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Jess Townes – Groundhog Day

It’s Groundhog Day today, and I have a short story to share that hopefully inspires the newest 12 x 12 members working on their second drafts of the year!

I joined 12 x 12 in 2016 and was determined to knock out all twelve drafts. It was, in fact, the only year I’ve ever won the challenge. I knew that as a new children’s writer, I needed to read voraciously and write often.  I also suspected that much of what I wrote that year would be practice drafts- manuscripts that never leave my own notebook or computer.

On this day in 2016, Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow and declared an early Spring. I doubted this rodent’s meteorological skills, and a quick internet search confirmed that he is more often wrong than right. I jotted this spark of an idea in my writer’s notebook. Later that year, I wrote a draft about a groundhog who gets the weather wrong and has to make amends. I revised it with my critique group that I met right here in 12 x 12 and is still together five years later. I shared it on the forum where I received more helpful feedback (and met a dear friend as a result).  Then I tucked it away in my proverbial drawer.

Fast forward to signing with my agent. She really liked Groundhog but we both agreed that a holiday themed story might not be the easiest to sell as a debut, so back in the drawer it went. I wrote more manuscripts, sold two, then one day I started thinking about that groundhog again. What layers were missing in the story? I pulled it out, and after more revision and countless philosophical conversations with my critique partners, my agent sent it on submission.

We got interest from an editor who requested a R&R with a new theme. I rewrote the entire thing again, and the end result is a forthcoming picture book, Groundhog Gets it Wrong, with Dial Books for Young Readers in Fall of 2022.

This soon-to-be book was one of my first picture book drafts, inspired on this day during my first year in 12 x 12 five years ago.

If you’re new to 12 x 12, just remember that it’s possible that the draft you’re writing this month, the one you think is a practice draft, might have a life ahead you can’t see yet. Also, find yourself some excellent critique partners and learn to love revision!

Happy Groundhog Day! And bundle up for six more weeks of winter. After all, that groundhog is never wrong! 😉

 

Jess Townes is a picture book writer and the Co-Regional Advisor of the Kansas/Missouri region of SCBWI. She lives outside St. Louis with her husband, two teens, a fifty-pound lap dog and two adorable cats. Jess is the author of Spellbound (Sterling, Spring 2022), Groundhog Gets it Wrong (Dial, Fall 2022), and Sometimes I Cry (FSG, Fall 2023).

Find out more about Jess at:

www.jesstownes.com
Twitter: @JessicaTownes

Instagram: @jesstownesbooks

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42 Responses

  1. What an inspiration! Thank you for sharing your story. Looking forward to reading what Groundhog was up to! (Congratulations!)

  2. Thank you for the encouragement! On these days when my writing time is invaded by a snow day and my deepest thoughts revolve around playing Jenga with my eight year old – I need it. Looking forward to reading this!

  3. I soooo relate to this post. I even shared a question about it on the 12×12 Facebook recently. I’m heartened to know that something messy now can be a refined gem later. Buffing away! To countless revisions/edits and dreams about various versions…

  4. I loved this: ” it’s possible that the draft you’re writing this month, the one you think is a practice draft, might have a life ahead you can’t see yet.” I just sent out a ms. I did 20 (yes, that is 2 plus 0! ) years ago.

  5. Thanks for sharing that sometimes a draft you give up on and put aside can be revised and find a home at a later date not to toss or shred it and forget it. Happy you have a critique group that worked out for you, always a challenge.

  6. Congratulations on your perseverance, Jess! Looks like even when the groundhog gets it wrong, something right will come out of it. I love the idea of revisiting old drafts and spicing them up or twisting them around. Especially with the encouragement and extra pair of eyes that a dedicated critique group can provide, I don’t think any story is a lost cause. Looking forward to 2022 when your books are available to read!

  7. Congratulations–I can’t want to read Groundhog’s story! This reminds me of people storing their jewelry and valuables in the back of the sock drawer! Someday they’ll be pulled out to get their proper appreciation.

  8. What an incredible story, Jess! I think we all have manuscripts in the drawer that we hope will one day see the light of day again. I love how your groundhog finally got his chance to shine!

  9. I love hearing this! It’s so encouraging to hear that those “drawer” ideas can have new life. GROUNDHOG GETS IT WRONG sounds so cute– look forward to reading it!

  10. Congratulations! Jess, thank you for sharing your journey to publication. I hang onto my 12×12 drafts, too 🙂 Stories like yours keeps me in the positivity lane. I look forward to reading your groundhog story.

  11. What a great reminder to remember the joy of the journey; we write for the joy of it, publication is only one of the fantastic potential outcomes. Congratulations on yours! I look forward to reading your books.

  12. Congratulations, Jess! I’m looking forward to reading GROUNDHOG GETS IT WRONG. Thank you for the encouragement and for sharing your publication journey. Great post!

  13. I I have a couple stories right now that I really hope see the light of day =) Thanks for the encouragement.

  14. Thanks for sharing your dedication. Lots of us, I suspect, have a drawer full of ideas, drafts, and manuscripts. The encouragement to dust them off once in a while and check if their quiet time a dark drawer was helpful is good advise.
    Looking forward to meeting your groundhog!

  15. It was so interesting and motivating to hear your journey overall and with the groundhog story. Thank you for sharing!

  16. I needed this today! I have just recently joined 12×12 and have a draft that I can’t part with. You have encouraged me to keep working on it! Thanks so much!

  17. Thank you for sharing your experience. I found it inspiring and motivating, just what I needed. Thank you! Best of luck with your upcoming releases.

  18. What a great journey you had with your groundhog. Thanks for sharing it with us. It’s so encouraging to read how others have made it through all the rewrites, rethinking and resubmitting. Congratulations and I can’t wait to read your book.

  19. What a fun idea for a picture book! I loved reading about your journey to get this published. I feel inspired. Congratulations, Jess!

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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).