Just a few days left in this year — it’s hard to believe. I’m about to embark on Alayne Kay Christian’s Writer’s Whole Life Perspective life-coaching challenges, and will be starting with her challenge to list 31 achievements of 2012. Don’t worry, I won’t list all thirty-one here! I do want to take a look at the past year, though, and see where it has led.
To do that, I’m going to focus on three categories — my involvement in online communities, my blogging, and my writing.
Here we go…
Online Communities — There are several online communities that have come to mean a great deal to me over the past year or so.
The Children’s Book Hub and the Children’s Book Hub Facebook Group are certainly at the forefront of those communities for me. I learn so much from Emma’s Expert Interviews and Question and Answer sessions each month. This year we’ve heard Emma interview authors from varying genres within kidlit, we’ve heard from publishers and agents, and recently heard from a man who is an actor, director and theatre professor about how acting practices can inform our writing and our presentations. Needless to say, that one was right up my alley. The Children’s Book Hub Facebook Group is particularly dear to me. I so appreciate the way many of the 197 members make the effort to share posts and participate in discussions. As regular readers of my blog will know, Emma Walton Hamilton is the founder of and driving force behind the Children’s Book Hub. She graciously granted me an interview in June.
12×12 in 2012 and the 12×12 Facebook Group have also been key in both my development as a writer, and my general enjoyment of life this year. The 12×12 link I shared is to guest blog posts by 12×12 members on leader Julie Hedlund’s blog. Reading even a few of those will give you a good idea of how much 12×12 means to the participants. If you want to read my guest post, click here. I have made good friends through this group, I have learned much about writing, and to my amazement and delight, I have written 14 picture book drafts. Some of them are better than others, of course. A couple of them are well on their way to being polished manuscripts. As I mentioned, Julie Hedlund is the founder and leader of the 12×12 group. I enjoyed interviewing Julie in June.
The other online community I want to particularly mention is the Perfect Picture Book Friday group. If you’ve been around my blog very much at all, you’ll know that nearly every Friday I post a review and activities for a picture book. There is a whole community of bloggers who do this faithfully — there are usually about 20 picture books posted on any given Friday. This has become an amazing resource, with about 800 (and counting) picture books listed in the master list. We have promotional bookmarks (I took some to a library today, and the library staff I talked to were delighted with them and want more!), and we hope parents, teachers and librarians will find this a useful way to find good books to share with their kids. I was delighted to interview the founder of PPBF, Susanna Leonard Hill, in November.
Blogging — This blog will soon be one year old, although I have been blogging for several years on other platforms. My first post here on By Word of Beth was on January 4, when I set forth my writing goals for 2012. Since then I’ve added 256 other posts, I’ve participated in comment challenges and posting challenges, I’ve met and interacted with some wonderful people, and I’ve explored topics that mean a great deal to me. Through the “Wednesday Worthy” series that ran for the first half of the year, I discovered I enjoy doing interviews, and to date have posted 20 interviews here with interviewees as diverse as a picture book character, two young creative kids (scroll down past the birthday story), an Alexander Technique instructor, a symphony conductor, and a theatre director. You can find links to all the interviews in the sidebar to the right. I’d like to express my gratitude to all those who agreed to interviews. I’d also like to express my deep gratitude to my readers — your presence and your comments mean so much to me! Thank you.
Writing — I began the year expecting to be ready to start submitting manuscripts to agents early in the year. That has not happened, as I realized my manuscripts weren’t ready for that step. I have worked on my writing skills over the year, I have had critiques and evaluations, I’ve learned immensely from the class with Kate McMullan that I participated in at the Stony Brook Southampton Children’s Literature Conference, and I know my writing is stronger for all this.
Besides the 14 picture book first drafts I mentioned writing as my response to the 12×12 challenge of writing 12 drafts in 12 months, I have revised and polished other picture books, I have a middle grade novel that will soon be ready for submission, I have a few chapter books that I’m mulling over, and my adult novel is progressing. I had hoped to participate in a writers’ mentorship program with my adult novel, but that didn’t work out. That is life in the writing world. I’ve entered a couple of writing contests that I am waiting to hear about — whether or not I am successful in those, doing the writing and actually submitting were valuable in themselves. I’m also greatly enjoying a collaborative writing project with my friend, Jan. That is a treat we both look forward to nearly every Friday.
