Finding Hope in Ideas
As I write this, it’s mid-April and the pandemic shows no signs of ending. It’s honestly hard to know where to start with this blog post or with anything right now. In fact, I’ve written and rewritten this post several times. I’ve debated the tone, the feeling I want to create, the message I want to leave you with.
I decided the feeling I want to create is hope. That is what is keeping me going through this crisis. For me, hope comes from words, art, music, and from my kids. In this 12×12 community we create picture books. That’s art, words, and kids all combined in one hopeful package.
But to write and illustrate those books, first we need ideas. Even if you’re struggling to create at the moment because you are homeschooling all day, or working from home and on constant Zoom calls, or you can’t focus on anything for more than a few minutes, you can come up with ideas. Capture them in a notebook, sketchbook, or on your phone, and when you’re ready to create again they’ll be there for you. And in the meantime, your brain will be doing its thing and working on those ideas and connections in the background.
Here are a few suggestions to find ideas that only take a few minutes up to an hour or more. While trying out these ideas I strongly suggest you turn off your social media. Use a blocker like Freedom on your computer or install the Forest app on your phone.
And remember, if you can’t do anything right now, it’s okay. We’re living through a crisis like none of us have seen in our lifetimes.
- Set a timer and free write or sketch for 10 minutes. Maybe something will come from your scribblings. If you can’t think of anything to write or sketch about, try a random word generator.
- Subscribe to newsletters of organizations that interest you, such as your local museum or aquarium. Watch their webcams and videos. An article on their website might lead to an idea.
Look for the good news. There are so many good news stories, maybe one of them will make a good picture book one day. Here are some that I’ve found interesting lately.- If you have children, this is possibly the most time you’ve ever spent with them since they were toddlers. What interests them? What are they studying in their remote lessons? My eight-year-old loves making up imaginary worlds with her dolls and is learning about the war of 1812 in class. My five-year-old loves owls and is learning about plants.
- Join a webinar or watch a replay. As well as the wonderful 12×12 webinars, SCBWI, Highlights, and the Writing Barn have all been hosting inspiring webinars.
- Take a class. If you have the time, brain space, and finances to do so, now could be the time to stretch your creativity and learn something new. I took a poetry novel course this month and really enjoyed trying something new that I was curious about. There are also free resources online. I want to follow these lessons from Jarrett J. Krosoczka.
- Take a walk, following your local guidance regarding social distancing and face coverings. Or go out into your back yard. I often figure out problems with my stories when I’m walking or running. Or I listen to an inspiring podcast like Literaticast.
- Read some picture books if you have access to them. Or watch a video recorded by the author or illustrator themselves. Kate Messner and SCBWI both have lists of read-alouds from a wide range of authors.
- Look through some of your ideas from old notebooks and forgotten manuscripts. Maybe one of your ideas will work in combination with another and you’ll have a unique picture book premise. I recently combined three ideas for the novel in verse I’m working on.
- Explore the archive of posts on Tara Lazar’s Storystorm to find more inspiration on finding ideas. These are some great posts to start with: List of 500+ Fun, Cool and Interesting Words, 500+ Things That Kids Like, and Jess Keating Notices the Amazing.
Look for the good news. There are so many good news stories, maybe one of them will make a good picture book one day. Here are In March, my second picture book, EMILY’S IDEA, was published. It’s a book about a small idea that grew. I am hopeful that some of the small ideas you come up with using these tips will one day grow into something more. Please share in the comments any other tips you have for generating ideas.
Christine Evans is the author of two picture books, Evelyn the Adventurous Entomologist illustrated by Yas Imamura (Innovation Press, September 2019) and Emily’s Idea illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns (Sounds True, March 2020). Look out for her new chapter book series, The Wish Library, coming in 2021 (Albert Whitman).
Christine has jumped out of a plane once, windsurfed once, and water skied once. She much prefers books and writing to adrenaline sports. She is a British expat and has lived in California for eight years with her husband, two young daughters, and her tiny Yorkshire terrier.
Find out more and get resources to use with Christine’s books here: http://pinwheelsandstories.com And follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Christine is offering a critique of a picture book (non-rhyming) manuscript to one lucky 12 x 12 member this month! Do your best to get a new draft down this month. Remember, it doesn’t have to pretty! 😉
287 Responses
Thank you for inspiring post. I really enjoyed reading it and decided to implement some of the ideas you suggested . Thank you again
I’m so happy you found it useful! Good luck with your idea gathering. I hope some of them grow into something wonderful.
Thank you so much for the inspiring post. You have given me a few new outlets for finding creativity and sparking inspiration.
Congratulations on your new book!
Thanks for an inspiring post, Christine! Giving us concrete ways to keep moving forward in our writing is incredibly appreciated.
Wow thanks for a great post – packed with such helpful ideas and resources. Congratulations on your books!
Thank you, Melissa! I’m so glad you found it helpful.
Thanks for the suggestions and support. It has been a crazy May. Sitting outside or walking an the park help me mind to slow and inspire ideas. These can be saved for another time when energy is flowing. The peace is the key for now.
Thank you for the helpful suggestions! Yes, we can hope! And, write a little.
We have to hold on to hope. And if you can write a little, just a few ideas here and there in the gaps between everything else, it will help you keep going.
