It’s been a month. A difficult one. As they all seem to be this year. I completed a major revision, and am almost ready to send it back to my agent. That feels like a huge accomplishment. Not sure when I’ll get the inspiration to write a brand new draft again, but I’m grateful to be connecting to my writing at all. I know it’s important. We must all keep writing our stories. Children need them. Clearly the world needs them. As we enter a new month, let’s all try to remember how that words, stories, and literature DO make a difference. We can use them to create the kind of world we want our child readers to inherit.
Tell us your progress. Did you complete a draft and/or revision in May? Let us know in the Rafflecopter and in the comments. May Featured Author Christine Evans is giving away a picture book (non-rhyming) critique to this month’s winner!
Thank you, Christine!
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 “A PICTURE BOOK CRITIQUE” at the top.
- Click on the “Comment on Christine’s post” button. Commenting on Christine’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 May. If you did, click ENTER, if not, click cancel and move on to the next step.
- 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, click cancel and move on to the next step.
- That’s it! Rafflecopter will track your points. (The top of the Rafflecopter will say X/3 with X being the number of entries you currently have in the drawing.)
You have until midnight Eastern on June 4th to enter your results. Rafflecopter will draw a winner and it will be announced on the blog on June 5th.
Remember, badges are not awarded automatically and must requested in the forum. Click here to request your May badge on the forum.
Take care of yourself and be well! It’s time to jump into your June draft!
16 Responses
May has been difficult and sad, but staying home has been helpful for developing a writing routine. I am thankful for the stories picture book writers are drafting!
Like so many, I’m reeling over May. I’m sheltering in place and feeling thankful for the kidlit community. I revised and wrote a draft this month. Thank you, Julie and team, for keeping the inspiration flowing.
The last few months have been a bit of a blur. I don’t think I’ve checked in at all this year. I had the flu in February, so did my husband, and then we lost family to Covid. I am so grateful to this community, and am quite sure 12×12 has kept me sane through this ordeal.
The good news is I wrote two drafts. One in May and one in February before I got sick. I’ve been editing and polishing both, and am planning to join #pitmad later this week.
I did okay in May. I have one more draft started and did revisions on two other manuscripts. I live in New England so May is the month when spring really shines here with dogwoods, azaleas, lilac, etc. It is all good!
May has been difficult, but writing keeps me happy and grounded and busy. I work on my writing every day and am so grateful for this community and all the writing webinars available during this time. It keeps me going!
Another slow month where time just seemed to crawl but I never seemed to have enough time for my writing … weird, huh?
I wrote one draft of a new STORYSTORM idea as well as revising an older STORYSTORM manuscript.
Great post Christine Evans! I’ve kept myself so busy watching webinars from SCBWI, Highlights, 12×12, Children’s Book Academy, Highlights and more. Like JJK boredom is having an opportunity to relax and be creative. Loved seeing the author and illustrator have a blast with his kids. I’m looking over past drafts and taking the time to revise and then submit to new publishers, imprints, or editors. I’m constantly researching for the sequel to my historical novel and getting new ideas as I’m looking over world events in history. Reading submissions from my critique group partners has kept my critiquing skills sharpened and I’m thinking about what I will submit myself the next month. I’m keeping my tv time and news watching limited so I have time to read the latest books my friends have launched. It seems there is no end to the possibilities of how to keep going. Writing early in the morning is the key to starting a new day with a hot water, ginger root, and turmeric. Polishing pitches and bios and queries happens later on. Thanks for the validation of all your wonderful ideas to keep going in these trying times.
It has been a trying month. Somehow thinking with imagination pales in the moments of reality.
May has flown by, with lots of revision work, though I also managed to complete a new draft too, so I’m pleased about that. Watching webinars and meeting my critique partners over Zoom has also been a feature this month, and it’s been great to see them face to face again! Am loving the mim-webinars Julie has put together too, and know I’ll be watching and rewatching them when I need a bit of a boost!
Taking time during this month of May to write and reconnect with several different MSs.
Many pieces of paper with scribbled notes this month, and one solid revision. Thank you for the emails reminding me of goals!
May was a great month for me. I cleared a lot of things off my plate and was so thrilled to be able to dust off four manuscripts and start writing. I’m looking forward to finishing these manuscripts and getting them to my agent. Keep hope alive! 😀
Truly a difficult and challenging time! Some days getting anything constructive done has been hard. I have focused on revising, partly because my brain is reeling from all that is going on, and a story already written, no matter how much in need of help, is still a familiar friend. I finally got started on some research for a new book and have a glimmer of an idea of how to organize it, so maybe June will be more productive. My good-will wishes to all of you out there who are in a similar struggle to keep moving forward.
I’ve been working on editing and creating, so yes, I did write a new PB and also revised.
Busy month writing, revising, submitting, and recording a requested read aloud from my book for a local school system’s summer read aloud program. Also busy critiquing for Zoom meetings with my critique group, and I love the wealth of webinars through SCBWI, and of course, Julie’s mini PB workshops–complete with lilacs and wayward dogs. And then there’s the yard work. Weeding, mulching, and dodging black flies.
Wow, I really fell off the wagon this month! Not only did I not revise any drafts, nor write a new manuscript, but I also clearly missed the check-in window. I’m still posting late, however, as an exercise of connection and diligence. I’ve set a goal for myself to write TWO drafts by next weekend. Giddyap!