Sketch the Story! Contest: And the Winner Is... Plus Other Updates!

I am sure that you are dying to know who won my first-ever blog contest! Stay tuned--the winner will be announced on Monday, May 14th!

I successfully completed my first NaPiBoWriWee writing 7 picture books in 7 days. Many thanks to Paula Yoo for hosting this event and helping me to find my "inner Zen". I learned that I can shut out the world and be creative under even the most undesirable circumstances. Need a boost to your creativity and/or discipline? Take a writing challenge!

 

My daughter was just notified that she is a 2012 State Finalist in the Letters About Literature Contest for the third year in a row. She is pretty excited, but has informed me that wants to win next year. I am really proud of her. She loves to read and is turning into a great little writer. Onward and upward, Halima!

Next week, there will be more great interviews, guest bloggers, and book reviews. I hope that you will stop by to see who is visiting The Writer's Block! (There will also be an exciting announcement about a project I've been working on!)

Keep your pen to the paper! Remember, inspiration is everywhere...

Updates from a Whirlwind of a Week!

I hope you all had a happy Friday! After an exhausting day spent in the real world, I promptly collapsed into deep slumber. I did very little posting, but here are some updates for those of you who are interested:

Pending Book Reviews: I will be reviewing several books this weekend that have been submitted over the last month or so. I typically prefer to do them in batches--it just helps me focus on them a bit better. I will email the authors when I have posted to Amazon and Goodreads, as well as provide the dates they will be featured on this blog.

NaPiBoWriWee 2012 Update: This challenge has been one of this week's highlights for me. I am right on schedule and story ideas are a-flowin'! On day 3, I wrote about the joys of a toddler who has the flu, and last night I penned a silly take on the big sister-little sister relationship. Who knows what today will bring? Come back for more updates!

Sketch the Story! Contest: I am grateful to those who took the time to enter my first contest or share the information with someone else. Stay tuned for judging next week!

Author Interviews: Look forward to some great author interviews to run over the next several weeks as part of The Writer's Block series. I am scheduling run dates today and will be notifying authors who have submitted completed interviews. Read some of the more popular posts and take a look back through the archives. You might even recognize a name or two. Maybe you will be featured next?

Thank you so much for your support! I started Raychelle Writes on July 13, 2011. In the time since the inaugural post, my blog has creeped over 13,000 page views and has 67 members! We have conducted over 75 author interviews since January of this year, hosted several guest bloggers, helped promote a few Kickstarter projects, and even reviewed a few children's books. I have many, many ideas for new content, but I would like to hear from you. What do you want to see on Raychelle Writes?


Okay, I have papers to grade (I'm a homeschooler), a guest blog to write, and four articles to crank out (for the "day job") on top of some illustration work and everything listed above. Gotta' run!

Keep your pen to the paper! Remember, inspiration is everywhere...

Smart Girls Like You: Sneak Peek!

(Smart Girls: Able to complete tall piles of homework in a single hour!)

(School supplies are a must-have accessory!)

(Surely this sort of thing never happens in a classroom!)

Since I am close to completion, I thought that I would share a few illustrations from the 5th book in my "Like You" series, Smart Girls Like You. This book and its companion, Smart Boys Like You, will be released this summer in time for back-to-school. Enjoy!

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Update! I already have Day #3's manuscript in the can, more or less. I have committed to trying a different theme each day. So far, I have written about a moody baby, a hungry bird, and a sick toddler. Who knows where tomorrow will take me? This challenge has been a great creative departure from my current projects and I am having a ball! Who else is taking the NaPiBoWriWee 2012 challenge?


Keep your pen to the paper! Remember, inspiration is everywhere...

Why Are Published Authors So Busy?

In her blog post, "Life As A Published Author", literary agent Rachelle Gardner addresses why signing a publishing contract means more work, more responsibility, more challenges, and added pressure. So much for the limelight, glitz, and glamour--life on the other side requires that you roll up your sleeves and really get down to business. But, I bet that the rewards are worth the sacrifice! Read on and then decide for yourself.

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Life As A Published Author

This week I’m answering questions from readers, and today I’m responding to Megan, who was curious about why published authors always talk about being so busy. What’s taking up so much of their time? Megan’s trying to decide if she’s really ready to take on everything publication would entail, since her life is pretty full already.

I think Megan’s smart to consider this. Sometimes the dream of finally being a “published author” is different from the reality. So here are a few hints.

Life is going to get harder, not easier. There will be so much to do that you never really thought about. The minute that publishing deal is done, you might begin receiving requests from the publisher. Do you have a video we can show our sales reps? Can you send us your thoughts on cover design? Do you have any other ideas for your book title? And that’s just the beginning.

You’ll be busier than you can imagine. If you’re contracted for multiple books, consider that 18 months from now, you may be simultaneously trying to promote book #1, edit book #2, and write book #3. All on top of your current job and family responsibilities.

The writing itself can be more challenging. This may be the first time you’ve written under contract and under deadline, especially in book-length works. If you’ve always written on your own schedule, with no one to please but yourself, it could be a rude awakening.

The necessity for marketing can be daunting. You already know you’ll need to be doing everything you can to engage your tribe, using social networking and anything else at your disposal. Around the time of a book release, the time commitment can be overwhelming.

Did you get an advance? Staring at a blank screen is a totally different thing when people have already paid you money for words you haven’t written yet.

Are you ready for the pressure? Are you ready for the demands on your time and energy? What are you doing to prepare yourself for your dream coming true?

What does the “dream”of being a published author look like for you?

Read the original post here: http://www.rachellegardner.com/2012/05/life-as-a-published-author/
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Don't forget! National Picture Book Writing Week (NaPiBoWriWee 2012) starts today. The challenge is to write 7 picture books in 7 days! I'm in! Are you?

Sketch the Story! Contest deadline for entry is Friday, May 4, 2012. Details here!

Keep your pen to the paper! Remember, inspiration is everywhere...

NaPiBoWriWee 2012: 7 Picture Books in 7 Days! I'm In! Are You?

National Picture Book Writing Week was founded by author Paula Yoo. Starting on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, new and veteran children's picture book authors will accept the challenge to write one picture book per day for 7 days. I am thrilled to be participating in my first NaPiBoWriWee and I invite you to join the fun! You can get all of the details on Paula Yoo's website.

So, forget about editing spelling mistakes, poor grammar, and lousy mechanics. Throw caution to the wind and let your imagination fly! Write the stories you always wanted to read as a child. It's NaPiBoWriWee! Are you in? Game on!

Keep your pen to the paper! Remember, inspiration is everywhere...