You hit on it, Christine. An idea desert. Thanks for uoir great suggestions to kick start an idea or two in these quarantine times.
Thanks, Jerrianne! I hope you can tease out a few hopeful ideas in this time that might one day be ready to grow into something more.
Great post for helping us live the “now” and all the resources to help spark ideas if the well seems to be a bit dry. Thank you. And, congratulations on your books!!!
Thank you, Mona. Sometimes, we need a little help to find the drops of water hiding in the well (great metaphor).
Yes, Hope is where it’s at. Thanks for the links to practical helps.
Hold on to that hope and bring it to your ideas and stories as they grow.
Thank you for sharing hope and resources!
Thanks for this inspiring post, Christine. I really appreciate the suggestions for finding hope during this strange time. And thanks for the suggestions for cultivating inspiration and finding ideas even when you only have a few minutes.
You’re welcome, Gabi. I’m so glad you found it helpful. Keep the small ideas coming and eventually they might just grow into something more.
Thank you, Christine, for inspiring us with so many different ways to keep moving in the right direction. So true, that it’s important to hold on to hope. It’s the lifeline that will pull us through this and pretty much any type of adversity we face in life. Cheers!
Cheers to you too, Jilanne! Hope is definitely helping me through this time. That, and our wonderful writing community.
Thank you for your inspiring post! Hope is so important. And your concrete suggestions were very helpful.
You’re welcome, Nina. Hope is so so important, now more than ever.
Thank you, Christine, for the inspiration and links! I often struggle to keep my brain on positivity, but you’ve encouraged me to keep searching for new ideas.
Hi Charlotte, so glad you found it useful. One day, one of your ideas (or a combination of them) will be ready to grow into a story.
Hi Christine!
Thank you so much for your post. I’m one who’s struggling. The first few days I did a lot, but since then, not much at all. I’ve organized my writing area, gone through and printed out all of my StoryStorm/PiBoIdMo ideas in a small font so I could cut them up in strips and keep them with my PB journal. But, I’ve been avoiding the hard work.
Hi Erik, it will come back, be kind to yourself. As I said in the post, none of us have lived through anything like this before. I love your idea of printing out your ideas and cutting them up. See if any fun combinations come out of that exercise, too. Take care!
Thank you for these uplifting words! It has taken me two months of living through this pandemic situation to finally find my creative voice again. I have focused on showing myself and others GRACE, and cultivating an outlook of GRATITUDE. I shall now add fostering HOPE to my list of coping skills.
Totally with you there, Carmela. I had a couple of deadlines so I had no choice but to write to meet them, but coming up with anything new was impossible until very recently. Grace, gratitude, and hope are the perfect companions right now.
Christine this is exactly what I needed right now! Thank you for your optimism, your inspiring ideas and just for sharing! Much appreciated – and am going right now to follow up these links! 🙂
Yay Pauline! I am hopeful that you’ll find some ideas that you can nurture and grow into stories one day when you’re ready.
Wonderful post! I can’t wait to read your books!
Thank you, Kirsten. I hope you enjoy them!
Congrats, Christine! I’m looking forward to reading your book. I enjoyed your inspirational post, full of great ideas and links!
Thank you, Ashley! I will be referring back to my own post often. As I mentioned to someone else, I partially wrote it for myself!
Thank you for your words of hope.
You’re welcome, Bettie! Hope is so important right now.
Thank you for sharing your exercises and writing resources! Your book looks wonderful and we all cannot wait to read it! Everyone needs hope right now. This will be so helpful! Stay well!
Thank you, Cindy. I’m so happy you found it helpful.
Thank you for your message of hope and encouragement of writing during difficult times. I have a shoe box that I’m putting articles, pictures, and sayings in that grab me, even if I don’t know why. Later, I’ll have time to sift through for perspective. I, too have found Story Storm a great place to capture ideas. Found one there that made my April draft easy. Written from the heart. I will look for Emily Has An Idea. Best wishes.
I love the idea of using a box to gather ideas. Have you read Twyla Tharp’s Creative Habit book? She uses boxes for each project to store everything related to it. Here’s a summary about it from Austin Kleon (I love his weekly newsletter by the way): https://tumblr.austinkleon.com/post/58625662398
Thanks Christine! I really appreciate your hopeful message. It can be very difficult to focus long portions of time right now to writing or even putting one’s brain in the right place for writing. But creating ideas or ideas for ideas can occur anytime if we are open to them. Whether they are new story ideas or ideas to build into an existing WIP, all ideas can be helpful. I really did enjoy #StoryStorm this year, and I think opening you mind when there is a chance can keep creativity growing. Best of luck with your ideas building to amazing results!
Thank you, Joel. I’ve never been very good at focussing for long periods of time but it’s definitely worse right now! I love Storystorm and refer back to the site and my list of ideas frequently. Good luck to you, too!
Thanks, Christine for the great ideas! I hadn’t heard of a random word generator before. 😮
You’re welcome, Ann. It’s a fun way to play with ideas!
I enjoyed this post and the suggestions for getting inspiration in these strange times. I’m finding that every day is so different from every other day, perhaps due the lack of “normal” structure — trying to turn it around to a plus … new discoveries. Our library just announced a “delivery” program, so perhaps one of your books will appear at my door! Thanks for the uplifting post.
