Welcome to DAY SIX of NAPIBOWRIWEE! It’s National Picture Book Writing Week, blah blah blah, we’re trying to write 7 picture books in 7 days, etc. etc. Oh go here for all the FAQs: http://paulayoo.com/napi/?p=474

Sorry. Do I sound cranky or grumpy? LOL! I’m just SUPER TIRED. I think I have had maybe three hours sleep in the past five days. How is everyone else doing?

The strange thing is that despite the lack of sleep, I’m still having fun. I’m excited that I MIGHT have 7 drafts done by the final day. Who knows if ANY of these drafts will end up becoming a submission-ready picture book for my book agent, but at least I’ve got some pages to work with! It’s better than NOTHING. Which again is the WHOLE POINT of this event – it’s to encourage us all to KEEP WRITING and to actually FINISH DRAFTS.

For fun, I would suggest everyone who is a writer to try and create a picture book dummy for Day Six. See if you can write your Book No. 6 as a picture book dummy. It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw at all. Stick figures are fine. But see if you can create a picture book dummy. This might be a fun and fresh way to write your latest draft.

For more info on how to create a picture book dummy, go here:

http://taralazar.com/2009/02/22/picture-book-construction-know-your-layout/

I also recommend this link as well:

http://taralazar.com/tag/how-to-make-a-picture-book-dummy-in-9-easy-steps/

(PS. If you already ARE an illustrator/artist and you make picture book dummies all the time, I would suggest you do the opposite. Why not just WRITE a picture book manuscript with NO pictures and no layouts? Try a simple double-spaced Word document of text ONLY. (Which is what us only-writers do anyway.) Keep the word count to 1000 words or less.)

I’m curious to see what everyone comes up with today if you attempt the picture book dummy layout for Day 6!

And now some updates on my own progress…

MY DAY FIVE EXPERIENCE: I woke up on Sunday and had absolutely NOTHING TO DO. For the first time in several weeks. No book deadlines. No TV meetings to prepare for. So what did I do?

This picture pretty much sums it up…

Sleepy Sunday for me & Oreo!

Yeah. That’s right. I SLEPT! I SLEPT IN LATE! I DIDN’T WAKE UP UNTIL AFTER 10 AM! HA!

It was like a typical Sunday morning in college when I would sleep until noon and then shuffle over to the cafeteria for food. LOL!

But boy did I need that sleep. And you know what? Sometimes we HAVE to sleep in order for our subconscious to gestate all the ideas floating around in our heads. I’m being very serious here. I have learned that over the years. Sometimes, it’s best just to walk away from the computer and take a real nap. Get some serious REM sleep going. Let your subconscious gestate – it’s like putting your laptop to sleep mode. When you wake up, suddenly you might have a solution to a creative writing problem or a brand new idea might pop into your head.

Like the idea that popped into my head when I woke up after 10 AM. Okay, really, I woke up after 11 AM. But the thought that popped into my head was an idea for another non-fiction book. I realized no one has done a biography on this person, and realized… this could be a great idea for another LEE & LOW book! So I spent most of Sunday researching this historical figure and putting together a rough outline. Then I had to think about what would be a great opening scene. With children’s picture book biographies, which is my specialty, you usually try to start with an important incident or event that happens in the person’s childhood that is a turning point for him/her, something that inspires them to take those first steps on their journey to becoming an important person who contributes something to our society.

Once I came upon the perfect setting, I started writing. I wrote a very very VERY rough draft with a lot of notes to “get extra details here” etc. I still need to do more research, but by cobbling together this rough draft and finishing it, I realized this could definitely work as a future submission for publishers. But it’s going to take a LONG time to deepen this first draft and take it to the next level. But I was pleased with what I had done so far.

Again, I haven’t had time to respond individually to comments, but I’m reading them all and may write a few comments later this week, so stay tuned. I’m soooooo proud of everyone. You guys are doing a fantastic job. KEEP IT UP! And remember, we’re having a contest where lucky winners will receive autographed books from me and some of our guest authors plus souvenirs from our store (http://www.cafepress.com/napibowriwee2013)! (Winners will be posted on May 8th in a future blog.)

