All of the content of Write Up My life, and all new posts, are now available at http://www.juliehedlund.com/julies-blog. Please be sure to follow me there and update your RSS feeds.
See you over there!
Posted in Writing on May 6, 2012|
All of the content of Write Up My life, and all new posts, are now available at http://www.juliehedlund.com/julies-blog. Please be sure to follow me there and update your RSS feeds.
See you over there!
Posted in Writing on May 3, 2012| 2 Comments »
I’ve finally gotten my brand new website up and running! Please come visit me at http://www.juliehedlund.com.
I’m a little sad to leave Write Up My Life behind, but it was time for a new look and a new URL. Not to worry about all the blog content though. It has ALL been transfered over to my new blog — http://www.juliehedlund.com/julies-blog/. I am installing a redirect that should, post by post, redirect users to the exact same content on the new blog. I will, however, need some time for testing so there may be some broken links for a day or so. If I have any problems correcting them, I will re-post here so you’ll know.
IF YOU HAVE ME IN YOUR BLOGROLL or you know you have a link to the 12 x 12 challenge via your participant badge, it would be best for you to update the links to the new site. For the blogroll, use http://www.juliehedlund.com/julies-blog/. For the 12 x 12 challenge, use http://www.juliehedlund.com/12-x-12/.
FOLLOWERS: I don’t want to lose any of you! Please read below to see how you can keep following me at my new site.
PLEASE COME BY AND FOLLOW ME AT MY NEW WEB HOME! 🙂
Posted in Picture Books, Poetry, Writing, tagged Book Spine Poetry, Julie Hedlund, National Poetry Month, Poetry, Writer, Writing on April 25, 2012| 50 Comments »
The other day, when I was procrastinating taking a much-deserved break from working so hard, I realized I hadn’t done anything to celebrate Poetry Month. I’ve of course seen the many book spine poems that have circulated over the past couple of years and decided to try my hand. But I made it more challenging by limiting my choices to only those on my desk – my writing books. I got two that way. Then I realized I hadn’t seen anyone build a book spine poem with picture books, so I tried a couple of those. Here are the results.
Beware lest you try this at home. Once you start, it becomes impossible to walk by your bookshelves without seeing potential spine poems. It’s quite addictive! 🙂
The creative dreamer,
Writing from the heart, faces
Mortification?
Funny you should ask.
Writers dreaming have
Second sight,
Writing magic.
Take Joy!
Escaping into the open, to
Incognito Street.
Save the Cat!
The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot,
The Mixed-Up Chameleon,
And Me … Jane
Journey to the Haunted Planet
Swirl by Swirl.
Can you hear it?
Chasing Degas,
Belinda begins ballet
One winter’s day.
Posted in 12 x 12 in 2012, Picture Books, SCBWI, Works in Progress, Writing, tagged 12 x 12 in 2012, Julie Hedlund, Julie Rowan-Zoch, SCBWI, Tuesday 12 x 12, Works in Progress, Writer, Writing on April 24, 2012| 62 Comments »
Today’s Tuesday 12 x 12 author, Julie Rowan-Zoch is practically a neighbor – a fellow Coloradan! I was glad to read this post because I realized (the horror!) that I wasn’t following her blog. I’ve certainly rectified that and encourage you all to follow it too. She’s only been blogging since March and is practically a poster-child for launching a blog well. Please welcome Julie!
My Classroom: the 12x12in’12 Challenge
“Are you really serious about writing that picture book?”
“Yes!”
A friend was learning to be a creativity coach and needed a guinea pig. She helped me to create an overview of what it would take and a plan of execution – and kicked my butt! But uncontrollable tragic events shook things up in 2011, and slowed me down. My friend helped me give myself permission to let go of the creative process and put things away for a while. I continued developing skills, mostly through reading, which pulled me up and kept me going.
When she saw I was in need of more to focus on she packed up art supplies, drove me to a local garden and said, “Paint.” I have since been enamored with watercolors and continue to learn on my own.
My ‘coach’ talked me into joining SCBWI and I found an illustration contest to participate in. Viewing other entries through Diandra Mae’s Unofficial Gallery of the Tomie dePaola Award (http://scbwicontest.blogspot.com/), led me to fellow participant websites where I kept seeing sidebar badges over and over, and the cute illustration on the 12x12in’12 badge intrigued me most. As soon as I read through the guidelines I signed up. I thought it was crazy, but hey, just a rough draft? I can DO that!
Participating really got the juices flowing! And daily contact on the facebook page has had an enormous effect on my self-discipline. I am now reminded of how much more I can learn in a classroom than alone from a book. The 12x12in’12 Challenge has become the classroom I needed. The solidarity, the sharing of ups and downs, tips and warnings, and above all joy – all these things have become a lifeline.