Hi Ellen, I find my mood, motivation, and energy is different every day, too. Turning the lack of structure into a plus is a great way of looking at it. And I love that your library is delivering! Yay for libraries 🙂
Christine,
My book ideas come from new things I’m learning to do and accomplishments my grandchildren are going for. I also like zany animals. I’ve really enjoyed the Highlights Foundation free webinars. Great literary nourishment and wonderful to hear authors and illustrators describe their process.
Hi Susan, yes, following the threads of things that interest you (and the kids in your life) is a wonderful way of getting inspired! Thank you for the reminder about the Highlights webinars, too.
Although the isolation is hard, I am grateful for our online writing community. So many wonderful webinars have been posted during the past six weeks. Thanks for your post, Christine.
Hasn’t it been wonderful to be able to hear and learn from so many amazing people, all from home? I am so grateful for our community, too.
Thank you for your inspirational post. You reminded me of some of the things I let drop over the last couple of weeks – like learn to draw. Thank you for bringing Jarrett Krosoczka to my attention. I figure if I am not writing, I could still be doing something creative that will support my writing when I pick it up again.
Congratulations on your new release.
Thanks, Aly. I haven’t started Jarrett’s lessons yet but I really want to. Let me know if you start following them!
Your post was full of lovely choices and tidbits. Thank you for writing to us and sharing the hope.
Thank you, Johanna. Hope is keeping me going!
Thank you so much Christine for your inspiring post. I love the focus – hope – and the practical advice you give, especially combining old ideas. Congratulations on your books – they look wonderful!!
Thank you, Laura! Combining old ideas is one of my favorite things to do. One of the ideas I’ve pulled in to my current WIP is something I jotted down in 2011, before I even started seriously writing.
Congrats on Evelyn the Adventurous Entomologist!! I love insects so I can’t wait to read it.
And thank you for the inspirational post. Hope is a powerful thing.
Thank you, Linda. I hope you enjoy Evelyn’s story! And I agree, hope is powerful.
Thanks for the great ideas! I’m off to check out some of the links you included. Also thanks for reminding us that in this strange time there is always hope.
You’re welcome, Rose. I hope you come up with some ideas you can come back to and grow into stories one day.
A great post full of lots of idea generating tips. Definitely one to keep so I can refer back to it. Thank you for sharing your hope with us!
I partially wrote this post for myself so I can refer back to it too! I’m so glad you found it useful, Joan.
Thank you for the inspiration!
Glad you found it inspiring, Sara!
“when you’re ready to create again they’ll be there for you.” Love this way of looking at idea generation. Thanks, Christine!
Thank you, Helen! I’m starting to get a little list of ideas that will be there waiting when I’m ready.
Thank you for giving me hope, Christine, with this inspiring post! It helps to know what you’re going through and to have all your great suggestions for being creative. And, it reminds us that we’re all in this together. I love your first book about Evelyn, and I’m excited to read your second book on Emily.
Thank you so much, Robin. This community gives me hope every day and is definitely keeping me inspired. I’m happy my post resonated with you.
Beautifully put. Thank you for the permission to not be on top of everything, and the inspiration to keep pushing through this time. Congratulations on your second book!
Thank you, Kira! Some days you may not feel like pushing through and creating something, and that’s okay. But I hope that you are able to find some inspiration here and there that will grow into something more.
Wonderful suggestions, Christine, on how to keep yourself engaged during this unusual time in our lives and giving us hope. Thank you!
Wonderful suggestions, Christine, on how to keep yourself engaged during this unusual time in our lives and giving us hope. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you found the post useful and hopeful.
I love the idea of looking through old journals for inspiration. I started writing almost 20 years ago. Sometimes those old ideas are hysterically bad, but some are really interesting. That, and diving headfirst into learning to illustrate, is what is keeping me going!
Good luck with your illustration journey! And yes, you never know what you might find in those old ideas and journals.
Wonderful post, Christine! And thank you for numerous resources!!
You’re welcome. I hope you find them helpful!
Thank you for your hopeful post. I have been trying to keep up my daily exercise despite quarantine. Mt body doesn’t like it if I run everyday, but on the days I do run, that’s the time I come up with ideas.
You’re welcome, Heather. I just re-started running/walking every day – it has made a massive difference to my mental health as well as time and space from the house/family/work.
Loved seeing all your suggestions for idea gathering. The random word generator is one I haven’t tried, so it’s top of my list right now. I’ve managed to watch way more webinars than normal ( a good thing!) and also reworked some old manuscripts sitting in the drawer. My last round of ideas came back in January with Storystorm and I do love idea generating. You’ve inspired me to get back to that, in hopes of hitting on something new to carry me forward.
It’s wonderful to have this sharing community to bolster us all up when we need it most.
Here’s to Hope!
Here’s to hope, indeed! Sounds like you are filling up your well with lots of inspiration. I hope some of your ideas grow into stories one day.
Thanks for your encouragement and interesting suggestions and resources!
You’re welcome, Shari!
THank you so much for the inspiring post!
So glad you found it inspiring, Charlotte!
Thank you Christine for sharing all the resources. As a side note, you’re brave to jump out of a plane. Also, we have an owl nest in our yard with two owlets inside. Your daughter would love them!
Oh my goodness, she would love that so much! She has loved owls her whole life.
I loved all your wonderful suggestions for generating ideas. Thank you for being so full of hope and inspiration!
Thank you, Stephanie. This community fills me with hope and inspiration!
Thank you Christine for your helpful suggestions. They are very inspiring, especially during this crazy time. We must stay busy, and remain hopeful for a better time.
And never stop learning!
I’m glad you found it helpful, Liz. And yes, never stop learning!
Thanks, Christine. What a great list for staying hopeful, generating ideas, and feeling connected.
I’m glad you found it helpful, Dee!
Thanks for the tips! Congrats on your second book, Emily’s Idea!
Thank you so much, Suzie!
Christine! I can’t imagine jumping out of a plane and windsurfing, but I can imagine that your books capture your zest for life! Sheltering-in-place narrows our connections and widens our stress levels. Yet, there is definitely HOPE. You’ve graciously provided resources and ways to grow that hope. Thank you for carving out time to write such a thoughtful, encouraging message for us.
One of the “stars on my writing stage” is Julie Hedlund. During January when Kansas snows set in and gloom descended, Julie’s fireside “12 Days” series lifted my spirits enough to write through the storms. Julie’s fun, informative Mini-Lessons on her website, school me in bits and bites about good storytelling. Plus, I LOVE her laugh and raw honesty!
As a community of “12 x 12 Challenge” participants, we are blessed!
I’m happy for your success, Christine, knowing the hard work and perseverance required. I look forward to reading your stories. Sending you inspiration for your continuing journey…
Thank you, Marsha. And I so agree about Julie. Julie and 12×12 have been instrumental in my career so far.
Helpful and hopeful. Thank you.
You’re so welcome!
These are all great ways to just get going—the hardest part for me these days. Thanks!
I agree, that can definitely be the hardest part. Honestly for me, even when life is “normal” I find it hard to get going. Setting a timer for 10 minutes and shutting off all distractions usually help me. Good luck!
Thank you for suggesting new ideas and introducing us to your books. I have been reading back through 6 years of Storystorm/PiBoIdMo ideas and developing a few. I hope this month is as productive as last month. Thank you.
That’s awesome, hope you find some ideas that are ready to grow into stories one day!
Terrific post and advice, thank you! Congratulations on EMILY’S IDEA.
Thank you, Karin!
A post full of hope…and help. I’m certainly struggling to find my creativity. I hadn’t really thought about the fact that, yes, it’s been a while since I’ve spent so much concentrated time with my kids (now 10 and 12) and my husband, for that matter. For this introvert, it’s a bit extra. But then I think, we have all this time together. I’m really really getting to know my three people and we are all having revelations during this time. That’s been a gift. So, creativity…you might have to take a backseat for a moment. It’s alright.
Waving back at my fellow introvert! My walks & runs on my own have helped give me the alone time I crave and some space for creativity. This too shall pass and in the meantime, I will enjoy the gift of the extra time with my loved ones, too. Thank you for your insight, Lindsay!
Thank you, Christine, for validating and acknowledging the times we are in and how they change a thought process. Your resources will be a support for getting us back in the groove. Thanks for offering hope with more than just words, but help too.
I hope the ideas I shared help you come up with a few sparks for future stories.
Such great, encouraging suggestions! I’ve been revisiting my idea file – hopefully a story is just waiting to be found. Congratulations on Emily’s Idea.
Revisiting ideas is a great way of igniting new ideas and stories. Good luck!
You’re quite the adventurer. I tried to ski once. lol Once sums that up. But thanks for sharing your uplifting post. And little dogs rule. I have a Chihuahua.
Skiing is the one sport I do enjoy but I tried snowboarding once and never again! My little Toby yaps hello to your Chihuahua.
Hi Toby! {{{waving paw}}}
Congratulations on the newest book! Both look wonderful. And thank you for the inspiring, hope-filled post. I’ve already subscribed to the Youtube site and want to check out the podcasts. Even if I only do one, it will be inspiring. Thanks for the encouragement. 🙂
Thank you, Angie! I’m so glad you found some ideas to inspire you.
A treasure trove of ideas, thank you Christine. (Literaticast is in regular rotation of podcasts for my frequent, long, meandering, people-avoiding walks these days!) I can’t wait to check out your books when my library reopens.
You’re welcome, Elizabeth! Podcasts and walks are my favorite thing to do.
Thank you for the boost. April has been a difficult month, pandemic aside. I have been moving to a new home, while working my regular job.
Oh goodness Anita. I hope the month ahead is a more settled one for you.
Thank you! The Random Word Generator Tool is really fun! And thank you for the reminder that this is an idea gathering time and that there will be time later to turn them into stories.
Hi Christina, yes, if we can gather ideas right now, they’ll be there waiting for when we can grow them into stories.
Thank you for making this a “hopeful” post. That’s what we need to focus on. I love your suggestions and the links. I plan on using a couple of them today!
I hope you found some small ideas that one day you can grow into something more.
Congratulations on your latest picture book, Christine!
Thank you, Anita!
Thank you for the tips and inspiration, Christine! Congratulations on your success.
