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12 x 12 May 2017 Check-In!

You can bet your booty that, since I spent a week at Jane Yolen’s home in Scotland, I got both a draft and a revision done for May! It was as if the walls were saying, “Butt in chair! Butt in chair!” In fact, I wrote two new drafts in May which is a personal best for me. So… yay May!

Your turn!

Tell us your progress. Did you complete a draft and/or revision in May? Let us know in the Rafflecopter and in the comments. Our prize comes from this month’s Featured Author Chana Stiefel. You could win a signed copy  of Chana’s picture book, Daddy Depot!

DADDY DEPOT by Chana Stiefel

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 Signed Copy of  DADDY DEPOT at the top.
  2. Click on the “Comment on Chana’s post” button. Commenting on Chana’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.
  3. Click on the “Wrote a PB Draft” button. This will ask if you completed a PB draft in May. If you did, click ENTER, if not, move on to the next step.
  4. Click on the last “Revised a PB Draft” button. This will ask if you revised a PB in May. If you did, click ENTER. If not, move on to the next step.
  5. That’s it! Rafflecopter will track your points.

You have until midnight Eastern on June 2nd to enter your results. Rafflecopter will draw a winner and it will be announced on the blog on June 5th.

(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.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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30 Responses

  1. Hooray for you, Julie! Since I joined 12×12, I think this is the most new drafts I’ve seen you complete at this point in a year.

    I completed a new draft, and I revised an older one.

  2. May went fast, but I managed to complete a first draft and work on two revisions. Julie, you had the best May ever with Jane Yolen!!

  3. This was a banner month – 7 new manuscripts for Napibowriwee and rewrote 16 stores and proposals for the agent. Then sat on the porch in AZ on vacation.

  4. I remember reading and commenting on this before:) But I am here again! yay for Daddy Depot and hooray for personal projects!

  5. May was a good month for me. I wrote a new draft, and revised an older draft. I am excited about both! 🙂

  6. May was a busy month for me… in between Drs. appointments, I wrote 2 PB drafts and revised 2 existing manuscripts, one a PB and the other a chapter book.

    Once again I was part of ChaBooCha and wrote the rough draft of a new chapter book which hung a left and became a Middle Grade novel. I also wrote a new query letter which I will submit to one of the June 12 x 12 agents.

  7. Nice job, Julie. How cool to write at Jane Yolen’s house in Scotland!

    I produced a couple of new drafts and edited a bunch. Generated a few new story ideas. Mostly done at my desk in PA, but also a couple of days on Carolina Beach while camping.

  8. The week in Scotland at Jane Yolen’s home sounds like a dream-come-true.

    May was also my most productive month because of NaPiBoWrWee.

  9. Congratulations on drafts and revision!

    I started out May with NaPiBoWriWee–and to my amazement (first time) had fun churning out something each of seven days. (Haven’t had the courage to look at them since, but there’s at least one I’d like to work more on.)

    Ended May by finishing a serious revision to a serious MS. So, a good month.

  10. I managed to write four very bad picture book manuscripts. They stunk like chopped liver mixed with a schprinkle of moldy cheese. (Hahaha — loved that line that Chana used!)

    I also wrote one picture book manuscript that I liked and I’ve been working on revising it for the past week or so.

  11. I completed the draftiest of drafts, but since I was on my personal (necessary) hiatus I’m proud of myself! And only 2 more days till my hiatus is over! Woohoo!

  12. I had a very exciting month, even though I didn’t get to spend part of it in Scotland, at Jane Yolen’s house. 🙂 Congrats to all of us 12x12ers who had a successful month! I’m still so enamored with the community that we have here. Every day is part of a rewarding journey!

  13. Yeah, Julie! I had no idea that was where you were in Scotland. Lucky you! If the walls could talk…
    I completed a few revisions in May, but new work is not far enough along to term anything a new draft…YET! Hoping to be inspired at NJSCBWI this coming weekend – critiques at NESCBWI in late April led to the revisions in May. Happy writing- BIC!

  14. In May, I wrote five different story drafts while taking the writing blueprints course. The different versions all started with my original story but it was fascinating to follow the exercises and to end up with five very different manuscripts. I stopped being so precious with my first story and I learned so much. I am so glad to have connected with the course through that wonderful seminar about the picture book blueprint course. And now I am registered in the course and it is just what I’ve needed for about twenty years. Thank you Julie Hedlund!

  15. Great month! In addition to writing and editing, I had a great idea – can’t wait to bring it to life!

  16. Congratulations Chana! I can’t wait to read Daddy Depot! It is very impressive you were able to find success with both non-fiction and fiction. . Thank you for the great reminder to always write from the heart!

  17. Late to the party but here! I wrote three new drafts, revised an April draft, cutting the word count down to 273…Originally, April’s draft/story contained 821 words. The tight revision took a bit of courage and multiple rewrites: however, I remain very pleased with self! 🙂 ! Learned a great deal in the process and am now developing a formula/pattern to writing tighter stories.

    So good to read all that is happening within the group and I appreciate the inspiration very much! All the best to everyone and may June bring wonderful possibilities and creativity!

    Cheers!
    Linda

  18. Chana’s history and stories are an inspiration. It’s so cool to hear about her non-fiction successes, then her fiction success(es). It gives one hope, especially one, like me, who is still struggling to find her voice and share it.

  19. Loving 12×12 and am really glad I joined. I actually wrote 2 new manuscripts in May, and revised a couple too. Now to see what I can do in June! 🙂

  20. I know I’m late reporting in. I did make lots of notes for a new book in May. I’ll have the rough draft, and a couple of revisions of that rough draft done in June.

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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).