Welcome to the Chapter Book Challenge 2020! #ChaBooCha

Welcome to the 2020 Chapter Book Challenge! For those of you who are new to the ChaBooCha, I will explain the details of the writing challenge.

The Chapter Book Challenge, otherwise known as ChaBooCha, first ran in 2012. It runs every year in the month of March. The challenge is to write one completed first draft of an early reader, chapter book, middle grade book or YA novel in the month of March, starting on the 1^st of March and finishing on the 31^st of March.

During the month of March, there are helpful blog posts from published authors, agents and publishers to help members hone their craft, and there are prizes available throughout the challenge.

ChaBooCha has a very relaxed atmosphere where members help each other to achieve writing goals. You can sign up on the website using the sign-up form, and you can also join the Facebook page for updates and information. There is a Twitter page at and members interact with one another throughout the year in the Facebook group.

It is completely free to join the Chapter Book Challenge. 

ChaBooCha's mascot: Nabu the badger

You also might be wondering about our logo. The Chapter Book Challenge logo is all about our mascot Nabu the Badger. Nabu loves to read, and he is really looking forward to all of the new chapter books, middle grade books and YA books that are going to be written and published as a result of this year's ChaBooCha. Nabu was named after the Babylonian patron god of scribes, wisdom and literature. Nabu became our "mascot" back in 2014, just two years into the Challenge.

ChaBooCha Regional Ambassadors

The Chapter Book Challenge has been growing year on year and, there are some things I cannot do because of the restrictions of my location, such as meet-ups. As a solution, in places where there are more than just one member, ChaBooCha has Regional Ambassadors. 

ChaBooCha regional ambassadors are the people who coordinate Chapter Book Challenge events within their region. In order to become a regional ambassador, there first needs to be more members in your region than just you, and your main duties are to arrange write-ins and meet-ups with other members within your region and also to spread the word about the challenge within your region.

Promotional materials, when they are in the budget, get sent out to our Regional Ambassadors, and printable files will be sent as well. A special RA badge will be created for RAs to use on their blogs and websites, if they so choose. Regional Ambassadors will receive a ChaBooCha RA badge to wear in their first year of joining as an RA and in their second year as an RA, they will receive a ChaBooCha keychain. As things move along, there may be more perks added for RAs. 

If you think this is a role you might like to take on within your region, send me an e-mail. (There is only one RA per region, but they may choose a co-RA.)

Teapot Tales anthologies

To help fund the challenge, from prizes to advertising to RA gifts, we have created a series of anthologies with stories all written and donated by members of the challenge. There are currently four Teapot Tales anthologies available for purchase. Proceeds from sales of the anthologies go towards funding the Chapter Book Challenge. The anthologies can be found on Amazon. There were also two themed anthologies written and contributed to by past members which also help fund ChaBooCha: Ghostly Echoes (Halloween-themed) and Jingle Bells (winter holiday-themed).

Teapot Tales: Volume 1

Teapot Tales: Volume 2

Teapot Tales: Volume 3

Ghostly Echoes

Jingle Bells

Chapter Book Challenge 2020 badge

One Week into the Challenge - How are you doing? #ChaBooCha

Image from Pixabay.com

We are already one week into the challenge. How is everybody doing? No matter where you are in the process, as long as you are thinking about your book, then you are making progress (but it helps if you have actually managed to get some writing done too). I'd love to hear what kind of progress you are making in the comments below.

I'd like to recommend that you check out some of the posts on here from previous Chapter Book Challenges. We've had some very helpful posts from authors and agents such as Carole Blake, Becca Puglisi, Angela Ackerman, Adam Wallace, Tamora Pierce, Darren Shan, Nancy I. Sanders, Lee Wardlaw, Patti Larsen, Wendy Orr, C. Hope Clark, Yvonne Navarro, Nancy Holder, Kimberly Griffiths Little, Emma Walton Hamilton, Kimberly Kinrade, K. M. Weiland, Jo Michaels, Lisa Cherry, Karen Pokras Toz and more.

The first week of writing a new book is usually the time when you are brimming with ideas and excitement for your new story. If your lucky, that enthusiasm will carry on into the second week. But for many, the second week is when your enthusiasm begins to fade, when the words start to come more slowly and when you begin to feel like the writing of your story is more work than fun. But don't let the fading of enthusiasm make you give in. Your story can still be written and it will become fun again as you continue writing. Your characters will have a way of surprising you.

Let me know how it's going for you and as always -
Happy writing!