Be well. 🙂
Thank you, Elizabeth. I hope you found some ideas you can try out in the post.
Such good suggestions. Thank you – I’ve had a hard time feeling even remotely inspired, so your article contained some good reminders of how to spark ideas and how to stay stimulated and excited in this strange climate we find ourselves.
Hi Joann, this is such a tough time to be creative in. Do what you can, even if it’s just a few minutes a day.
Awesome resources! Bookmarked the read along sites-Thanks so much!
Hi Mary, so glad you found it helpful!
What an inspirational post. Thanks for all the great ideas!
You’re so welcome!
What a wonderful, inspiring, sensitive and timely post at this point in all our lives. Thank you, Christine, for your thoughtfulness and huge list of links and ideas to help us get through all this creatively. I’m so looking forward to getting my hands on your new book too.
Thank you so much, Kellie. I’ve been referring back to this list often, too.
Thank you for your ideas. I like looking through old ideas to see if they spark new interest. The word generator is fun, too.
Going through old ideas is one of my favorite techniques too!
Lovely! Thank you for this hopeful post, full of terrific resources. I am looking forward to reading this book.
I’m so glad you found it helpful, Tina. And thank you!
Thank you Christine for this helpful and encouraging post.
Hope is so important because people at any age need things to look forward to.
And sometimes as the Mom, my role is “Hope-er in Chief,” so this fills my well a few buckets-full. 🙂
“Hope-er in Chief” is a great title!
Wonderful post! Thank you. Hope you are doing well. 🙂
So glad you are in our region.
Hugs Darshana! I hope you’re doing well too xo
Thank you, Christine. I love the idea of looking for the good news — even if it’s not for writing! ideas!
Thank you! I hope my post gave you some ideas to help.
What a lovely blog post in this time of change. Thank you for the many ideas and links. I think it is inspiring that you are working on a novel in verse.
Thank you, Nancy! I really should get back to that novel, it’s stalled a little lately.
Thank you, Christine, for this post of hope. Webinars and walks (and my idea files) have been such a help as i continue to stay inside. Be well!
Webinars and walks are a great way to fill your well. Take care!
Thank you for this inspiring post. I loved EVELYN (as you know) and can’t wait to read EMILY’S LIST! Please take care and be well!
I have EMILY’S LIST on the brain. I meant to type EMILY’S IDEA.
Thank you, Lauren! I hope you enjoy Emily’s Idea! (honestly, I forget what it’s called sometimes, so much going around in my brain taking up space!)
Thank you, Christine. I appreciate your good ideas and will try some of them, but more than that I love how you modeled what we all are doing and struggling to do as we cope.
Thank you for the tips and resources, and the reminder to focus on hope.
Thanks, Christine, for this encouraging post. I jotted down several ideas. I’ve been doing several of the things you mentioned, such as participating in webinars and taking walks. I also enjoyed clicking through your links to learn more about your books and publishers!
Ah, what a perfect post for this unprecedented time. It’s a comfort, in a way, to see that others share our struggles to produce in these times. Not because misery loves company, of course… it’s just that it’s validating to see that our emotions and hold-ups can be universal, and it can also help us to avoid beating ourselves up for the lull in productivity. We can share in the assurances that we’ll get our mojo back, and the exercises you suggested are just fabulous for getting the ball rolling. Thanks for reminding us that what we’re all going through is ok, and that we can own solutions to move ourselves forward. This is just one more example of why I adore our collective, here at 12×12. We’re a tremendous, unfailing support to one another.
Thanks for the reminders, Christine. Hope floats on picture book boats.
Thank you, Christine! I love all the links to resources you included and the reminder that walks, webinairs and reviewing old manuscripts all count as part of the process and can move the needle, if only a tiny bit!
I’m excited to try some of the idea generating suggestions!
Thanks, Christine, for all your hopeful connections to the resources available out there for us to keep that creative spark going. Gotta love our kidlit community. 🙂 Congratulations on EMILY’S IDEA!
Christine, congratulations on your new book! Thanks for all the great idea-finding tips. I wasn’t aware of the random word generator. How fun that will be. Thanks for sharing with us. Stay safe.
Thank you, Christine, for your hopeful and encouraging post. I appreciate such a wide range of suggestions as some days (hours? Moments?) I’m able to do more and some, less. But your approach is hugely helpful in reframing it away from “all or nothing” thinking.
Thanks for such a great message and helpful resources. I’m a Yorkie lover, and miss my dear little girls!
Loved all your suggestions Christine. One I have is if you can’t sleep at night, which I have frequently is to lay quietly and do the planning and outline of a picture book. I can do a lot of visualization and versions to see if something works or not. The dark and quiet are conducive to really concentrating.
Wonderful tips and a great reminder that baby steps are still a move forward. Thank you.
Encouraging post in these difficult times. Thanks!
Thank you, Christine! It is a thrill to ‘meet’ you on 12×12 – I am a huge fan of “Evelyn” – and now of “Emily’s Idea” but Evelyn was so inspirational to me as I write my own pb bio on a naturalist.
Your words of advice in this column are so ‘grounded’ and practical – and inspiring. There are so many ways we can tap into inspiration to continue to improve our craft, and these days to continue to show up and write down a few words a day! Thank you for your generosity, beautiful stories and encouragement.
