May Events



There are a host of great bookish activities at the beginning of May, but I've committed to


Join Screen Free Week May 1-6, 2017

As part of my pledge to be screen-free, there will be no Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, Wednesday Quote, or Perfect Picture Book Friday postings this week. There are a host of bookish online and community activities you should know about if you aren't eliminating the tech.

Children's Book Week

Support Every Child A Reader
Poster by Christian Robinson

7 mauscripts in 7 days
Paula Yoo's NaPiBoWriWee

Star Wars Day

If you are interested in celebrating screen-free, I've rounded up some suggestions.

• Green Child has a checklist of 50 non-tech activities for you and your family.
• This is the perfect week to catch up on your reading, dabble in some of those crafts or recipes on Pinterest, or create some lasting family memories.
• If you haven't prepped ahead of time, take a trip to the book store: there's nothing better for getting your kids on board than letting them pick out a new book. If it's DIY, then follow up with a trip to the craft or hardware store.
• Stuck inside? Visit your local game café to get addicted to the latest tabletop offerings.

My recommendations? Build a tree fort, bake cookies, play Zooloretto, or dive into a new book series like The Uncommoners, by Jennifer Bell.

 

And don't forget to stock up on Star Wars comics and games for May the 4th!

 





What are you waiting for? Get off the internet and get screen-free!
See you on May 8th.





Read, Write, Celebrate

Follow the link to participating stores

Support your local bookseller. Go book shopping today!
And advertise your preference with swag featuring the Indie Bookstore Day 2016 logo


No need to sign up, just have to show up.
Follow @paulayoo  for updates

Join me and other Kidlit authors during NaPiBoWriWee, May 1-7, 2016.
Founder Paula Yoo encourages with informational posts as we nail down seven picture book drafts in seven days. Isn't your writing life worth the effort?
Be warned, NaPi has a new location on the web. If you're new to the event, you may want to scour the archives from previous years for inspiration.



Follow @CBCBook

'Hope you voted for your favorite reads because May 2-8 is Children's Book Week. Turn out to see which books made the cut, how to promote literacy in your community, and be sure to pick up plenty of swag.

 

Practice Makes Progress

"Knowledge is not skill. Knowledge plus ten thousand times is skill.”
-Shinichi Suzuki*

Gorgeous graphic bookplate by Tasariname

*Via Erin Eitter Kono on Paula Yoo's blog

Did You Finish NaPiBoWriWee?

Did you participate in Paula Yoo's National Picture Book Writing Week?

How many stories did you draft?

Mark your calendar for May 1-7 2016

I was able to finish well with two wordless storyboards, five first drafts, one rewrite of a previously unsuccessful manuscript, and three false starts which showed me those PiBoIdMo ideas may not be picture books after all.

If you didn't accomplish as much, that's okay. It's not easy. This was my third year of NaPiBoWriWee. I have a system in place and was able to do some prep back in March. This event was particularly important to me this year, and so I put aside other important projects to focus on Napi almost exclusively. Just don't ask me how much illustration I finished in the last two weeks.

Feel like you missed out?

Why not join me and dozens of other writers as we take up the next challenge?

Register for the NonFicPic WOW 2015

Seven days of drafting, just like NaPiBoWriWee, but this time writing your nonfiction picture book ideas.
There's still time to register and research, outline and organize. Find helpful resources on Kristen's website. Join the Facebook group and dig in!

May 1 Means NaPIBoWriWee Is Here!

Follow along for the next seven days as we attempt to write seven complete picture book drafts. 

Don't miss out. Find more info on Paula Yoo's website.

National Picture Book Writing Week

Paula Yoo and NaPiBoWriWee

Y is for Yoo*

NAPIBOWRIWEE is coming!

Be prepared. National Picture Book Writing Week is nearly upon us, thanks to the talented Paula Yoo.

Are you ready for the week-long writing event?
There are still a few days to get organized.


Here are some ways make your week a success:

• Pre-post a few key posts for your blog, or put aside your regular schedule and blog (briefly) about your progress. 
• Buy lots of Hot Pockets and Ramen noodles.
• Read picture books. Paula's fabulous Shining Star, the Anna May Wong Story or Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds, the Sammy Lee Story are great books to start with. 

Illustrated by Lin Wang

Illustrated by Dom Lee

• Find seven story seeds now. Grow those seeds into ideas May first through the seventh. This is the week to put in the sweat equity.  
• Don't panic if you don't have fleshed-out ideas, pick great endings or great beginnings. Scour your PiBoIdMo Journal. Work toward that great beginning, or find a happy ending before the day is finished. 
• Allow yourself a wretched first draft. That's all you are working toward each day.
• Start early in the morning. Try to get a draft on paper. If it flows, great, if one or more parts are a little fuzzy, rewrite. If that does't bring a part into focus, do the dishes, bake cookies, or mow the lawn.
• If all else fails, free write and see what happens.

As Paula would say,
"Write like you mean it!"

Here's a pudding cookie recipe from Chef in Training for you to try. I hope it gets the creative juices flowing.

If the Shabby Creek Cottage can make 30 freezer meals in one afternoon, you can make 7 to sustain your family while you write . . . just in case.



NaPiBoWriWee logo courtesy Sandy Tanaka

Seven Picture Books in Seven Days

It's that time of year! Spring has sprung and Paula Yoo's picture book writing frenzy is nine days away. Join us as we participate in National Picture Book Writing Week 2014, now in its sixth year.

Sign-up now!
Logo courtesy Sandy Tanaka

Have you participated in years past? Have you completed the challenge? Have any of your drafts from last year turned into worthwhile manuscripts? Share your thoughts and successes. I'd love to hear from you.

S is for Seven*

*Follow the A to Z Challenge

NaPiBoWriWee 2013

Paula Yoo's National Picture Book Writing Week challenge is just eight days away.  I'm going to prepare by prepping an idea a day from now until the end of the month.  I had no idea how to prep last year, so I stalled out mid-week.  (Or is that "mid-Wee"?)  I am determined to achieve all seven drafts this year.  How about you?  Did you participate in 2012?  How many drafts did you write?  Where are they now?

Logo design by Sandy Tanaka 

I found a thorough list of writing resources in Paula's archives which may interest some of you.

You can read my summary of the event with links to more info.

As always, you can psych yourself up with cool writers' paraphernalia at the official shop.

NaPiBoWriWee

Logo design by Sandy Tanaka 

We are three days into NaPiBoWriWee  2012, the brain child of Paula Yoo.  May 1 - 7, 2012 is officially known  as National Picture BookWriting Week.  Pronounce it nah-pee-boe-ree-wee (although "rye-wee" is acceptable.)  

Four years ago, Paula Yoo needed a way to promote her new book and a way to get herself back on track toward her next book.  She came up with NaPiBoWriWee.  The goal is to write one rough first draft of a picture book each day for seven days.  Read all about it at her blog, buy a T-shirt to commemorate the event, or view her great interviews, but don't hang out too long, because you've got manuscripts to write!