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In the meantime, let’s welcome author TANIA MCCARTNEY (http://www.taniamccartney.com) for Day Six. She will answer our Q&A on The Future of the Picture Book in today’s guest blog. Please comment on her blog today and/or also update us on your progress for Day 6!

(Keep reading after the jump for our guest blog with TANIA MCCARTNEY!)

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Welcome to DAY FIVE of NAPIBOWRIWEE 2013! By now, I bet you’re wondering why you even signed up for this crazy event where we attempt to write 7 picture books in 7 days. The burn out really kicks in around Day 5. We all see talking animals in our sleep. We can’t help but speak in rhyme every time we pick up the phone. We are starting to hallucinate and think that a picture book about house mortgage payments might actually be a good idea…

LOL! HANG IN THERE! Today is the day that you should treat yourself to something special for having made it to Day 5. Treat yourself to a favorite icy cold drink at your local coffeehouse. Go ahead, buy that guilty pleasure candy bar at the check-out counter at the grocery store. Order a pizza or your favorite food from a nearby restaurant instead of cooking tonight! Or go to your favorite independent bookstore and buy yourself a beautiful picture book! Or just veg out in front of the TV and watch a guilty pleasure show.

By giving yourself a little treat or pat on the back, you will have lifted your spirits and refreshed your energy to DIG IN FOR THESE LAST FEW DAYS! I am very proud of everyone and have enjoyed reading your comments. I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to reply individually to your comments because of my work schedule, but trust me, I’ve read every single one! You guys are amazing!

MY DAY FOUR EXPERIENCE: Hopefully most of you had Saturday off. That way, you could sleep in and then have the luxury of spending a lazy Saturday working on Picture Book #4.

For me, I did have one last work deadline to finish before I could start Book 4. I had to some line edits for my next picture book that will be published by LEE & LOW BOOKS. (This book is still top secret and under wraps, but I will be able to reveal some details about it soon, so stay tuned.)

Doing line edits on this book was a humbling experience. Every time I think I’ve “nailed” the whole Writing A Picture Book process, my brilliant genius editor offers a revision suggestion or does an amazing cut that takes the book to the next level. I’m this close to banging my head against the wall, wondering, “Why didn’t I come up with that genius idea?” Lesson Learned: You Will Always Learn And Grow As A Writer, No Matter How Many Books You Write (And Hopefully Publish). I was stunned today by my editor’s insights and thoughtful revision cuts and simplifications.

Writing a picture book is like writing a haiku – not one word should be wasted. Every word is a jewel. The simplest text often reveals a rich and deep verbal picture that is enhanced by the artist’s illustrations. I’m honored and privileged to work with my editor whose editorial critiques are helping me become a better writer.

Unfortunately, my genius editor was not around today to help me when I started writing the rough first draft of a new picture book for Day Four of NAPIBOWRIWEE. LOL! So what I wrote is really, really, REALLY ROUGH.

But now I can apply what my editor taught me when I return to Book No. 4 for revisions. And what was Book 4 about? Let’s just say that I posted this picture of one of my three cats (Oreo) lounging around all day on Twitter and it totally inspired a fun little poem. (You can follow Oreo on Twitter @oreothecatyoo).

Oreo lounges around on Caturday!

The only problem with Book Four? POETRY. IS. HAAAARD!!!!!

So to inspire those of you who are doing poetry picture books, here’s a link to some amazing articles for writers on how to write poetry and picture books acclaimed picture book author and poet HOPE VESTERGAARD (http://hopevestergaard.com). She has done past guest blogs in the past in earlier NAPIBOWRIWEE years, too.

Please go here to check out her articles on how to write poetry and picture books here:

http://hopevestergaard.com/writers/articles/

I especially recommend this one on RHYMES AND MISDEMEANORS:

http://hopevestergaard.com/writers/articles/rhymes-and-misdemeanors/

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In the meantime, to keep us inspired and on our toes, today’s guest blog is with Ford Street publisher and author PAUL COLLINS (http://www.paulcollins.com.au). He is one of TWO Australian authors we are interviewing this year. We have an international contingent of writers who participate every year in NAPIBOWRIWEE, including a fantastic group of writers from Down Under. So I’m thrilled we have Paul on board for this year. Please comment on today’s blog with your thoughts on Paul’s Q&A as well as your own progress reports of your picture book writing efforts!