Beth
What a great list. I’ve found webinars to be the easiest for me because I can stop and start them and it’s easier to be interrupted by a certain six year old who will remain unnamed.
Christine –
Thank you so much for all the time you gave us with all the links. I already clicked on several and really nice and new ones to know about! Stay safe yourself! Shelly
Thanks for instilling hope
And speaking of Kate Messner, I used her method of revising this month to overhaul a manuscript that started as a picture book but seems to be turning into a middle grade novel….
Thank you, Christine, for sharing all this valuable info! Congrats on your book and many greetings all the way from Greece!
Christine, what a fabulous post! Amazing list of places for inspiration.
Keep spreading your magic!
Thanks for the ideas. I have found myself looking through old notebooks a lot this month. Surprising myself with what I find!
Thanks Christine! My four-year-old is definitely a source of inspiration these days. So much so that every now and then she says something she finds particularly amusing she says, “You should write a book about that, Mommy!”
Thank you for this inspiring post:)
Thank you for your post! Love the idea of looking through an old noteebook and combining ideas! I did that recently for one of my drafts!
Thank you, Christine, for sharing your garden of hopeful ideas.
Great ideas! I’ll definitely have to try some. Writing feels like the last thing on the list right now.
Thanks Christine! I thought I wasn’t producing much, but despite tremendous distractions, I utilized many of the suggestions you make and made progress. You have given a very hopeful take on this difficult time.
Excellent tips and ideas here! And thank you for acknowledging that it’s okay if we can’t write anything right now.
I am grateful for all of the resources available for writing. Your list is quite comprehensive and I have participated in many of them. You mentioned solving problem while walking or running. I do much the same while I am rowing. So far since the lockdown of the pandemic, I have rowed over 500 miles. That is quite a bit of time for problem solving and revisions!
Thanks for the tips, Christine, to help generate ideas. It certainly has been a difficult time staying open to finding new ones. It was great to read your hopeful post.
Hi Christine, Thanks for your inspiring message. Congrats on “Emily’s Idea”. Can’t wait to read it. This is a very difficult time, for me especially, as I lost my youngest brother to cancer on April 30th. How I managed to write a draft and revise this month, I don’t know. In fact, I don’t know how I’m even getting up in the morning. Slowly, very slowly. One of my favorite sayings (though it scares people as I was using it for my outgoing message) is “I’m busy from now until death”. I seem to never run out of ideas! Some of them are warped but…..they’re all mine! Thanks again!
Thank you for the inspiring and calming post. Best wishes to you!
Thank you for the reassuring post. Looks like May is even more turbulent than the previous months.
But we do need to keep generating ideas and let’s hope they matter and are relevant.
Thank you for this post and the suggestions. I love spending extra time with my kids and I often find I am so rushed (even with no place to go) that I still miss really slowing down and “seeing them”. It’s difficult. This is a good reminder to try to slow down and pay attention. They are always my inspiration.
Thanks for this great post! I feel inspired (and also envious that your 8 year old is actually being taught something in online school….double sigh). Appreciate you sharing these tips!
I love that you want to spread hope, Christine…and I love the resources you provided links for…thank you for an awesome post that will definitely spread hope!
Hi Christine,
thank you for your thoughtful post. I do feel hopeful after reading.
Danelle 🙂
Great ideas. I especially like listening to webinars and good news. Both inspire me.
What a terrific post, Christine! Thank you for your list of ideas and writing tips… love the random word generator!! I agree that we all must try to keep hope alive. Congratulations on EMILY’S IDEA! THE WISH LIBRARY sounds intriguing!
You message of hope truly resonates. Philip Hanlon, President of Dartmouth College, recently shared these thoughts, “At times, what we face can seem overwhelming. …let us redouble our efforts to build a world that is equitable, diverse, and inclusive, free from racism, bigotry, and hate. Let us give voice to the values that unite us rather than divide us. No threat is too grave if we face it together.” I’d like to think as children’s storytellers we are playing a part in building worlds for children that make a difference and help us all to face the world together.
Christine, I love (and thank you for) the great advice on making it through these unique times. Ones that just keep getting tougher and more challenging. And congrats, again, on “Evelyn,” you know I love your book. And congrats on EMILY’S IDEA! THE WISH LIBRARY.
Great ideas thank you for the inspiration appreciate it now more than ever and congratulations!! Looking forward to checking out your chapter books!!
Thank you, Christine! You’ve shared so many great ideas in your post and I know I’m going to try a few soon. It’s also very reassuring to be told that it’s ok if we’re not super productive right now. And I can’t wait to read both of these books!!
Great ideas during this strange time! Thanks and good luck with your books!
Thank you for all the great ideas!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Love finding places for hope right now.
Christine, I love this post of yours! It has been an immensely overwhelming time for all the reasons you state – homeschooling, trying to keep up with everything – and trying to position my mental state in a way that feels realistic as well as positive. Yes to maintaining an attitude of hopefulness, and to focusing on kids, music and writing in the form of picture books. That is inspiring. Thank you!
I’m late to the party, but it’s still May…barely! Thanks for the great ideas. June doesn’t seem to be getting any easier, so I will definitely use these ideas as I move forward! Thank you and congrats!
