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12 x 12 May 2016 Check-In!

 

Well, I’ve had my best performance in the challenge so far by this time of the year, but I’m afraid May passed by with no new draft OR revision from me. I’m quite disappointed, and I honestly don’t even know how it happened, but there it is. Only thing to do is move on and do better next month. I’m feeling the creative juices stirring in a big way though, so that is encouraging!

Now tell us your progress. Did you complete a draft and/or revision in April? Let us know in the Rafflecopter and in the comments. This month’s winner will win a copy of A Morning with Grandpa, the debut picture book of 12 x 12 inaugural member and May’s Featured Author Sylvia Liu.

Here is what you need to do to check in for a chance to win:

  1. See the Rafflecopter widget at the end of this post that says “A Morning with Grandpa by Sylvia Liu” at the top.
  2. Click on the “Comment on Sylvia’s Blog Post” button. It will reveal the task, which is to comment on Sylvia’s blog post. If you haven’t comment yet, you can click HERE and comment.
  3. Commenting on Sylvia’s Featured Author post and clicking enter in the Rafflecopter will get you one entry in this month’s drawing whether you completed a draft or not. When you click ENTER on that option in Rafflecopter, the next two options will open up.
  4. Click on the “Wrote a PB Manuscript” button. This will ask if you completed a PB draft in May. If you did, click ENTER, if you did not, move on to the next step.
  5. Click on the last “Revised a PB Manuscript” button. This will ask if you revised a PB in May. If you did, click ENTER. If not, move on to the next step.
  6. That’s it! Rafflecopter will track your points.

We’ve created a quick video to walk you through your monthly check-in. You can view it in the Video Tutorial section of the forum HERE.

You have until midnight Eastern on June 1st to enter your results. Rafflecopter will draw a winner and I’ll announce it on the blog on June 2nd.

Start summer off with your best manuscript yet! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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41 Responses

  1. May flew by! I did write a new draft, trying my hand at a retold fairytale. Who knows…maybe I will revise it before the month ends at midnight 🙂 I’m looking forward to reading Sylvia’s guest post first. I can already tell by scanning the subheadings that I will love it. Printed out a copy to read while I enjoy some fresh air on a beautiful spring day!

  2. All checked in, dear julie and Kelli! A new pb, a mega rewrite/revision of another…a successful month, I’m thinkng. Thanks to 12×12 for keeping me on track. 😉

  3. I REALLY ENJOYED SYLVIA LiU’S BLOG. I tried to comment twice from UK where I am on holiday and I got an error message each time.I loved her blog questions especially asking,’ Does it spark joy?’ I think A Morning with Grandpa looks great. I was thrilled to read bits of it.
    I hope i can write to touch the heart as well as bring an authentic story to life. This site is the most revealing one I know about writing. Thanks Sylvia and Julie for every month.
    Jane

  4. Commented on Sylvia’s great blog post and completed the Rafflecopter. Wish I could have checked off drafting a new story this month. I did, however, revise several others!

  5. I was happy to see her intergenerational manuscript. I have written one and wasn’t sure there was a market but I loved the story. Kudos to her success!

  6. I wrote a couple of new drafts, but not happy with either yet. Also wrote the underlying plot to a possibly higher level children’s book. Revised a lot on 4 different MS already gone through multiple drafts, and worked on plans for a 2-page illustration spread for one of these.

  7. I wrote PB manuscripts for NaPiBoWriWeek which was intense and well worth it. I revised an earlier 12by12 manuscript and will reread Sylvia’s blog numerous times to absorb it all Today I watched Erzsi Deak on the webinar. What a month! So grateful for 12by12 and the hard work that goes into everything you do.

  8. Wrote and revised a whole new story, but am a bit dry now. Not sure how June will be, but one things for sure, there’s always something writerly going on.

  9. I wrote one new manuscript early in the month, started two other new ones, and have been revising like crazy for the upcoming NJ SCBWI conference. Attending the NE SCBWI conference was so inspiring at the beginning of the month, and I’m very hopeful that the NJ conference will be inspiring, too. Oh, and I finally found the nerve to submit one of my manuscripts to a 12×12 agent.

  10. I participated in NaPiBoWriWee this month for the first time and so I got 6 drafts written!! Did some revising as well so I would call this a very good month 🙂

  11. Loving 12 x 12. I think I’ve written about 12 drafts this year. I know they are all pretty rough, but I probably would only have done one or two otherwise. My hope is I can keep up this crazy pace. I am thick into revisions now.

  12. Feeling thankful for 12×12 to keep me on track. May can get so busy! By this time next month, I’ll be on my preferred schedule of writing first thing in the morning while the kids sleep in a little. I’m also looking forward to the NJ SCBWI conference and connecting with so many 12x12ers in person. Yet another benefit of 12×12! Yay!!

  13. I agree with the part about not chasing the market. I wrote a biography in February because biographies were supposed to be in demand. Then i listened to today’s webinar, and the agent said there were too many biographies now!

  14. No new drafts this month. It was crazy busy and there was sickness in the house for the better part of it. BUT, there were BIG revisions on a manuscript that’s almost there which is very exciting. Plus an idea that’s brewing in my mind, to be developed in June.

    Good month overall! So glad I have this to keep me going!

  15. NaPiBoWriWee helped make May a productive month. All 7 of those MSs were pretty heavy: my dad died at the end of April and the week offered a way to focus within my grief. Who knows — maybe with a little distance I will come back to one of them and find some bit of ‘the pain of loss’ that seems worth reworking.

    1. Dear Anna, I really admire your courage in channeling your grief in this way. May your determination to continue writing prove healing and comforting to you at this time. May your writing also offer comfort and healing to others one day–that your pain not be in vain. Blessings and condolences to you. –Kate

  16. I completed a ms for May, revised another ms, and continued research on another project. I must say that May went by too quickly.

  17. Did one new ms and slightly revised a previously written one.
    THe new one was based on something my sister did when she was young, and I finished it in one sitting. Needs lots off edits, but still happy to have completed it!

  18. May 2016 was an awesome month, and probably one I’ll remember for the rest of my life. This month, I secured an agent!!! I’m over the moon! I’m also keenly aware that I have Julie Hedlund and all 12×12 members to thank for this milestone in my life! I’ve had 1 offer of publication and 3 offers of representation in the last month and a half, not to mention being a finalist in a couple of blog writing contests. I’ve only been a member of 12×12 since this January, but it has kicked my efficiency, prolificity, and inspiration into high gear. May is the month when all nature bursts into flower…THANK YOU 12×12 for helping me “bloom.” Couldn’t have done it without you 😀

  19. How exciting Kate,
    Many congratulations! And thanks for reminding us that this really does happen.
    I revised 2 stories this month. One that rhymes, you know the type that doesn’t get published LOL But I love it so much.

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Interested in Joining the 12x12 Challenge?

Financial Need Scholarship Guidelines

All applications will be accepted via email only between November 1, 2023 – November 30, 2023 at kelli@juliehedlund.com.

Subject line of the email:

  1. 12 x 12 Financial Need Scholarship
 

Please include the following in the body of the email:

  1. An autobiographical statement and career summary in 250 words or fewer.
  2. A short statement describing the nature of the financial need/circumstances in 250 words or fewer.
  3. A sample query letter for the manuscript you are submitting with your application.
  4. Pitches for two additional completed picture books.
 

 Attached to the email:

  1.  The full text of one picture book manuscript, attached as a Word document named as FIN_YourFirstName_YourLastName_Title_of_Manuscript.doc (or docx).