Do You Speak PiBoIdMo? I Do and You Should, Too! by Kathy Halsey

PiBoIdMo? No, it's not some strange foreign language, but if you write picture books or if you need new ideas, PiBoIdMo is for YOU!

Put away that pumpkin pie, crack open a notebook, rustle up some new ideas for the month of November. Voila, you have PiBoIdMo!
This will be my third year to participate, and I have new friends, new ideas, and daily inspiration during a month when shopping and eating take center stage. Speaking of eating, here's my recipe for PIBoIdMo.

Recipe for PiBoIdMo

1. Check out our "Martha Stewart," chef/creator of this challenge for daily picture book idea a day here. Tara has concocted some wonderful PBs herself with a plethora of ideas, including monsters (THE MONSTORE) and fairy tale mashups (LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD.) See her books here.

2. Next, add yourself to the mix and join PiBoIdMo for 2015. Remember to click on Tara's blog beginning Oct. 25 to join in on the fun. 

3. Ingredients you will need to bake a month's worth of ideas include:

• Create a set time, anywhere from 10-30 minutes daily to get your ideas down in writing. 
• Add a format to capture those ideas. Here's a snapshot of a form I use. 
  
  Some days I complete the entire form; other days I draw pictures or jot down ideas. 
• Add one open mind-don't edit ideas, just get them down on paper. Somehow titles get my juices flowing.
• Spice it up by adding a journal. I began a process journal that helped me look back at what I was doing. I did not force myself to journal everyday, but being aware of my process helped me.

4. Share the recipe! Invite writer friends, teachers, and students to join in! Having folks to hold you accountable helps ensure a sweet success.

Middle school student in a Writers' Club reads some of my PiBoIdMo ideas from 2014