35 Comments »

1. How am I preparing? I’m not. Well, at least I wasn’t.
   I’ve blogged about it here: http://madelinebarr.blogspot.ca/2012/04/im-doing-it-again-i-must-be-crazy-but.html

   My update since the blog – I have 1 idea. Yup, just one. I’m sure (I hope) more will pop into my head soon.

   Good luck everyone!

2. How am I preparing? I teach kindergarten and my kinders are giving me some great ideas!

   • That’s awesome you teach kindergarten ClaireAnnette. I am a K-12 substitute teacher, so I agree – students and classrooms can inspire some great ideas! Good luck!

3. I am so excited to take part in the 2012 NaPiBoWriWee. I am a complete newbie, so to prepare, I’m going to read all the posts/ interviews from last year. I’ll also be spending the weekend scouring my house for those scraps of paper with ideas written in the middle of the night, in waiting rooms, and at the bus stop. I would like to know what your idea of a NaPiBoWriWee manuscript looks like. I’m sure it’s rough, but how rough is considered reaching the goal?

   • Hi BookishAmbition! Glad you are prepared for the event. To answer your question, I would say the rough draft should at least have full sentences. I think as long as the draft doesn’t read like an outline, you should be okay. (For example, a sentence like “The cat will either chase a ball here or bite the dog’s tail” is more of an outline suggestion than an actual draft. In a draft, you have to make a choice as to what your characters do, so go for it and have the cat chase the ball for now and you can always revise it later. I hope this makes sense. 🙂

4. I am brainstorming to come up with a working list of ideas in advance. I am excited to see where my imagination takes me each day!

   • I’m excited too! 🙂

5. This is going to be awesome! Coming fresh off of National Poetry Month and a crazy shelf challenge (slmshelfchallenge.blogspot.com). Looking forward to centering in on my manuscript writing along with lots and lots of others doing the same.

   • I love the shelf challenge from poetry month, thanks for letting me know! Good luck here too! 🙂

6. Hi all! I’ve been prepping plots for days now – but this is my first ‘official’ post on joining. Super excited for this challenge. Thank you, Paula, for the opportunity!

   • Welcome aboard, looking forward to your posts about your adventures this year too!

7. I’m sorting through my NaPiBoIdMo list of ideas. Getting excited.

   • Sounds like PiBoIdMo was a great advantage for you for this year’s NaPi! 🙂

8. I’m a bit behind between adopting a puppy a week ago and lots of family illnesses, but I’ve always loved NaPiBoWriWee, and can’t wait to see all the new picture books I’ll write this year.

   Thanks so much for putting this together for us, Paula!

   • Sorry to hear about the illnesses but happy to hear about the future adoption. Maybe a picture book this year about the puppy? 🙂

9. I’ll be joining in! Just announced it to others in Germany + Austria via FB Friends of SCBWI Germany + Austria 🙂

   • Wow, Austria and Germany! Thank you Kirsten!!!!

10. Am a newbie to this. Had heard of NaPiBoldMo, but not this. VERY COOL. I have lots of new ideas now that I just completed tons of revisions on my last PB, so although I am getting an ‘all-of-sudden’ start tomorrow, I am excited to see what blooms. Thanks, Paula.

    • Hi mlkimberley! Hope your ideas have blossomed into great drafts! 🙂

11. I’m in! Have done no prep, but will look over some of my PiBoIdMo ideas.

    Thanks, Paula!

12. Okay! I’m ready to rip-roaring-go for my first PBM. Thanks 🙂

13. Aloha!
    I’m ready for another great NaPiBoWriWee.
    I am writing according to one publisher’s guidelines in order to give me more focus.
    Beth

    • Beth, how did that work out with the pub guidelines? Would love to hear more. Good idea!

14. Relaxing so as not to block the next big idea!
    Thanks Paula.

15. I just found this and I think I’m going to go for it. I haven’t written a picture book so I’m just hoping to get through a few this week.

    Good luck everyone.

    • Good luck Tricia! Even if you can get one done, I’d be THRILLED! 🙂

16. I’m in and can’t wait. Debating whether or not to stay up until midnight tonight to ring in the NaPiBoWriWee. Maybe I’ll just close my eyes and think of ideas until midnight. I’m sure that will work.

17. Just remembered what today is!! Excited. I missed it last year. Raising the mighty pen to all you PB writers. Best of luck!!

18. I love this challenge. I haven’t stopped brainstorming since PiBoIdMo so I have an ongoing list of ideas to choose from this week. Sometimes it just takes a little challenge to get me to actually turn those ideas into picture books. Thanks, Paula! If anyone needs a little brainstorming boost, check out my Preparing for NaPiBoWriWee blog post at http://www.alisonhertz.blogspot.com/2012/04/preparing-for-napibowriwee.html

    • Thanks for your kind words and the blog Alison. Hope you are having fun!

19. I’m in. YIKES! A little nervous about coming up with 7 books in 7 days! Looking forward to the challenge of it for sure!

20. This feels like divine inspiration to me as I’ve had a picture book idea in my heart for over a year that I need to get on paper! Just to have it written will be a great personal joy and accomplishment, whether or not anything further comes of it. Thank you so much!

    • YES JULIE! This is what I LOVE to hear. Get that idea down on PAPER. You never know what it might lead to next. Please keep us posted on your writing adventure!

21. Hi! Wow! So excited to see everyone’s comments! Congrats to those of you who finished Day One already! It’s around 4:30 PM and I just got home from work. Going to spend the next few hours writing and will report back on my progress. I will also post the Day Two blog on Tuesday May 2nd by 8 AM PST. Off to my NaPiBoWriWee bat cave. Be back soon! Thanks again everyone for your awesome comments! cheers, Paula 🙂

22. Hello Fellow Picture Book Writers!
    Since Tuesday, I have three, very rough, picture books done! Yippee!
    It is refreshing to get new thoughts and ideas onto the page instead of constantly rewriting and editing old ones!
    Thanks Paula, for the challenge!
    Lori