Tag Archives: NaNoWriMo

20 Ways to Celebrate Your Writing Talents

“20 Ways to Celebrate Your Writing Talents” by Joan Y. Edwards

Here are 20 ways you can celebrate your writing talents.

1. Join other writers in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

2. Join other writers in Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo)

3. Invite another writer friend to eat lunch with you at your home or at a nearby restaurant. Read the first page or first 1000 words of each other’s manuscript.

4. Respect yourself as a writer.  Submit one of your manuscripts before the end of next month.

You Have the Essentials for Submitting: Go for it. 

Step 1 Get work critiqued, revised, printed, and proofed.

Step 2 Choose the publisher, editor, agent, or contest for this writing project.

Step 3 Write the pitch, query letter, cover letter, resume, bio, and/or proposal as required by the guidelines of the editor, agent, or contest you chose for submission this time.

Step 4 Proof and Send your pitch, query letter, cover letter, resume, bio, and/or proposal as required by the guidelines of the editor, agent, or contest you chose for submission this time.

5. Put little sticky notes on your computer or file cabinet that compliment you on your accomplishments. They can be silly or serious, but they have to mean something to you. You want them to encourage you.

  • I wrote for 15 minutes today.

  • I figured out the pitch for a new novel.

  • I brought an old manuscript out of cold storage.

6. Respect your time to write. Set aside at least 10-15 minutes a day to write.

7. If you receive a rejection, send the rejected manuscript out to a different editor or agent within 7 days.

8. If you receive a reply that is not a form letter, have a party, dinner, or special dessert to celebrate getting closer to publication.

9. One day a week, do something that doesn’t have to do with writing, just because it’s fun for you.

10. Make yourself a certificate. Print out the words and decorate it with crayons, markers, or stickers. Frame it and hang it on the wall.

11. If your writing group meets in person, have a ceremony to celebrate each member’s completed manuscript.

12. Pray and thank God for your many talents every morning and every night, especially for your writing.

13. Give yourself a money reward for completing a manuscript, revising a manuscript, setting aside time to write, or submitting a manuscript to an editor or agent. It can be as little as a penny or as large an amount as you deem appropriate.

14. Buy a special gift for you. For instance, if you like hats, buy or design yourself a new hat each time you finish a manuscript. Have the design be one that the main character might wear.

15. If you know that a writer friend has submitted a manuscript, send them a snail mail or an email card. Encouragement may help them travel farther down the path to success at being published.

16. Go to a movie.

17. Visit a museum.

18. Call an old friend.

19. Cook your favorite meal.

20. Imagine what a character in your book would do when she was bored, tired, or excited.  Do it. Write down your feelings before, during, and after.

Celebrating is part of thankfulness and excitement to help you achieve your publication goals.  Develop unwavering faith.

Even with complications and obstacles, the vision of success in your mind, the excitement of getting it, your thankfulness, and your action toward it will create the reality for you.

Thank you for reading and for subscribing to my blog. I now have 51 subscribers. Hip Hip Hooray. If you haven’t subscribed, it would make me smile if you did. Sign up for an email subscription from the left hand column. Thank you for reading my blog.

Celebrate You Right Now
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Copyright © 2011 Joan Y. Edwards

Storystorm – Picture Book Idea Month in January

Story Storm Banner
Tara Lazar Copyright

Storystorm – Picture Book Idea Month – Used to be PiBoIdMo until 2017.  Now it is Storystorm.

30 days of idea brainstorming for picture books. https://taralazar.com/storystorm/

Sign up the last week of December 2019 or the first week in January 2020.

“You will be able to sign up, grab a badge for your blog and social networks, and get ready for some awesome prizes! There will be critiques from published authors, feedback from literary agents, original illustrations by picture book artists, signed books, jewelry, journals, and who knows what else!”

See the ins and outs of Storystorm:  https://taralazar.com/storystorm/

Read about last year’s Storystorm: https://taralazar.com/category/storystorm-2019/

Tara Lazar is one of those talented writers who help inspire other picture book writers to go a little out of their comfort zone to create great ideas for new stories that may lead to successful publication.

Here are her answers to my questions about PiBoIdMo – Picture Book Idea Month, held in November of each year. The concept is to create 30 picture book ideas in 30 days.

Would you please explain a little about the history of PiBoIdMo?
PiBoIdMo was born out of jealousy! I noticed all my novel-writing friends having a great time with NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and felt left out of the loop. So I created Picture Book Idea Month in November as an event specifically for picture book writers.

What date did PiBoIdMo begin?
The first year, 2008, I did it on my own. In 2009, I decided to share it with others and hosted it on my blog.

Tara Lazar changed the name and the time to Storystorm and had it during January beginning in 2017?

What inspired you to get this idea rolling?
NaNoWriMo prompted it. I didn’t think writing a picture book a day was something I could do, but a new book concept a day was something achievable.

What have you learned from doing this?
That creativity can be encouraged–you can get the lightning bolt to strike more often if you are out in the open, actively seeking it.

What has been your proudest moment while doing this?
When Karma Wilson, author of BEAR SNORES, said she used my website to help her find ideas.

Why did you decide to get others to join you?
Because writers often work in solitary conditions. Storystorm brings picture book writers together for support and encouragement.

Tara Lazar’s first picture book, THE MONSTORE, will be released by Aladdin/Simon & Schuster in 2013, illustrated by James Burks. For a sneak peak at the illustrations, go to http://www.taralazar.wordpress.com. Tara is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Congratulations on your first book, Tara. Thanks for sharing and encouraging others.

Never Give Up
Celebrate Where You Are
Joan Y. Edwards
Copyright © 2011-2019 Joan Y. Edwards