Have you seen the social media posts from NaNoWriMo writers beating themselves up because they failed to meet their daily writing goals and pen a 50,000 word novel in November? Or they reached their goal but nearly lost their minds in the process? IMHO, those who wrote any amount this month deserve a pat on the back and a hearty handshake, not a load of guilt.
Though I wrote a novel in the past (not during NaNoWriMo, and it took me 5 years to complete), I now prefer to focus on children’s writing. Picture books in particular appeal to me. Wondering whether NaNoWriMo had a kidlit counterpart, I discovered a blogger who tried to get PicBoWriMo going, but it didn’t catch on. Neither did PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month), which in 2016 became Storystorm and moved to January – a challenge to create 30 story ideas in 31 days. That’s a great idea worth pursuing, but it’s not the same as writing actual stories!
After stumbling across a contest for 100-word stories, I recognized an idea even the busiest among us could tackle. You could write just 4 words a day and have a story in a month, but hopefully you could do this in a couple of days. Here are the particulars:
- Write a story with no more than 100 words. Fewer is fine.
- Your story should appeal to kids age 12 or under (although you could also write for adults).
- There should be a main character and story arc; descriptive or mood pieces don’t count.
- It can be a story poem, or it can be prose. (I tend to use fewer words in poem stories.)
There are several good reasons to attempt such short-story writing. First, publishers appreciate picture books that are light on words because that means more room for illustrations. Second, telling stories in 100 words is a lesson in succinctness; you learn what matters and what isn’t really necessary. And third, if writer’s block interferes with your writing goals, switching to a 100-word story can get your creative juices flowing again.
If you find yourself with some free time around Thanksgiving or Christmas, see how far you can get with a holiday-themed 100-word story. If you finish and feel like sharing in the comments below, please do! We would love to see what you come up with and encourage your efforts!
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
**********
Brenda Covert, a member of the Write2Ignite team, has been editing since 2002, first in the educational field and then in the Christian/family-friendly market. Her editing experience goes from picture books to chapter books—including Johanna’s Journey: Call to Freedom (a finalist for the 2015 Selah Award)—to YA novels and adult fiction and nonfiction, including inspirational books and Bible studies.
Brenda has two grown children, a new grandchild, two blogs that she promises to devote more attention to, and more cats than an allergic woman should have! (Want one?)
You can find Brenda online at BrendaCovert.blogspo