Our very own Debbie Ridpath Ohi has a book on the New York Times "Notable Children's Books of 2012" list !!!! Check out I'M BORED and all the other great books that made the list HERE. We're so proud of you, Debbie! (Don't forget us little people. :-) )
If fact, I like to joke that I’m not happy unless I’m UNhappy about something. But favorite pastime aside, this has been one of those weeks when I’m sure I must be on a soap opera or maybe trapped in a YA book. It started with needing bifocals and ended with being put on high blood pressure medication. (Ok, so maybe not so much YA and more like AARP. :-) )
But as challenging as it’s all been, it’s almost Thanksgiving and I’m feeling grateful for many things. And I’d like to take a moment and celebrate a few things:
My super talented critique partners - Andrea, Christy, Debbie, Kate, and Susan - who not only make me a better writer but a better person as well. (And who are really good listeners.)
My agent, Marie Lamba, who always makes me feel like a rock star even though I know that’s not true.
Sites that teach me so many thing or just bring me joy. Sites like:
Editors who work tirelessly and patiently to make us look good.
Everyone who shows up to read this blog.
That the first draft of my new book is done. (I really hate first drafts. I’m a revision kind of girl.) That I have a new non-fiction book coming out next year.
And I’m especially grateful for The News That Shall Not Be Shared (yet) :-)
More news from the MiG Writers! The sixth (and most mysterious) member of our group, Susan J. Laidlaw, now has a new website and blog.
Susan is the author of the soon-to-be published YA novel, An Infidel in Paradise.
Her first ever blog post gives us 10 reasons Why Writers Shouldn't Blog. I love this quote from her post:
"We need to be told enough is enough, it’s time to stop, your dog is going to expire if you don’t get off the couch and feed her."
I can so relate to this! I have to admit, there are times when I've actually forgotten to pick up one of my daughters from an activity because I was busy writing (it's good to remind teenagers that their mom's not a taxi, right?)
Anyway, I'm getting off topic. For more about Susan's new book and her take on being a writer, visit her new blog and website.
Today's the first day of NaNoWriMo, also known as National Novel Writing Month! The goal: to write 50,000 words in one month.
I'm a NaNoRebel this year, but my friend Errol Elumir and I are doing daily NaNoWriMo comics over on the NaNoToons site.
There are many experienced writers out there who hate the idea of NaNoWriMo, or think it a waste of time.
As I mention in a blog post today, my take is as follows: it depends on your motivation, situation and expectations. If I had to offer one piece of advice for NaNoWriMo newbies, it would be this:
Whatever you do, do NOT send out your NaNoWriMo novel right after you've finished at the end of November, no matter how excited you are about it.
If you wrote it in hopes of getting it published, then put it away for at least a few weeks and then start working to polish it. If you can wait until March, then participate in NaNoEdMo (National Novel Editing Month).
My other piece of advice: Have fun with it. If it's not fun, then why participate? If you find yourself falling further and further behind in wordcount, building up stress and guilt and self-loathing, then maybe NaNoWriMo is not for you.
Although I've done NaNoWriMo in the past AND had fun with it, I've found the timing just hasn't worked out for me in recent years because I'm always away for a big chunk of November. So I make my own motivation as well as finding other ways to vicariously enjoy NaNofun....like doing NaNoToons. And being an extra in the 6-part web series about NaNoWrimo, NaNoMusical! First episode just launched, and I appear in a few scenes :-).
So is anyone else participating in NaNoWrimo, PiBoIdmo (Picture Book Idea Month) or one of the other November writing challenges?
