National Picture Book Writing Week (NaPiBoWriWee) Kicks off May 1st...

NaPiBoWriWee (National Picture Book Writing Week) is author Paula Yoo's answer to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Paula is challenging writers to create 7 Picture Books in 7 Days.

Here's the scoop from Paula:

• All NaPiBoWriWee participants should register on her website (www.paulayoo.com) and comment on her blog every day with their own progress.

• From those who participate in the first annual NaPiBoWriWee Paula will select a winner at random on the 7th day--that winner will receive an autographed copy of her latest picture book, Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story.

• The basic rules? Just write 7 complete and separate picture books in one week. Each picture book must have a clear beginning, middle, and end. There is no required minimum word count because picture book lengths can vary from 50 words to 2000 words, depending on the genre.

• During NaPiBoWriWee Paula's blog will feature picture book writing tips and encouragement and updates on my her progress, plus links to Three Silly Chicks who will also be providing similar helpful blog tips.

• Everyone is encouraged to promote NaPiBoWriWee on blogs, websites, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter. Paula only requests that you link to her website.

• And for those NaPiBoWriWee participants attending the SCBWI Annual Summer Conference in L.A. in August, Paula will arrange an informal gathering during the event so NaPiBoWriWee writers can meet and celebrate their picture book writing achievement.

Click here for complete NaPiBoWriWee rules.

Blogger of the Week:
Casey McCormick, Literary Rambles...


The "About Me" on Casey McCormick's blog Literary Rambles describes her as an "aspiring author, amateur photographer, coffee craver, and (tired) mother of two–trying to find my place in the writing world . . . join me," she says, "as I struggle and thrash against the bonds of my doubt and insecurity." I'm certain her bio resonates with many writers who include Literary Rambles on their online reading lists. Here Casey talks about the evolution of her blog and offers terrific advice to other writers on making their way in the blogosphere.

How long have you been blogging and what prompted you to start? What did you hope to accomplish?

I had been blogging on and off for about six years (never regularly or well) before I started my writing blog in April of 2008. I had recently joined the Absolute Write forums and thereafter found myself reading the blogs of both published and unpublished writers. I was immediately
sucked into the time-consuming black hole that is blog stalking (but not in a creepy way, I promise!) The kid lit community is just amazing and full of awesomeness, but I doubt I need to tell anyone reading this blog that!

What did I hope to accomplish? In the beginning I had no idea what I wanted to do with my blog. I wanted a presence in the writing community and was happy to remember to post once a week or month or… ever at all. I considered myself a terrible blogger but I wanted to be like all the
other cool kidlits. My very first blog post says “new” in the subject line and “encourage” in the body and that’s it. That’s how much I didn’t have to say. A year later, I’m blogging almost daily and Literary Rambles has definitely taken a more professional turn. Looking back on the first six months of my blog is like looking at my first manuscript, i.e. cringe worthy.

What kind of posts can readers expect on Literary Rambles? What are your regular features?

I didn’t have any regular features until I started something called “Wednesday’s Word Count” late last year. After a post I wrote about goals and how beneficial they are to writing, I decided to create a weekly post where we could publicly state our writing goals as a means of encouragement and motivation. It hasn’t been extremely popular, but it’s always there, and it helps me to know that I have at least a few eyes on my weekly word counts.

More recently, I began a feature called “Agent Spotlight,” which is significantly more popular. The idea behind Agent Spotlight was to condense the task of researching an agent into a blog post. I find whatever information I can including interviews, quotes, preferences, pet peeves, realistic response times, etc. and then try to include what people are saying about the agent, whether good or bad. I openly invite readers to post their experiences with the spotlighted agent in the comments (even anonymously, if they prefer) or to e-mail me if they feel I should have the information prior to the post’s launch. Those go up on Thursday and I really can’t wait until I have a large list of Spotlights for writers to reference.

Beyond those weekly recurrences, I post helpful links, random publishing news, contests, questions, goals, the occasional article on writing, and whatever else I can come up with to keep me blogging. Recently some friends and I have been doing a 30k in 30 (one) Days writing challenge, which you could consider a concept-cousin to NaNoWriMo, and I’d love to do more challenges like it in the future.

Your blog lists other places readers can find you online. Do you participate in other blogs and in what capacity?

The only other blog I actively belong to is a group blog called Flashy Fiction. What is it? Seven writers give flash fiction prompts seven days a week. It’s a ton of fun and a great place to practice or loosen up for a day of writing. We keep it very low-key and nonjudgmental. Writers of every caliber are welcome as long as they respect the rules, which are under the 411 link on the sidebar. My prompts go up on Tuesday.

I love your To Read Montage. (I have two giant and precarious nightstand stacks myself.) How quickly do books move to your Reading spot on the blog?

