Hi everybody!
Welcome to my latest idea:
A kidlit tea party!
Where did it come from?
I heard about a kidlit tea thing going on somewhere in Northern CA.
San Francisco?
Oakland?
somewhere about an hour and a half away.
It sounded AWESOME.
Kidlit people gathering around,
drinking tea,
and talking about their goals for the month.
Then they meet up next month
and hold each other accountable.
I don’t know about you, but I like accountability.
I was bummed that making it up there wasn’t going to happen.
Plus, there was a waiting list to join.
Just today I was putting some of my tea away
and thought about the tea party again,
then
FLASH!
an idea hit me.
Why don’t I host a tea party on my BLOG?
So, how does that work?
It’s pretty easy actually.
I’ll post a kidlit tea party post at the beginning of the month (this month I’m a bit late since inspiration didn’t strike RIGHT on the first!)
where anyone and everyone can leave a comment,
stating their kidlit goals for the month.
I’ll also post at the end of each month, letting you know how I did with my goal,
and you can comment on how you did with your goal.
Do the goals have to be big?
They can be as big or as small as you want.
Maybe your goal is to draw everyday this month.
Or to edit that picture book manuscript you wrote last month.
Maybe you want to write more blog posts,
type up notes for conferences,
listen to more kidlit podcasts,
really, ANYTHING counts!
My hope is that people can connect here,
inspire each other,
and cheer each other on!
Also, at the end of each month I’ll have a prize to give out.
Because, let’s face it, prizes are fun.
There will be a rafflecopter widget then telling you what to do 🙂
So what do you say?
Are you in?
For September, my kidlit tea party goal
is to write at least 10,000 words
and edit at least 5 picture book manuscripts.
I have most of this month off,
and next month I go back to work.
I want to make sure I get some good quality writing done in my free time.
Or just 10,000 words of a first draft. That’s ok too!
There we go.
Simple!
What’s your goal?
Share below!
Also, feel free to talk about tea and cookies too,
since those are important parts of tea parties!
KE
Thanks for the idea, KE!
I’ve been having trouble rewriting my middle grade WIP. It’s been taking much longer than I’d like, partly because it’s challenging and partly because I’ve been procrastinating.
So, for September, my kidlit tea party goal is to finish rewriting and working on the big picture revisions.
Patricia, I follow your blog (though it’s been quiet lately, yes?)!! Do you write in addition to your lovely illustrations?
Hi Jackie!
Thank you! I just followed you back!
I do write. That’s actually why I haven’t posted any new art in awhile. This past year I’ve been tackling my first MG novel as well as several rewrites and revisions of a PB text. But I plan to return to illustration soon!
That’s wonderful! So excited to learn more about your work, Priscilla!
Ditto! It’s so nice to”meet” you!
Wow Priscilla, that’s a great goal!
Revising is REALLY hard. I wish you the best of luck!
Also, I LOVE that you and Jackie are connecting on here.
See?
Connections ALREADY!!!
Thanks for supporting me and the blog 🙂
Thanks, KE! Good luck with your INCREDIBLE goals! If I didn’t know you, I’d be like “Pshaw! This girl’s crazy.” But I do know you, so I also know they’re totally achievable.
Two of my favorite things: kidlit and tea! I would love to have tea with you Kathy!
My Outlaws are visiting this month from across the Pacific (they have been saying that since May, and changed their plans again last minute and so now are supposed to be here on the 17th). This is a poor excuse, but as much as I wish it didn’t take over my life, it does. So in addition to surviving two weeks living under the same roof with them, I would like to add a few other goals.
Post at least 2 book reviews on the Cow’s blog. We managed to read over 40 books this summer and post reviews on the LA County Library site (sadly we did not win an iPad Mini). I even copied most of them over to GoodReads. Hopefully I will surpass this goal, but I don’t know what is in store for me this trip. I fear they are going to try and convince us to move across the Pacific with them (another goal is to see that never happens).
My other goal is to keep reading. I’ve read 120 books for far this year. Most have even been library books (although I have bought the ones I liked best). Let’s shoot for 10 more books before September is over.
This is the hardest one: to actually write something. I got a new pen. It’s a salmon pink roller ball from Lamy. How about 2 pages?
Chris,
I love all your goals and how honest you are about how much time you have.
I have a hard time with that; I try to cram in as much writing and reading as I can, but sometimes it’s life that has to be the focus.
I like all your mini goals in each category.
You can TOTALLY do two pages!
And I think your reading and reviewing goals will be accomplished too!
Good luck!!
My goal is a little bit of a moving target this month, since at some point I’m going to get line edits from my editor. I am hoping with all that is in me that the edits will be small; I’m not sure I can survive much more.
Other than that, I’ve already started research for my next novel (I have a crummy first draft of it). I would be happy if I at least opened the document up this month and figured out some sort of next step for it.
Also, I haven’t had a chance to READ much lately, which makes me feel yucky and out of sync. I hope I can get through 2-3 books in the next few weeks.
Gosh, this was good to put all this down in writing. Eeeek!
Jackie,
I’m glad that you put all this down in writing, eek or not 🙂
That’s why I came up with this idea.
I’ve got a sheet of paper with the goal on it in big letters and I’ve been writing down what I’m doing to reach it.
I like that your goals are a moving target
and that one is you’d be happy if….
You’re a pro at this setting goals thing so I’m not surprised that yours are just what you need!
I hope the line edits go well and that you get to read 4 books!
Thanks KE! Love being part of the tea party!