HALFWAY on the 12 x 12 in ’12 PB Challenge!
June 30, 2012
It’s been a party-worthy ride!
Wow! Can’t believe I’m halfway along on Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 in 2012 Picture Book Challenge.
This shows you how far I’ve come…and thanks to some special authors who encouraged my journey.
- I used to think PB meant ‘peanut butter’
- I used to think only unpublished authors suffered from time management chaos
- I used to think Maxwell Smart was the only agent I could ever get
- I used to think Mucky Middles only existed in poorly baked biscuits (thanks Emma Walton Hamilton)
- I used to think work and play were like oil and water – you couldn’t mix them (thanks George Shannon)
- I used to think that blog tours were trips you went on in the Everglades (thanks Katie Davis)
- I used to think endings should be neat and clean and ‘conclusive.’ (thanks Tara Lazar)
- I used to think writing rhyming was so reckless it was ‘rong (thanks Debbie Diesen)
- I used to think that getting four wonderful authors’ advice in a day would kill me (thanks Jennifer Ward, Linda Ravin Lodding, Sandy Asher and Susanna Leonard Hill)
But I’m alive, and writing, and thriving in my writing. Thanks Julie, for this wonderful party!
35 Comments
leave one →
SevenAcreSky 
How wonderful to remind us all of our lessons learned so far! SO glad to have you in the challenge!
How wonderful to remind us all of our lessons learned so far! SO glad to have you in the challenge!
So glad to be here Julie, as are hundreds of us. You’ve done a wonder…really, you’ve done a wonder here. Smile deeply, you deserve it.
LOVE your series of ‘used to’s’, Damon. Thanks for reminding me how much we have learnt!
Haven’t we all learned a lot! Congrats Joanna on your journey’s moments.
I enjoyed this post and it made me laugh. Congrats on making it through to the halfway mark and here’s to the next six months!
Donna L Martin
http://www.donasdays.blogspot.com
I am glad I brought a laugh into your day, Donna! Laughs are healthy. May all our days have laughter.
Lovely shout out to all our 12x guides along the way!
Wonderful guides indeed…each author post and share, as well all 12×12 participant posts and replies, makes my stories roll forward in my mind and get tweaked on the fly!
What a fantastic way to pay tribute to all the wonderful people who have helped us along the way thus far, and to all we have learned over these first six months! Here’s to the next six months!
Beth, they deserve a tribute. To take time from their writing, their regular lives, and share with us is such a wonderful gift. It’s like CHRISTMAS all year long!
How cute is your list?!?!?! I just loved it and got quite a few laughs! Congrats on your progress.
Congrats back, Penny. Just recalling what I’ve learned has been so motivating.
How fun! Love your PB discovery!
Thanks Tina, I feel like I’ve come so far!
LOVE your list and especially the one “I used to think Maxwell Smart was the only agent I could ever get!” Hahahhaaa. Wishing you a great second half of 12x12in2012 Picture Book Challenge!!!
Back to you Sheri, love this whole process. I happened to think some may not remember that venerable agent of bumbling wit!
Okay, I just have to say that “I used to think PB meant peanut butter” might turn into a blog entry for me… Cute, clever, and so chewy.
Yes Deb, chewy and crunchy! I’ll watch for that blog post, take off with it!
Congratulations! And I used to think coming up with 12 PBs in a year was crazy, but we are halfway there. Great list! Very creative and fun.
Romelle, I never imagined either such a thing was possible! We proved ourselves wrong! Congrats!
It’s been great to get all of the advice and tips from so many wonderful authors during this challenge! Happy Halfway! 🙂
Happy Halfway back to ya’, Rebecca! Thanks for the comments.
What a great post! Had to tweet it onward. Thanks for the invite! Wholehearted congrats at the halfway mark!.
Thanks Julie for tweeting the post forward. Onward to Dec 2012!
Great list! Thank you for the reminder and congratulations on making the halfway point.
Heather, it was a short list! So much more I’ve learned. Thanks for the comment.
Now this is a well thought out blog post. I love the connections with humour.
Wishing you great success as we enter the last six months of 12×12 in 2012.
Success to you as well, Lynn. It’s a great opportunity for a new writer like me. All the seasoned authors, all the experience replies are so encouraging and instructive. Julie really created a good thing with this 12×12 in 12.
I agree wholeheartedly! Getting the inspiration to write a pb draft (or more) each month is only a small part of the wonder of Julie’s 12×12 challenge. Reading the posts of visiting authors, illustrators and editors and having the opportunity to link up and connect with over 400 others who love picture books has been amazing! Oh, and I shouldn’t forgot all of the super cool prizes that get handed out! 🙂
Congratulations on the first 6 months…and best of luck in the second half of 2012…happy writing!
This was a fun post! Loved the mucky middle one. Congrats on how far you’ve come – I still can’t believe it’s been half a year already.
Also, thanks so much for the comment you left on my blog! You don’t know how much that means to me!
Thanks for sharing…we all learn so much from each other! More to learn coming up in the next 6 months.
Congratulations! I have grown so much in my knowledge and creativity in the past 6 months thanks to many of those you mentioned. The FB group has also been such a resource for inspiration! Hooray for halfway! May the next 6 months be just as successful for you 🙂
And also for you, Loni!
Thanks for stopping by my blog…. love your post! A good way to celebrate and give thanks.. Best wishes for the next round!