I love your focus on hope! Thank you for the inspiration.
Hope is needed. Today, more than yesterday, and tomorrow…
I have been writing away, taking advantage of “staying home” and I am concentrating on the positive. The webinars have really helped. I love all your ideas for hope and writing! Very inspiring! Thank you!
Thanks for the advice! Several revisions for the moth of may so I’d say I moved forward.
Christine, Setting a timer for a 10-minute writing exercise works well for generating ideas. Even better meditate first. Thank you for sharing your story starter ideas. Linda
Thank you so much for your thoughts and inspiration!
This was hopeful and helpful and just what I needed to read tonight. Thank you, Christine.
Thank you so much, Christine! These are great ideas and represent the small steps that are needed when we’re working through big problems!
Great post — thank you!
Christine, thank you for the HOPE, ideas and good news! I love the Forest app too- maybe you can be my first Forest friend (I think it unlocks something?)!
Thank you for your blogpost. It resonated with much I have been going through. I recently read about the idea of wise hope – as distinguished from blind optimism or pessimism. Thank you for reinforcing the message. And good luck with your writing and new book!
All lovely ideas! Thank you for sharing.
What I’m doing, along with a critique partner, is writing a few lines to a story and sending it to her. She adds her lines and the document goes back and forth until it’s a complete story. It doesn’t have to be good, so there’s no pressure, and it’s loads of fun and keep the creative juices flowing.
Thank you for sharing, Christine.
Such a great post!! I love the practical ideas. I especially love the idea that those of us with kids at home are spending more time with them than we have since they were toddlers. It’s so true for me! This is a great time to capture who they are and what they’re interested in. I love that and am going to try to keep my eyes open for that and let it spark my own imagination. I also love the idea of something to block social media for me. I’ve wasted so much time scrolling social media. It’s slowed my productivity at work (I’m a freelance editor) and ultimately, I make up that time when I could be writing. Thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing so many great creativity-boosting ideas and resources. I don’t have much time for podcasts, but I’ll be checking out Literaticast. Also, I’m a huge fan of Evelyn the Adventurous Entomologist – I bought it for my adventurous bug-collecting adult sister:). I look forward to reading Emily’s Idea!
Thank you for your message of hope and all of your suggestions.
Thank you so much, Christine, for your post. It certainly has been a difficult time, but I appreciate the list you shared to help keep us inspired. I’m looking forward to learning more about your books! Congratulations! and keep writing!
Great advice. Thanks!
Thank you, Christine, for the many ways to generate ideas for PB’s! I’m am doing some of what you have recommended and I look forward to trying the others. I also look forward to reading your two published books. Thanks for your time and your wealth of valuable information.
What a great post! I am full of hope and itching to write down some ideas.
Some great tips in here. thank you!!
Thank you for all the new websites I saved in my Author Resources Bookmark.
Thanks for the great tips and words of encouragement. As you suggested I went through my old MS’s and found a few gems. I’ve been busy rewriting a few drafts. I hope you are all well. Take care.
Helpful ideas much appreciated – writing is hard any time and a particular challenge now.
BTW I can’t wait to get to a library and be able to check out your books!
Yes, these are trying times. Thank you for your post.
Love all the idea generators Christine.
Can’t wait to read your books.
Great blog post.
Thank you Christine for your inspiring post. You’ve conveyed hope successfully and lifted many spirits in the process I am sure. Thank you also for your suggestion about combining pb drafts that aren’t working—I’ll give that a whirl. Thank you also for the links—I’ll look them up! 😊
Wow! What a great list of resources. I have opened all the links I haven’t already seen and am settling in. Thank you, Christine.
Hope can be elusive, but action always precedes it! Thank you for your ideas to keep going!
Thanks for all the suggestions to get through this difficult time.
Thank you for the hopeful post, Christine. I love all the tips!
Wonderful post! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the perfect ideas to keep going during this time ! Congratulations on your wonderful books!
Wow! These are all such great ideas! Thank you!
Thank you, Christine, I need to save your hopeful and practical post. It helps.
Congrats on Emily Idea, Christine! I have no shortage of ideas but I find it trickier to execute on those ideas.
Thank you Christine. Great ways to generate ideas.
Thank you for all these inspiration ideas! I have a journal of things my kids say, including words they make up. It is a great place to spark new ideas.
Thanks for the great suggestions. You provided hope at a much needed time.
What a timely message! Thank you for sharing. I especially loved the links to unknown lists and videos.
Good Job! Lots to think about!
Thank you for your post of inspiring ideas on how to motivate ourselves to write – even during difficult times. I appreciated some fresh approaches to this subject, as finding new ideas about which to write can prove challenging for me – not only now but always!
Thanks for your suggestions. Now that the weather is warming, outdoors provides peace and also new ideas for writing. The 12×12 webinars w/ Kate Messner & others in May have been very informative and inspiring.
Thank you, Christine! Good reminder that we don’t have to expect the stories to come out right away. It’s okay to let ideas ferment, and to return to old ones during times of dry spells. I appreciate your message of hope – it’s desperately needed every day.
Christine, Thank you for the grace to see that we are all working on different levels, and for the LIST of things that are still considered productive during this time. Perhaps it’s the teacher in me, but I do love an ‘assignment’.