Not fast enough! It really depends on the book and the amount of time I have for reading. Isn’t that always the case? Some books I’ll read in hours, others take me a few weeks. I try to read a minimum or two or three books a month but I certainly wish I had time for more.

Could you offer some advice to writers new to the blogosphere?

If you’re interested in networking and building a platform for little more than time, then definitely get into blogging. Just remember that whatever you say reflects back on you. No matter what you post on your blog, keep an underlying tone of professionalism. If you’re journeying toward publication, your blog will eventually be a means for publishing professionals to assess you as a person, and the person behind the pages matters, too.

Also, give your blog time to grow. You’ll probably start off slow and that’s fine. I did. I have a post on my blog called “Blog Topics for Writers” that you can find here if you’re stumped. The best way to get a following, at least in my opinion, is to give as much as you take. Get out there and participate in the blogging community. Comment on other writer’s blogs, but don’t bother unless you have something genuine to say. After you get into the swing of things, try finding something unique to offer your readers. If you’ve got something good, word of mouth will be your vessel from there.

If you’re not the blogging type or just don’t feel ready, I’d encourage you to at least make a profile that you can comment from. Beyond the joyous advantage of making friends, you can make a name for yourself so people will recognize you later if you ever do start a blog or become
published.

Blog of the Week:
Cuppa Jolie...


Jolie Stekly answered a few questions about her blog, Cuppa Jolie, in the midst of a Western Washington SCBWI Retreat. (She was about to walk out the door to pick up Patti Lee Gauch when I emailed her.) Jolie, a former elementary school teacher, is currently a Regional Advisor for the Western Washington SCBWI and has just finished revising a NaNoWriMo rough draft.

Tell me a little about your blog?

I have a What the Buzz? section on my blog where I say: “In this blog I chat with baristas about books, interview authors, buzz about coffee spots, and blather about writerly issues and the other stuff on my mind.” Really, I mostly blather. This is actually a great personal reminder that I need bring some more focus to the first three.

When I started Cuppa Jolie, I decided to combine all the passions that collide in my writing life: books, coffee, and people. Plus, I had some sort of delusion that as I started to interview authors at cool coffee spots, they’d start to invite me to get together with them at their favorite places. Crazy, I know, but one can dream. Really, I dream about one day chatting with Judy Blume over lattes and pastries as I secretly pinch myself because I was talking to my childhood fave. Hey, crazier things have happened.

Cuppa Jolie debuted in August. Wy did you decide to start blogging?

Peer pressure. Really. It started with the cutest couple in the children’s book world, Laini Taylor and Jim DiBartolo. For a good year, every time I saw them, they’d ask me when I was going to start a blog. They wouldn’t leave me alone about it and it became quite obsessive—okay, maybe I’m exaggerating, but they convinced me I should do it. Laini and Jim couldn’t say enough about the ways it’s helped them connect with the larger children’s book community. And, you know, they were right. I’ve been amazed at the connections and friendships I’ve made in a few short months.

What would you say is the purpose of your blog? As a new blogger, did you learn anything helpful at the Portland conference?

A purpose? Yikes. That makes it seem like what I’m doing, what I’m saying/writing, is important. Like it might matter to someone else. Well, actually, I hope it does, even the silly stuff. If I can make someone say, Hey, I do that, too! or I have days like that! or even if they just laugh or nod their head, then good deal. Not only does it make me feel good, but I hope it does for those reading.

A purpose not intended but has been great: Letting my family (across the country) get a glimpse into my writing life which is quite separate from my personal/family life. (Hi, Grandpa! Love you.)

As for the Kidlitosphere Blogging Conference in Portland, I almost didn’t attend, but I’m so glad I did. One of my biggest takeaways from the conference—comment on other blogs. Before I started blogging myself, I read many, but never commented. I mentioned in one of my posts that I almost felt like a stranger peering in a window, not wanting to get caught, not wanting the blogger to know I was curious. I have a completely different attitude as a blogger. I LOVE when people leave me comments, not only that, but if you’re a blogger yourself, it’s a great way to start getting to know others in the industry. So comment!

Can you give any advice to writers just beginning to create a presence in the blogosphere?

That’s a tall order! But the first thing that comes to mind is to dive in and go for it. Also, be yourself. This actually makes me think about a session at the conference presented by the wonderful and very successful blogger, Mother Reader. While I may have just said to dive in, do think it over a bit (just not too much or you might never do it). Find your niche; find your purpose and what will work for you personally. Another huge piece of advice Mother Reader shared was to consider a group blog so that the responsibility can be shared. But now that I spilled all that very well-intended information, I’m not sure if I’ve followed a bit of it (other than being myself).

Blogging is fun. I think it was one Miss Alice Pope who commented early-on in Cuppa Jolie’s history and told me it’s addictive. You’re right, Alice. It really is.