(Keep reading after the jump for our Q&A on the Future of the Picture Book with Paul Collins!)

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Welcome to DAY FOUR of our 5th annual NAPIBOWRIWEE (National Picture Book Writing Week) 2013 where we try to write 7 picture books in 7 days!

We are officially at the HALFWAY point of this marathon writing event where we are trying to write 7 picture books in 7 days. Day Four is the make-or-break day. If you can get through this day, you can definitely survive the final brutal days of this event! Hang in there, everyone! WE CAN DO IT!

Since Day 4 falls on a Saturday – most of you have the day off. You might have some social obligations, house errands, or family duties, but at least it’s the weekend!

BUT… HOW TO AVOID FATIGUE AND BURN OUT?

ANSWER: Find a new place to write! Get out of your comfort zone! Write at the museum! A library! Your favorite coffeehouse! A fancy hotel lobby! The park!

My favorite place to write when I get burned out at home is at the Beverly Hills Public Library. They just remodeled the children’s library – it is BEAUTIFUL. Here’s a link where you can see some videos of the breathtaking renovation: http://www.beverlyhills.org/exploring/beverlyhillspubliclibrary/childrenslibrary/

And here’s a great blog with some photos of the children’s library remodel: http://redtri.com/los-angeles/kids-and-parents-weigh-in-on-the-new-beverly-hills-childrens-library/

I understand the burn-out, fatigue, and depression and frustration that can take over during Days 3 and 4. This NAPIBOWRIWEE event can get brutal. Writing 7 picture books in 7 days is a RIDICULOUS IDEA. LOL! But again, it’s just to celebrate writing and disciplining ourselves to WRITE EVERY DAY NO MATTER WHAT. Who cares if some of the 7 books end up in the recycle bin? The whole point is that this is a writing exercise that will hopefully result in a rough draft that COULD have the potential to become a future publishable book. Or a magazine article. Or a really cool blog. Or it could inspire a better idea down the road. And so on. You don’t know unless you try.

I am passionate about getting everyone to write every day because I WRITE EVERY DAY. I have to. I’m a professional writer. This is what I do for a living. I started out as a full-time newspaper reporter (The Seattle Times and The Detroit News) before going to magazines (PEOPLE Magazine). Then after almost ten years of journalism, I got my MFA in creative writing and started pursuing novels and children’s books. During that time, I also fell into TV drama writing. So since 2002, I have been writing full-time as a book and TV writer. I write. all. the. time.

Not everything I write works. A lot of it ends up in the recycling bin. But learning to write every single day has helped strengthen my writing skills. It’s like being an athlete and exercising every day – you build up a lot of stamina. Because you need stamina in this brutal creative industry filled with rejection, rejection, rejection. So I’m trying to help everyone learn how to write every day no matter what so you grow as a writer!

So how did my Day Three go?

MY DAY THREE EXPERIENCE: Today was ROUGH. I had another work meeting that was very far from my house, so yes, I was caught in L.A. traffic for most of the day. AND it was unseasonably warm – almost 95 degrees in the Valley! Once again, I didn’t have a chance to start working on Book 3 until after dinner.

Instead of a writing a book from scratch this time, I decided to use research for a feature spec screenplay that I’m currently working on for a picture book. My feature spec is a biopic (biography). And since my three published picture books with Lee & Low Books are biographies, it hit me that this historical subject would also make for a very good picture book. So I started writing a biographic picture book.

The end result? Not bad! It’s a little long but the basic structure is there. And the bonus? I sort of now have a rough outline for my script! YAY! Once again… NAPIBOWRIWEE WORKS!

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Now, on to our Day Four Guest Blog Q&A about The Future of the Picture Book with YA novelist and debut picture book author MARTHA BROCKENBROUGH (http://marthabrockenbrough.squarespace.com). Please post a comment about today’s blog and/or let us know how your progress went for Day Four!

