In January, I signed up for Storystorm 2021, a free month-long brainstorming event for picture book story ideas. This annual event was created and is hosted by author Tara Lazar.
The Storystorm challenge is to create 30 story ideas in 30 days. Each day, you spend time brainstorming ideas and jot down every idea you come up with, no matter how strange, silly, serious or funny. You don’t have to write the entire manuscript at that moment… simply continue jotting down ideas. Then later, you can come back to your huge list of ideas and work on fleshing out the stories.
Tara Lazar offers daily inspirations on her blog during the month of January to help motivate, spark ideas and get those creative juices flowing. Registered participants can also win prizes!
I invited a few writing friends to join me for the Storystorm challenge. Not only did we have fun, we now have a huge cache of ideas to pull from for our picture book writing. Registration begins every year in late December – I highly recommend marking your calendar, so you don’t miss Storystorm 2022. I’ll be participating – come join me! (Register here)
As a working, single mom of four kids, I slip in precious moments of writing time whenever I can. It’s the weekend writing retreats that have enabled me to get large chunks of writing completed in just a few days. Getting away from household chores, the never-ending to-do list, and the needs of my family in order to have uninterrupted, focused writing time is priceless.
I’ve experienced a variety of different writing retreats and
they are all beneficial in different ways.
As a Group
With my critique group in Netarts Bay.
With my critique group we rent a beach house together for a long weekend every year. We plan ahead for meals (who will prepare meals on which days) and create a schedule to ensure we not only have plenty of writing time but also time for critiqueing each others work, a walk on the beach together, sharing what we’ve learned about the writing industry, as well as a time of group prayer for our writing goals. There’s lots of inspiration, motivation and encouragement at these fantastic retreats.
One on One
In my writer friend’s RV in the woods, writing all weekend.
I’ve gone with another writing friend, or with my mom or my oldest daughter. I’ve stayed in a variety of locations – in an RV in a wooded park, on the beach, or at the mountains. I’ve also stayed at a friend’s in-law’s home, utilizing their guest room. When it’s one on one, the schedule is a bit looser as we simply accommodate each other’s needs, checking in now and then to see if we should take a break and go eat, or if we should review each other’s work.
This one on one time allows for extended brainstorming with each other, presenting ideas for feedback, strengthens friendships, and allows us to dig deep into sharing the heart and goals of our writing.
Alone
A gorgeous view from my beach studio.
I’ve gone for weekends alone to a beach studio. This results in the highest volume of writing, but I’ve learned I need to ensure I have plenty of snacks, ready and nearby, otherwise I’ll get so immersed in my writing that I will forget to eat!
Regardless of the amount of people or the location of the retreat, the result is always the same. I return home refreshed, content with the progress I’ve made and eager to schedule the next one. Find a way to schedule your writing retreat, you’ll be glad you did.
It’s very exciting when your book is finally
published and you are holding it in your hands. You put a lot of time and
effort into this project and now it’s time to let others know about it! One way
to get the word out about your book is to enter contests. There are so many
contests available, it’s just a matter of sifting through them to determine the
best fit. Benefits of entering your book into contests:
It’s a fantastic way to get more
exposure
It builds credibility for your book if
you win or are a finalist
You may win a prize (or two or three!)
You have positive news about your book
to share on social media
Some contests have ‘winner’ stickers you
can place directly on hard copies of your books
Be aware that most contests have fees and specific guidelines
to follow when submitting your book.
I’ve included links to a variety of contests, however, some may have closed, changed names, etc. Take some time to research and determine which contests are the best fit for your book:
