision beast and didn’t complete my new draft this month, though I did start it. And the revision work I was doing is also worth celebrating 🙂
February was super productive! I wrote a brand new PB, revised 4 PBs, and turned one of my January drafts into a full chapter book.
Congratulations on your award AND two books! Woohoo!!
Yay! I was able to get into the correct location to leave a blog comment, now.
February was fruitful and fun! I revised a manuscript and wrote another story. I also came up with lots of new ideas to explore for March, too.
Writing is always put on the backburner in my world, and that’s okay at least for now. I’m so grateful for the Writing Picture Books Forum, I learn so much from reading the comments as well as the book.
@Juliehedlund: I’m so happy you are back on track! You are far too special to be stuck in a slump. Congrats!
I revised, and revised and revised this month and squeaked out two new concepts! One of which I am really excited about!
Wrote one PB and revised one in February. Being asked to check in is a great way to keep myself on track. I’ve got to get going NOW on PBs for March so I don’t let it/them wait until the last few days.
I completed a revision this month, thanks to comments from the awesome 12×12 Critique Ninjas! I have revisions underway for a couple of other stories, plus some new ideas to get down on paper in March.
Can’t wait to read Bunny Bear soon!
Wrote, edited, edited again–and found out my story was so close to Horrible Bear that it felt like plagiarism–except I was the one that wrote it!! SIGH. It is OK–I am ready for March with another manuscript. 🙂
I everyone! This is my first check in. I wrote a new first draft (first in a long time!) and I revised THREE stories, which I’m proud of.
I’m poised and ready to submit my first PB manuscript to 12X12. Membership in this amazingly supportive group has definitely motivated me. I have a few manuscripts in reserve, but I wrote my first NEW one in months!
Tweaked and submitted a manuscript this month.
I’ve had a great year so far!
Wrote a new PB and revised an old one. Have three new ideas. EXCITED!
Thanks for this post about managing rejections! This month has been a roller-coaster on my representation journey, and seeing I’m not along has been so helpful. Thank you.
I wrote a pb manuscript that has gotten attention — now I’m just waiting for the *right* attention! Revising post manuscripts has been helpful, too. I see I need to have multiple manuscripts ready-to-go in the case an agent wants to see more of my work! It’s been a busy month!
I did better this month, too! I wrote 2 drafts and did some revisions of each, and also revised my story from last year. And I wrote a short piece for a contest. Didn’t win anything, but that wasn’t really the point. I’m loving the 12×12 challenge.
Thank you for the encouragement, Andrea. I just got my new picture book draft done and am ready to submit it to my new critique group. This submission is my first time in actually taking part in 12 x 12, although I did join last year but didn’t do anything with it. Excited to be part of the team.
Thank you for the encouragement, Andrea. I just got my new picture book draft done and am ready to submit it to my new critique group. I also finalized a revision of another story. This submission is my first time in actually taking part in 12 x 12 although I did join last year but didn’t do anything with it. Excited to be part of the team.
I revised 2 drafts this month, wrote 3 drafts, and also worked on query letters for two pieces, one of which I submitted. I think it was a good month!! 12×12 is keeping me motivated!
Hello! I just but the bullet and joined two days ago- so shy waves from me as I set up my account! I finished a draft this month and made some good progress on fleshing out three other rough stories. I’m still working through my Storystorm ideas too to see which ones have the right spark.
New to 12×12! Excited to continue this journey here!
So encouraging to read of your experiences Anrea – many thanks!
Revised my PB and am so excited to be joining this group.
I’m new here as of last week, but I did write a new NF draft in January that needs an overhaul to shorten it. I also wrote and revised a new draft in February (and wrote a pitch for that same MS that got liked during #PBpitch). I got my first personal rejection email this week, which feels like success on some level since I usually hear crickets. This is also the time of year when my husband works out of town for 3 months. I have 3 kids (10 months, 4, and 6) and finally gave in and got a sitter for 6 hours per week. I’ve been writing for about 3 of those daytime hours (and after the kids are in bed and the lunches are made.) It’s the only way I can keep my sanity! ; ) So excited to be a part of this creative community…
Arrrgh! Just about joined in time (minutes before registration closed I think!) and after reading through all the intro material and trying to suss out what to do and where, I MISSED THE CHECK IN WINDOW! DOH! doesn’t help that I am multiple time zones away… but I did write a new PB manuscript AND revise a draft AND rewrite a pitch which was on Susannah Hill’s ‘Would You Read it’ Wednesday and participate in PBPitch this month! Pat on the back for me please!
also, according to the time thingy on the comments, it’s not yet midnight there (although it might be now!) – so why can’t I click on things?! there are no things to click on! help!
This was my first month on 12×12, and I’m trying to devote a good chunk of weekend time here (although life keeps getting in the way). I’ve had fun reading and reviewing full PB manuscripts, and posted two of my own. I’m thinking I might be a little late in checking in, though :((. Looking forward to next month!
I’m late for check in! But I just noticed the email reminder. I am having trouble getting started period!☹️
Checking in! Yes, did a manuscript!
Last minute joining on the evening of February 28. Happy to be aboard, and excited to be kick-starting my writing.
I missed the date but I’ve been revising and I just submitted my best version of GRUMP-A-LUMPUS to my agent. *fingers crossed*
I wrote one draft and revised two.
I wrote one new PB and revised two.
I wrote a draft of a new picture book in February and revised the one I wrote in January.
I’m writing a PB and editing one every month, but I keep forgetting to do the check-in. lol!
This is my first check-in! I revised an old MS (although there are strong points to both the original and the revised one). I am still deciding what to do with it from here.
I’m happy to be part 12 x 12 I have a manuscript that is ready for an edit or critique in February 2017.
Thanks for the reminder for the check-in!
Not a good month. I didn’t get much more done than checking out some PBs from the library! I’m going to say though that if I was going to blow it at least it was the shortest month of the year! I’m looking forward to a productive March!