(Keep reading after the jump for our Q&A with Martha Brockenbrough!)

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Welcome to DAY THREE of NAPIBOWRIWEE! Did you do it? Did you write 2 picture books in 2 days? Well, congratulations if you did! Let’s see if you keep up the pace for Day 3! For those of you who are still struggling with Book 1 or already falling behind – don’t despair! You’ve still got five days left to catch up! Keep the faith!

For those of you visiting for the first time, NaPiBoWriWee stands for National Picture Book Writing Week, where we attempt to write 7 picture books in 7 days. I started this event five years ago for fun. As a reminder, here’s the 2013 NAPIBOWRIWEE FAQs in case you have any questions or concerns:

http://paulayoo.com/napi/?p=474

In the meantime, if you’re already getting stressed out, here’s something to make you laugh! Here’s a fun video I did with Scholastic editor (Arthur A. Levine Books) and author ARTHUR A. LEVINE. Fellow SCBWI partner-in-crime/writer LEE WIND filmed us doing this video for a past SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) conference. The theme of the video? SCBWI Conference Tip: Try Not to Piss Off An Editor…

http://youtu.be/3l2Vaxf5IoE

Lesson learned!

MY DAY TWO EXPERIENCE: Today was insanely busy again. Basically my entire week has been filled with a billion meetings for my “day” job as a TV writer/producer. Plus I attended my dear friend JORDANNA FRAIBERG‘s book launch party for her latest YA novel OUR SONG (Razorbill 2013). (Please check out her books here: http://jordannafraiberg.com). I had a blast with Jordanna and her cool writer friends. I also met a fellow TV writer/producer and novelist DAVID IVERSON (http://davidiserson.tumblr.com) whose YA novel FIRECRACKER comes out this month, too! And to top it off, I met the famous ALAN WATT who is the author/teacher of the amazing THE 90-DAY NOVEL workshop books and classes that I highly recommend you check out: http://lawriterslab.com

So by the time I got home, it was after 10 PM! Because of yesterday’s experience where I realized my picture book was really a chapter book in disguise, I decided to just relax, have fun and come up with a simple story off the top of my head. Because I was a TV writer/producer on SyFy’s EUREKA and am a total Star Trek geek, I thought – why not try a sci fi picture book? And out of nowhere, by midnight… voila! Really crappy first draft! But at least I have a working draft I can go back and really flesh out. YAY!

So far I’m two for two. Let’s hope I can keep this up on Friday. (NOTE: I will be out for most of the day on Friday, so please be patient if your comment does not get “approved” on this website for a few hours because I will once again be stuck in L.A. traffic. )

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Now… on to DAY THREE! Today’s guest blog Q&A about the Future of the Picture Book is with children’s book author VARSHA BAJAJ (http://varshabajaj.com) She will donate an autographed copy of her book, HOW MANY KISSES DO YOU WANT TONIGHT? (illustrated by Ivan Bates) for our NAPIBOWRIWEE 2013 contest drawing. Thank you, Varsha, for your kind donation!

(Please keep reading after the jump for our interview with Varsha Bajaj!)

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Welcome to DAY TWO of NAPIBOWRIWEE! Did you survive Day One? I hope so. We’ve got a long way to go – six more days – so remember to pace yourself! Most importantly, remember to have FUN. This is NOT supposed to be a stressful event.

Thanks again to everyone for your fun and awesome comments on yesterday’s DAY ONE blog. So excited that everyone did such a good job! Let’s keep up the energy for Day 2!

Today’s guest blogger is picture book author/illustrator KATIE DAVIS. She is generously donating an autographed copy of her picture book, LITTLE CHICKEN’S BIG DAY for our contest drawing as well (contest results to be posted May 8, 2013). Keep reading below for more details…

In the meantime, for fun, I’m going to post an interview I did last year with writer and SCBWI rep LEE WIND on NAPIBOWRIWEE. Please check it out if you’re interested. Link below:

http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2012/05/paula-yoo-gives-us-scoop-on-national.html

And as a reminder, here’s the 2013 NAPIBOWRIWEE FAQs in case you have any questions or concerns:

http://paulayoo.com/napi/?p=474

Before we get to KATIE DAVIS’ guest author Q&A blog, I wanted to share my Day One experience with everyone. FYI, this blog is VERY honest. There have been years where I did NOT finish all  7 books. I do not know if I will be able to finish 7 books this year because I’m so busy, but I will try!

