National Picture Book Writing Week Challenge Update...

Day 6:
I woke up and right away, I knew the pressure was on. I had two days left to write four picture books (first drafts) and I'd already started and abandoned three stories that were going nowhere.  Then, I remembered a monkey character idea I had... YES!  I plowed through 441 words of prose, but ran out of steam and went to bed early, leaving myself 3 books to write the next day.

PiBo #4 - (441 words in prose): A very badly written PiBo with a fun plot about a monkey with a physical challenge that he has to learn to overcome in order to save the day.  Cute idea, but needs A LOT of work.

Day 7:
WHAT???? Three picture books in ONE DAY???? Can it be done? Well, I happened to know the answer was yes, since I wrote my last 4.5 stories in one day last year. And being the competitive soul that I am, I took that challenge once again and worked my patootie off.

PiBo #5 - (223 words in lovely rhythmical rhyme): A bedtime story inspired by my very own darlings. VERY SWEET and definitely my favorite of the bunch.

PiBo #6 - (123 words in simple prose couplets): A very gentle rhythm that asks and answers that curious question, where do babies come from... on a toddler/preschooler level, of course. This one is very sweet too, but needs to be revised desperately.

And.... drum roll, please....................................

PiBo #7 - (131 words in rhyme): At this point, I had just over an hour to write an entire picture book (first draft) and I was getting desperate.  I took the easy way out and did a rhyming ABC book about squishy, squashy, icky, sticky treats, like caterpillars and such. YUM! I finished just in time for my midnight snack :)

A huge thank you to PAULA YOO for hosting this awesome challenge for us picture book writers (and wanna bees). Even though Paula had a crazy week, being the co-producer of the TV series EUREKA and all, and wasn't able to meet her 7 book challenge for herself, she set the platform for many, many, MANY other people to give it their best.  And truth be told, having 2 or 4 or 6 new drafts is quite an accomplishment for any picture book writer.  The honest truth is that none of us failed if we managed to come out of the week with even ONE new manuscript draft.

Until next year... (or my next post)... Peace out!