Back in (pre-computer dark ages) art school (FIT in New York and Hochschule fuer bildende Kuenste in Braunschweig, Germany) one of the strongest
influences on the betterment of my own work was learning to critique my classmate’s artwork and learning to accept and work with the criticism I received. This is no different and equally necessary in my writing.
Despite great effort within my local SCBWI Schmooze group I couldn’t get a PB critique group going (though I am now on the verge!), so I literally had no one to bounce my thoughts off of. Through 12×12 I also have 4 ‘VIPs’ – Hi Kirsten, Jen, Jodi and Rena! – to do that with! I also love the stories shared from all over: Andi’s tornado warnings, Joanna’s aperitifs, Miranda’s African trek, Erik (the kid himself is amazing!), walking with Diane in Aotearoa…and all the new baby pics!
In March I completed my first PB dummy and entered it for the SCBWI Don Freeman WIP Grant, and thanks to Susanna Hill and Punxsutawney Phyllis’
World Tour, I started a blog, which I am unexpectedly getting a big kick out of!
So why stop there? I recently decided to raise the ante of my illustration efforts by posting weekly on http://www.illustrationfriday.com, much like Rena Traxel’s A-Z: 26 Poems in April, using a given word for inspiration.
I still feel as energized now as I did starting 12x12in’12 four months ago! When I go to the local Schmooze meetings I feel informed and up-to-date, and able to contribute – which is huge considering I only started attending a few months before starting the challenge!
The images I have included are digital (AI): the profile pic really does look like me, and the squirrel is part of a series I am trying to launch in Café Press – stay tuned!
At this point, and forever more, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Julie Hedlund and all my fellow Challenge-mates!
Julie Rowan-Zoch is a graphic designer morphed by motherhood into super-volunteer, spun into a pre-pubbie cocoon, soon to spread wings as a writer and Illustrator of children’s books. Designer is only one of many jobs she has held: caterer, bartender, art teacher, pre-school teacher, cheese wrapper, gardener, house cleaner, and co-creator a local-biz coupon book! Raised on Long Island, NY, matured in Germany, unfolding in Colorado. Find her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Artist-Julie-Rowan-Zoch and her blog: http://julierowanzoch.wordpress.com.
Posted in Writing on April 10, 2012| 59 Comments »
Having grown up in Michigan, I have a soft spot for Michiganders, especially those who write for children. So I am pleased to welcome one such woman as today’s Tuesday 12 x 12 author — Jennifer Rumberger. Jennifer is an active and helpful contributor to the 12 x 12 Facebook group and does a great job of supporting other authors by participating in Perfect Picture Book Friday and Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Welcome Jennifer!
It started with PiBoIdMo 2011. I don’t even remember how I came across the challenge. Probably one blog lead to another and there it was! Coming up with one picture book idea a day seemed fairly doable, so I signed up. Through the month of November, I came to know many new published and pre-published writers. When Julie started floating the idea of the 12×12 Challenge, I couldn’t resist. Having goals and deadlines definitely does help me stay more focused. And the close-knit community is so helpful and caring, and that was before the challenge even officially started!
But let me backtrack a little. I’ve been serious about my writing for almost three years now. My first step was to take the introductory course with the Institute of Children’s Literature. I learned so much and started to dip my toe into the writing pond.
After about six months, I joined SCBWI which was one of the best decisions I ever made. The conferences I have attended in Michigan have been so inspiring, and the writing community I am now a part of truly has been a blessing. Many say writing can be lonely, but being a part of a community of writers takes care of that.
This past fall I started my blog and another community of writers opened up to me. I have met some wonderful writing friends and critique partners. Someday I hope to meet them all in person!
I definitely have to thank my husband and two sons for supporting me through this journey. They have given me the time to write when I need it, and my boys love to listen to the story ideas I bounce off them. Having a built in critique group at home definitely helps too, even though they can sometimes be TOO honest!
As I continue on my writing journey, I look forward to strengthening the relationships I have already forged and meeting many more new writers. And to all you fellow 12×12’ers, best of luck the rest of the year!
Jennifer Rumberger is a wife and mom of two very active boys. She is an administrative assistant during the day and a children’s writer in her free time, which can be at home or at one of her boys’ many sports practices (never during games!). She has been published in a handful of children’s magazines and is working on a middle grade novel and her 12 x 12 picture book manuscripts. She also loves to read! You can find out what she’s reading by checking out her blog www.jenniferrumberger.com.