MY DAY ONE EXPERIENCE: As many of you know, by day I am a TV writer/producer. Spring is the time in Hollywood known as “TV Staffing Season” as writers go out on many last minute meetings for potential jobs on TV shows being considered for the fall season. It’s a lot of last minute work and preparation where you have to read the pilot scripts and be able to pitch ideas and discuss the show thoughtfully with network execs and the show creators in order to be considered as a potential writer for that show. And every year, the job market shrinks – there are fewer jobs available for a huge pool of writers. I’ve been lucky so far, but I’m not taking any chances!

So for Day One, I was busy rushing around to meetings and preparing for other meetings. I was also stuck in a lot of L.A. traffic! I finally got home at the end of the day and was too burned out to write. Let’s just say I watched a lot of FOOD NETWORK TV.

Then I finally gathered up my energy after my daily afternoon ritual of drinking awesome Argentinean yerba mate tea (better than coffee because it makes you alert but NOT jittery). I pulled out my notes on the picture book idea I had in March. I started writing. I didn’t care that it was rough and very simplistic. But soon, a voice emerged. And that voice would not stop. And I realized… THIS IS NOT A PICTURE BOOK. THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A CHAPTER BOOK!

I still finished it. I had to SIMPLIFY it so it could work as a picture book. And you know what? Yeah. It does NOT work as a picture book. It definitely has to be a chapter book. My idea was actually for a chapter book – it was much too complex for a picture book.

But I still consider today a success. I NEVER would have known my picture book idea was really more appropriate for a chapter book had I not tried to write a draft from start to finish. THIS IS WHY NAPIBOWRIWEE WORKS. You will not be able to know if your story works for the genre you chose for it unless you FINISH a rough first draft. So I realize I need to simplify for tomorrow. Everyone – please find a favorite picture book in your library and re-read it and you will see how simple the story is. That should take the pressure off for Day 2.  LOL!

So it was still a successful Day One! Maybe one day I should start a fun challenge for Chapter Books? What do you think? Any suggestions on the format? I still want to do a future NAPIBOWRIWEE REVISION CHALLENGE one day, too. Please post in the comments any thoughts or suggestions you have on this.

Anyway… for DAY TWO… my mantra is: KEEP IT SIMPLE. LESS IS MORE. I’m going to try and figure out a book from scratch with a VERY simple idea. Today’s book may just end up being a good “writing exercise,” but it’s important even to do writing exercises because I’ve been working on novels and scripts all year that I’m out of  practice with the shorter paced and pared down nature of picture book writing.

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NOW… onto DAY TWO! Today’s guest blog features picture book author/illustrator KATIE DAVIS (http://www.katiedavis.com). My questions for her and all our guest bloggers are centered around the theme of the FUTURE of picture books. It’s been an interesting five years since NAPIBOWRIWEE first started in 2009. So I wanted to ask our guest bloggers about their thoughts about the future of picture book writing and the industry.

I hope you enjoy this Q&A with KATIE DAVIS. She is generously donating an autographed copy of her picture book, LITTLE CHICKEN’S BIG DAY for our contest drawing as well (contest results to be posted May 8, 2013).

Remember to post a comment about today’s blog and about your progress on DAY TWO.

(Keep reading after the jump for our KATIE DAVIS guest blog!)

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Welcome to DAY ONE of NAPIBOWRIWEE (National Picture Book Writing Week) 2013! From May 1-7, 2013, we will attempt to write 7 picture books in 7 days. I will be posting a new blog every day by 6 AM (West Coast Time) at http://paulayoo.com/napi

Please post a comment on each day’s blog with any questions or thoughts on today’s blog or about your own NAPIBOWRIWEE 2013 experience. Remember, I will include everyone’s name in a fun contest drawing at the end of this week’s event. Winners will receive fun souvenirs from our store plus autographed books from myself as well as our guest authors! You can also follow me on Twitter @paulayoo and please use the hashtag #NaPiBoWriWee.