It’s been quite a year. On Monday, as the old year ends and we look forward to the new year beginning, I’ll look at my hopes and dreams for the coming year.
If you didn’t click through to Alayne’s blog post “Just Say No to New Year’s Resolutions” that I linked to at the beginning of this post, I urge you to do so at some point. In the spirit of that post,
what are some things that you want to celebrate as you look back over the past year?
Beth, I am so proud of all of the accomplishments you’ve made this year. The communities you mentioned have become such an important part of my life. I mean, who could’ve known the relationships that were meant for us! So much for which to be thankful! Here’s to more blessings for you in 2013!
Thank you, Pam — I’m so glad we’ve connected in the past year, and that those online communities are now an important part of your life, as well. All good wishes to you for 2013!
Beth, that’s a tremendous list of achievements. I can’t believe you have time for both picture books and novels. I’d love to hear more about your middle grade project. Here’s to a productive 2013!
Thanks, Kirsten. Not having an outside job, nor family members to care for, gives me a lot more writing time. Here’s to a productive 2013 for you, as well!
You’ve accomplished SOOO much in 2012. And that’s just referencing what you’ve mentioned here. I’m sure there’s so much more for your list.
Releasing Neverlove has been a huge accomplishment for me. Self-publishing, and trying to work toward a relative level of success with it, is no laughing matter, but it is also pretty nice. I’ve got many milestones to achieve, many stories to write, but I pray for 2013 to be a great year for not just me, for all of us working hard to share our love of words with others 🙂
Joyful holidays!!
Thanks, Angela, and congratulations on all you’ve done with Neverlove — well done!
All the best to you for the holidays and the new year!
I’m glad that 2012 had me starting my blog and connecting more with other writers. I don’t remember where this title was, but once I read an inspirational article titled “Jet Pilots Don’t use Rear View Mirrors” and that’s how I feel about 2013. Always looking forward, not back!
Happy New Year, Beth.
I’m so glad you’ve been able to connect with us online, too, Wendy! Here’s to a great 2013!
Beth, thank you for carrying “31 Just For Fun” forward on your blog, and thanks for sharing your 2012 successes. It is a pleasure and an inspiration to see all that you have accomplished. The wonderful thing about your accomplishments is they spread out and touch other people, and those inspired people touch other people, and so on. Your accomplishments certainly have touched me. If not for you, I would not have been aware of The Children’s Book Hub FB group, where I have learned so much and met so many wonderful writers. Thank you, Beth, for all that you do. I wish you many more successes in 2013.
Thank you so much, Alayne! I’m so looking forward to our continued connection in the new year, and to all you have to offer on your blog. Here’s to a great 2013!
These are amazing accomplishments, Beth! I am so grateful to the writing community, especially the one formed by Tara Lazar and Julie Hedlund. Without them I wouldn’t have met you and the Children’s Book Hub. I,too, am participating in Alayne’s challenge and didn’t quite make a list of 31. Instead, I wrote a year-at-glance type post. I love your reflections of the year. Congratulations to your FB group, your 12x accomplishment, your blogging and writing!
Thanks so much, Romelle! I think Alayne’s challenge is such a good one. Here’s to a great 2013 for us all!
I’ve enjoyed spending time with you in 2012. I look forward to 2013. I always enjoy your blog — the books, the interviews, the information. It’s all excellent.
Thank you so much, Stacy. The feeling is mutual. Here’s to a great 2013!
You’ve got a lot of writing projects on the go, that’s wonderful! It has been wonderful getting to know you better this last year and I look forward to continuing on our writing journeys next year. Happy New Year!
Thanks, Catherine — it’s been so good getting to know you better this year, too. Here’s to next year! Happy New Year to you and yours!
Congratulations, Beth, on all you’ve accomplished this year, and thank you for all you bring to the various writing communities we both belong to. It sounds like 2013 will be a wonderful year for you, with so many mss on the brink of being submission-ready. I’m sure you will find success! Best wishes for a healthy and happy 2013 filled with writing success! Looking forward to sharing the journey 🙂
Thank you so much, Susanna! It is so good having you as a friend and encourager-along-the-way. Here’s to a great year for you, as well!
Great job! Good luck in 2013!
Thanks, Erik! Same to you!