Unless you live under a rock or don't have Internet every writer knows November is NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. So what the heck is NaPiBoWriWee? (Boy, I'm cutting and pasting that word from now on! It's hard with all those capitals.)
NaPiBoWriWee is Paula Yoo's answer to NaNoWriMo, National Picture Book Writing Week. I found her blog through Alice's CWIM blog. See I'm doing research when I blog hop. :-) Hey, It's my blog, I can lie if I want to. So Paula's challenge is to write seven picture books in seven days.
I thought, "Why not?" and signed up. When I told hubster he had a different reaction, and wondered why I would want to add stress to my life.
Uh, stress? What freaking stress? I don't have no stinkin' stress! The only stress in my life is if my kiddo will somehow goof off, or faint, during her First Communion this Sunday. And I don't see that happening. Or we run out of food when we have family over for brunch afterwards. Okay, that's possible, but unlikely as we tend to have more food around than anyone I know!
So I have to write 7 picture books with a word count anywhere from 50-2000 words per book, and I have to have them finished by May 7th. And I only have two titles, translate that to two ideas and they aren't really formulated yet. Yeah, I've got a lot of thinking to do. HALP!
Okay-dokey. This weekend is out--uh, see above, daughter's First Communion and then family brunch (18 people) on Sunday, which means, shopping and prepping the food and cleaning house on Saturday, plus taking the kiddo to cooking class at the Savory Chef followed by a soccer game (that we have to stay and watch--another 1 1/2 hours lost, including driving time) provided the rain lets up enough so the kids aren't playing mud soccer. Whew! How do you like THAT sentence?!
Uh, I gotta go brainstorm in the shower. . . and during my workout. . . and during the walk to school. Argh! Blank page staring at me . . . Going nutso . . .
Write on!
Breathe, Margaret, Breathe!! I know you can do it. And I'll be dinging ya in the head if you need some help. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ash! I knew I could count on you to beat me about the head!
ReplyDeleteGood luck! You can do it.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, you can do it! How about a kid and a bug picture book? It could be from the bug's eye view. (I don't know why I'm thinking about bugs. I don't like bugs!)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cyndi!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Edie! I have written 8 or 9 PB stories that feature a fly and his buddies, his name is Peter. Maybe that's where you got the insect idea?!
I have a little girl faerie named Piper that has been bothering me. I think she wants me to write about her, but I need 7 different story ideas for her to get into, and out of, trouble. HELP!!
A fairy who gets into trouble? How funny. Love that concept. Off the top of my head, she could try out jobs--such as tooth fairy, sand man, dream fairy, etc. Since you get to world build (so to speak)you can let her try anything she wants.
ReplyDeleteOr you could let her go into the human world. Fairy's Fairly Good Day Away.
That sounds like fun! Don't stress. Have a great time doing it.
Thanks Susan! This is exactly what I needed, just some suggestions to get my juices flowing!
ReplyDeleteSeven days, seven stories. You could do a series that covers a 'real' week - one story that takes place on a Monday, the next Tuesday, etc. Maybe your faerie tries a different job each day of the week. Of course the moral of the story at the end of the week is that you don't need to try to be someone(thing) else, because who(what) you already are is just wonderful already.
ReplyDeleteJust keep your eyes and ears open during all those other activities that you've got - great ideas are right in front of us all the time if we just pay attention! You can jot down ideas and be thinking up stories no matter what you're doing.
Sometimes the best ideas come to you when you're not trying so hard to think of them.
Oh wait, here's another idea - seven picture book stories about an unpublished writer trying to find seven picture book stories to write in a week.
You're funny, Jody! What a hoot.
ReplyDeleteSusan
You are so bad, Jody!
ReplyDeleteI need to chill out about this, then the stories will come. You're right, all I need to do is look around me--except everything is wet and the rain won't stop! How can my faerie work in these conditions!!
Yo, Margaret, I want to read the one where the fairy plays soccer in the rain and mud and realizes when the ball's headed her way that she's a wee bit small for the game. Piper's No Pele.
ReplyDelete*snork!* :-) Too funny, Marilyn! Again, proving Margaret doesn't think well under pressure!
ReplyDeleteI have faith that you can handle this daunting task. I hope you'll post what you ended up with.
ReplyDelete