National Picture Book Writing Week is this May 1-7, 2012!

Welcome to DAY SIX of NAPIBOWRIWEE!

Can you believe it? Only two days left! In 48 hours, you will be the proud author of 7 first draft picture books written in 7 days, thanks to my fourth annual National Picture Book Writing Week goal!

I am so proud that y’all are still in it to win it! For those of you who successfully finished five first drafts of picture books – congratulations! For those of you who are still working on Books 1, 2, 3, and/or 4, hang in there! 

Today’s blog includes a special prize announcement from critically acclaimed and veteran picture book author ANN WHITFORD PAUL, plus some more random musings from me and other updates.

(Please keep reading after the jump for all the NaPiBoWriWee Day Six goodies!)

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National Picture Book Writing Week is this May 1-7, 2012!

Welcome to Day Five of NAPIBOWRIWEE – National Picture Book Writing Week – as we now ask ourselves if we are NUTS for agreeing to try this ridiculous experiment of writing 7 picture books in 7 days. Always around Day Five, I start to bang my head against the wall and mutter to myself, “Paula, you and your nutty ideas! WHY did you start NaPiBoWriWee? I’m so SICK of writing picture books. I can’t do this anymore. I am burned out. Ooooooh I bet everyone hates me for torturing them with this ridiculous idea!”

Yup. Welcome to Day Five, AKA “Burn-out Day.” This is where some folks start to fall behind and feel badly that they are unable to come up with a fifth picture book draft. This is where some folks wonder if they should just quit.

Day Five is TOUGH. And if it makes YOU feel any better… BREAKING NEWS: I FAILED TO WRITE BOOK NO. 4 YESTERDAY. Absolutely flamed out. I was gone ALL day from around 10:30 AM to 9:30 PM for work meetings and I had to see a friend visiting from out of town. Plus I had a writing deadline for a picture book of mine that is being published (another Lee & Low book but the pub date is TBD) that I had to get done first. By the time I got home, I was EXHAUSTED. I sat on the couch and valiantly tried to write a picture book. But I came up with nothing.

BUT… instead of feeling badly about it… I was PROUD OF MYSELF. Why? Because at least I came up with what I thought was a super cute idea and a fantastic title. So I thought, “Saturday is my day off. It’s the weekend. I’m lucky and have no social obligations and no work deadlines on Saturday. So Saturday will be PICTURE BOOK DAY!”

And now I want to cheer YOU on. Today’s blog will feature some advice from guest author CAROLYN CRIMI (website: http://carolyncrimi.com/), who has graciously offered to give away a signed copy of her book PUGS IN A BUG (Dial 2012) for our contest. Woo hoo!

(Keep reading after the break for advice from Carolyn and more updates!)

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National Picture Book Writing Week is this May 1-7, 2012!

Welcome to DAY THREE of NAPIBOWRIWEE 2012! (National Picture Book Writing Week where we attempt to write 7 picture books in 7 days)!

I just replied to everyone’s comments on all the blogs for 2012 and also answered some questions, so please go back and check if you want! Very impressed and excited by everyone’s progress. Yippee!

I carved out some time in the afternoon to write Book No. 2. I used a photo of my three cats sleeping (posted in yesterday’s blog) to inspire me. To my surprise, I came up with a really cute poem. Well, it wasn’t the greatest poem in the world – some bad meter and forced rhyme, but it was a good start and I carved out a fun story using Lisa Wheeler’s “Rule of Threes” advice from yesterday’s blog (link here: http://paulayoo.com/napi/?p=378) I desperately want to go back and rewrite it, but I’m forcing myself to wait until AFTER NaPiBoWriWee. Must keep chugging along – five more books left to draft!

Today’s blog is about CHARACTER. We talked yesterday about PLOT. But no matter how exciting your plot and no matter how solid your story structure is, your book won’t work if the reader doesn’t care about the main character. Remember – try to create an original and compelling character who is unique but yet readers can identify with!

Today I have a special guest – New York Times bestselling picture book author KELLY DIPUCCHIO – who volunteered to write a brief guest author blog for Day 3 of NAPIBOWRIWEE. Her guest blog is all about CHARACTER. Her latest book, CRAFTY CHLOE (illustrated by Heather Ross, published by Simon & Schuster 2012), features one compelling and unique character that has made her latest book a huge hit. Martha Stewart even featured it on her show along with a craft project segment with illustrator Heather Ross! (Kelly’s website is here: http://kellydipucchio.com)

(Keep reading after the jump for our Guest Author Blog on Character from KELLY DIPUCCHIO!)

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