Thanks for your suggestions and offer of hope. I, too, LOVE Literaticast and listen on my morning walks! <3
Thank you for this list Christine. May you and fellow 12×12 members find the most silver linings possible in this cloud above us so that we can pass them on the the children of this world.
A solid list of things to do to keep us moving forward. And thanks for reminding us that little things can produce big results if continued over time.
This was exactly what I needed. Thank you.
Thanks for your encouragement!
Thanks for your inspiring post.
Great idea generator! Thank you!
These are great resources and suggestions. I tried working for 10 minutes, and had fun rewriting an old story. Needless to say, it was longer than 10 minutes! It is okay to shut out the world for a little while.
Or I talk at about 20 feet away with the energetic, optimistic 3 year old next door, and he springs the term “social distance” in the middle of the conversation!
I also like doing something that feels productive or healing, such as getting my exercise by doing something constructive. Pulling garlic mustard or other invasive weeds in our local woods (several volunteers are trying to restore it) makes me feel more optimistic and leaves my mind free to work on stories.
Great advice, thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Christine, for your message of hope and for the many ideas for staying in the creative (and healthy) zone! It’s def a most challenging time, but we must try to persevere and stay in our craft, as only good will come from it. Stay well!
As a librarian, your chapter book series sounds intriguing!
Thank you so much for all these great ideas. I will want to come back to them repeatedly during this very challenging time. Hoping Emily’s Idea soars even in this strange launchscape, and hope you and yours keep safe and well.
Ideas for ideas. Perfect. Thank you.
Thank you for the helpful (and hopeful) suggestions to find ideas to keep our creative juices flowing!
Allowing grace to ourselves is an important part of the creative process!
Thanks Christine – we all need a bit of inspiration at the moment 🙂
Thanks for this post. It has several good ideas that I hope will jump start my writing again.
Thank you for the inspiration during this time!
Thank you, Christine, for the reminder to hope, and for ways to generate ideas or hone skills, even if we aren’t feeling particularly creative during these trying times. Stay well!
Ugh, so sorry that I missed reading your post in May! Since we’re talking about bugs at school w/ the littles, I’m recommending “Evelyn” to my class (she is far more brave than I to touch some of this bugs–ack!!) Best of luck with “Emily’s Idea”
Such great ideas, thanks, Christine!
Thank you, Christine, for your message of hote! It’s been so easy to lose sight of that these last few months.
I especially appreciated the idea to set a timer for 10 minutes. I can easily find 10 minutes to spend just thinking and jotting down.
I am so grateful the kid lit community is so generous. Thank you for the reminder of the resources that are out there.
Congrats on your books!!
Thank you for inspiring us with all of these great resources!-Karen Pickrell
Thanks, this was super encouraging.
Great post! Thanks so much.
Thank you for the inspiring throughts and examples to keep our writing going!
Hi Christine! I NEVER thought about using a random word generator to write! I’m totally going to try that!
Terrific ideas!
Thank you for sharing a wide variety of ideas! I look forward to checking out your books!
Thank you so much for the inspiring post full of great ideas. I’ve never heard of a random word generator before! It sounds like a great way to brainstorm ideas for new stories.
Thank you so much for sharing this post! I found so many helpful ideas! I like how you said, “I often figure out problems with my stories when I’m walking or running. Or I listen to an inspiring podcast like Literaticast.” I agree that being out in nature and surrounding ourselves with the wonder of trees, plants, clouds, butterflies, ladybugs, squirrels, sky, etc. . .can help our minds sort out new ideas and sift together old ones into something fresh.
Thank you, Christine! Helpful advice for any time – but perfect to hear right now. And I’m eager to read both of your books! They sound wonderful!!
Thank you, Christine! I will reread your post often when my burnt out brain needs a jump start to get the well filled with thoughts and ideas flowing. I look forward to reading your books!
Thank you for challenging us to do new things and read and take classes and try something we haven’t thought of trying before. It gets us out of the revision of the same stories over and over again.
Christine, thank you for the sincerity of your introduction and the practicality of your post. I am inspired and hopeful! I look forward to reviewing your post to checkout some of the helpful links.
It’s exciting to see that you have another picture book recently published and will have a chapter book series coming out in 2021. Congratulations!
I love this list. I’ll be coming back to it. Here’s a tip I’ve tried that has the added bonus of helping declutter your space: if there is an item of sentimental value that you don’t really need anymore, write it an ode, describe it in a poem, or give it a special place in a story you’re working on. Then, you can let go of the item itself–you’ve honored it and given it a way to live on without needing to keep it around forever–and you’ve infused your writing with an unexpected jolt of creativity!
Thanks for your post. I love being on the lookout for ideas. I keep paper everywhere, because, you never know when one will hit you.
Thanks for the inspiring and hopeful message on creativity during this challenging time!
Christine,
These have been a trying last couple months. I’ve been able to come up with two ideas for manuscripts in that time. They have since been shared with my critique group so not all is lost. But it is now, as things are beginning to open up that I’m suffering my worst block. I have an idea for a story and have done the research but now I have no idea where to begin to write. I’m hoping one of your many suggestions for ideas will offer me the chance to come up with a way to put my research to story.
Great ideas! Thank you for such a thoughtful essay. 🙂