National Picture Book Writing Week ("NaPiBoWriWee") is this May 1-7, 2012!

PLEASE NOTE: This is my last blog posting for now at the regular blog site (http://paulayoo.com/blog)

From today until May 7, 2012, I will be posting daily blogs at the official NaPiBoWriWee site: http://paulayoo.com/napi

I will return to this regular blog on May 8, 2012, which also marks the debut of the paperback edition of my YA novel GOOD ENOUGH (HarperCollins 2008/hardcover; 2012/paperback). http://paulayoo.com/books-good.html

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So… what is NAPIBOWRIWEE?

“NAPIBOWRIWEE” is the nickname for an event called “National Picture Book Writing Week.” I started this event in 2009 to promote my latest picture book, SHINING STAR: THE ANNA MAY WONG STORY (Lee & Low ’09). My brainstorm was to challenge myself and others to write 7 picture books in 7 days. It was my attempt to stop procrastinating on all these fun ideas and outlines I had for various picture books that I never seemed to find the time to sit down and write a first draft. I was inspired of course by the famous NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month: http://www.nanowrimo.org/)

To my surprise, the event took off like hotcakes! People from all over the country and even internationally (France, Japan, Hong Kong, and even Egypt!) participated in the event. I featured fun Q&A blogs with published picture book authors and illustrators and even hosted book contest drawings and other prizes for our participants.

2012 marks the fourth year I have hosted NaPiBoWriWee. It’s been fun and I’ve enjoyed meeting many participants in real life at various SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) events.

(PLEASE NOTE: It takes a LONG TIME to write and edit and revise and perfect a picture book draft. The point of my NaPiBoWriWee event is to encourage people to write FIRST DRAFTS of their picture book ideas. You CANNOT write a publishable perfect picture book in one day, let alone 7 drafts in 7 days, obviously. I am just encouraging people to attempt 7 picture books in 7 days so they can have 7 wonderful rough first drafts to revise later and perfect for submission later. Just wanted to make that clear so everyone is aware that I know that writing a picture book is a labor of love. This event is a fun event to encourage people to stop procrastinating and at least to get some rough drafts finished!)

Starting this week, every Wednesday I will feature a pre-NaPiBoWriWee 2012 blog to get everyone excited for the upcoming event, which will take place May 1-7, 2012. But please note – I have a DIFFERENT blog for NaPiBoWriWee. It’s located at the “NaPiBoWriWee” link you see at the  top of my website’s home page. Just click that “NaPiBoWriWee” link to read this year’s blogs. You can also bookmark that link here: http://paulayoo.com/napi

Our Pre-NaPiBoWriWee Blog Schedule:

Wednesday April 18, 2012 – CRAFT

Please visit http://paulayoo.com/napi to read a blog about picture book writing craft issues to get prepared for our May 1-7 picture book writing marathon!

Wednesday April 25, 2012 – Q&A INTERVIEWS

Please visit http://paulayoo.com/napi for a list of Q&A author/illustrator blog interviews I posted from last year’s 2011 NaPiBoWriWee!

Official NaPiBoWriWee Schedule:

Tuesday May 1st to Monday May 7th, 2012 – NAPIBOWRIWEE

Please visit http://paulayoo.com/napi for DAILY live blogging, prize contest information, special guest author/illustrator Q&As and more information about NaPiBoWriWee. We start writing at MIDNIGHT on TUESDAY MAY 1st and we STOP writing by 11:59 PM on MONDAY MAY 7th.

NaPiBoWriWee Store: You can also visit our store here to purchase your 2012 NaPiBoWriWee souvenir T-shirts, coffee mugs and journals! The new 2012 logos were designed by professional designer SANDY TANAKA. Participants have proudly worn their NaPiBoWriWee T-shirts at SCBWI events and I highly recommend the mugs and journals for your writing week. The journals are especially cute and fun to use to jot down your ideas and drafts in the “old school” way. STORE LINK HERE: http://www.cafepress.com/npbww2012

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Thanks for catching up on my blogs. Remember, I will be ONLY blogging starting next week at the NaPiBoWriWee blog from now through May 7th. Our NaPiBoWriWee event is this May 1-7, 2012. I’ll be blogging here: http://paulayoo.com/napi

For those of you who are participating in this year’s NaPiBoWriWee, please comment on my http://paulayoo.com/napi site (NOT here) about how you plan to prepare for the event. Everyone who comments on my blogs and/or emails me at paula at paulayoo dot com will be automatically included in our prize contest drawing!

Happy Writing! WRITE LIKE YOU MEAN IT!