PLEASE NOTE: Because I have some work commitments and meetings to attend this week (Augh! Real life gets in the way, LOL!), do not panic if your comments have not been approved for several hours. This just means I’m probably stuck in L.A. traffic. I promise to make sure everyone’s comments are approved in a timely manner, but it may not always happen right away. So please bear with me. Just FYI.

For more information and details on this year’s event, please click on this link to a blog I wrote featuring all your FAQs for NAPIBOWRIWEE 2013: http://paulayoo.com/napi/?p=474

The theme for this year’s NAPIBOWRIWEE is going to focus on the FUTURE of picture books. So much has happened in the book world and the publishing industry since I started this event in 2009. In the past five years, we have seen the explosion of e-Book readers (Kindle, Nook, iPad etc.) plus some radical changes in the publishing industry as the Big Six publishers have merged into the Big Four. Self-publishing has become more popular as an alternate path for writers. People are even taking advantage of Kickstarter and other crowdsource funding sites to publish and distribute their own books. Veteran authors are debating the merits of self-publishing versus the traditional route. Agents and editors are finding it more difficult to sell/publish books in a shrinking world. Even more parents are trying to “skip over” picture books by having their children read chapter books instead, not realizing that picture book reading helps develop certain cognitive skills for younger children.

Phew. That’s a lot of changes in just five years. But one thing has remained the same – NAPIBOWRIWEE takes place every year from May 1-7 where both newbie and veteran authors challenge themselves to write 7 picture books in 7 days. The goal is simply to encourage everyone to have FUN, to overcome procrastination, and to develop the skills necessary to write on a DAILY basis. At the end of the week, we will have 7 rough first drafts that we can nurture and revise until at least ONE of these drafts turns into a submission-ready and hopefully publishable book!

Also, to inspire those of you who are feeling nervous about DAY ONE, here’s some comforting words of advice from Ann Lamott’s famous BIRD BY BIRD book on writing and “s—– first drafts.”

“… S—– first drafts: all good writers write them. This is how they end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts. People tend to look at successful writers, writers who are getting their books published and maybe even doing well financially, and think that they sit down at their desks every morning feeling like a million dollars… that they take in a few deep breaths, push back their sleeves… and dive in, typing full formed passages as fast as a court reporter. But this is just the fantasy of the uninitiated… Very few writers really know what they are doing until they’ve done it. … We all often feel like we are pulling teeth… the right words and sentences do not just come pouring out like ticker tape most of the times. For me and most of the other writers I know, writing is not rapturous. In fact, the only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really s—– first drafts.

“The first draft is the child’s draft, where you let it all pour out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later. You just let this childlike part of you channel whatever voices and visions come through and onto the page…. Just get it all down on paper, because there may be something great in those six crazy pages that you would never have gotten toby more rational, grown-up means. There may be something in the very last line of the very last paragraph on page six that you just love, that is so beautiful or wild that you now know what you’re supposed to be writing about, more or less, or in what direction you might go – but there was no way to get to this without first getting through the first five and a half pages.” (Ann Lamott, BIRD BY BIRD, pgs. 21-22)

For Day One (May 1, 2013), I am featuring a guest blog from LAURI MEYERS. Lauri has participated in NAPIBOWRIWEE in the past and wanted to share some survival tips. What better way to kick off this year’s NAPIBOWRIWEE with Lauri Meyer’s blog on “7 Simple Steps to Write 7 Picture Books in 7 Days”?

Future guest bloggers for this year’s event will include picture book author/illustrator KATIE DAVIS (May 2), picture book author VARSHA BAJAJ (May 3), YA novelist & debut picture book author MARTHA BROCKENBROUGH (May 4), Ford Street publisher/picture book author/novelist PAUL COLLINS (May 5), novelist and picture book author TANIA MCCARTNEY (May 6), and picture book author/illustrator ERIN EITTER KONO (May 7). Contest winners will be announced on May 8th.

(Please keep reading after the jump for our Day One Guest Blog from Lauri Meyers!)

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