Book Release: The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Book One: Return to Coney Island by Melissa Stoller

I'm happy to be able to have ChaBooCha member Melissa Stoller announce her book release here (see below).

*****

BOOK RELEASE POST – THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION –

BOOK ONE: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND

By Melissa Stoller

Illustrations by Callie Metler-Smith

Release date July 24, 2017

On March 16, 2017, I wrote a blog post during The Chapter Book Challenge titled “Working Your Way Through ChaBooCha 2017." On May 23, 2017, Chapter Book Challenge hosted my cover reveal. And now I couldn’t be happier to announce the book birthday for my debut chapter book series THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION – BOOK ONE: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND!

It’s a story about nine-year-old twins Emma and Simon who thought they were going on an ordinary sleepover. But when they shake a snow globe from their grandmother’s collection, they are transported to Coney Island in 1928. After a series of adventures, including a ride on the world-famous Cyclone roller coaster, they must help their great-grandparents meet according to family legend on the Coney Island trolley. Otherwise the twins might never be born! This story is very dear to me as it’s based on the meeting of my own grandparents, Jessie and Jack. I pitched the manuscript to Callie Metler-Smith, Publisher at Clear Fork Publishing/Spork, as The Magic Tree House book series meets the Back to the Future movies. And luckily she loved the story as much as I did!

After many years of writing picture book drafts and collecting rejections (with time in between writing parenting articles and a parenting resource book), I finally got back to writing for children. I started to write this story as a picture book but realized that a longer story was just waiting to be told. So I turned to the chapter book format – and that made all the difference. The Chapter Book Challenge and courses such as The Chapter Book Alchemist with Hillary Homzie (through Mira Reisberg’s Children’s Book Academy) helped me hone my craft. And my critique groups – I can’t say enough about my writing pals who worked with me through various drafts of this project! The love and support from my husband, Larry, and three daughters Zoe, Jessie, and Maddie, inspired and encouraged me to keep going! And my mother Connie (Jessie and Jack’s daughter) has always been my first and best reader and editor! Check out my Dedication and Author’s Note to learn more!

Wait until you all see the wonderful illustrations by Callie Metler-Smith. Aside from being my publisher at Spork, Callie is also an incredibly talented illustrator. I had ideas about what the characters and scenes would look like, but Callie’s imagination and vision for this project surpassed my expectations and really brought the story to life!

And now this book is out in the world! What started as a story based on the lives of my grandparents will hopefully touch the hearts of many children. I’m so excited to start doing school visits and book signings. I hope the children I meet will realize they can “make good things happen” in their everyday lives, just as the twins Emma and Simon did in the story. And I hope the book will inspire children and their families to dig deeper into their own histories. I include a Book Club Guide so families can connect through discussion questions and enrichment activities, an easy snow globe project, a recipe, and ideas for further topic research.

Stay tuned for BOOK TWO – THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE, where the twins shake another snow globe from their grandmother’s collection and are transported back to Philadelphia and San Francisco in 1915. Along with a young Great-Great-Aunt Lucy, they must help the Liberty Bell get back on track. Releasing from Spork in April 2018!

And finally, a huge thank you to Becky Fyfe for hosting the Chapter Book Challenge and for featuring me on her blog! And cheers to everyone writing chapter books . . . I look forward to seeing where this journey takes you!

*****

Melissa Stoller is thrilled to be a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge! She is also an Admin for The Debut Picture Book Study Group. Melissa is the author of the debut chapter book THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND (Clear Fork Publishing, July 24, 2017); the debut picture book OLIVE’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH (Clear Fork, March, 2018; and THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE (Clear Fork, April 2018).  She is also the co-author of THE PARENT-CHILD BOOK CLUB: CONNECTING WITH YOUR KIDS THROUGH READING (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009). Melissa writes parenting articles, and has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, and early childhood educator. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and one puppy. When not writing or reading, she can be found exploring NYC with family and friends, travelling, and adding treasures to her collections. Find Melissa online at www.MelissaStoller.com, MelissaBerger Stoller (Facebook), @Melissa Stoller (Twitter), and Melissa_Stoller (Instagram).

Cover Reveal: The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Book One: Return to Coney Island by Melissa Stoller

I’m so excited to announce the cover reveal for my debut chapter book, THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION – BOOK ONE: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND. The book releases on July 25, 2017!

It’s very appropriate that Becky is hosting this reveal because I wrote the first early draft of the manuscript during the Chapter Book Challenge in 2016! I participated in the challenge as an author new to the process of writing chapter books. I really enjoyed spending the month brainstorming ideas and writing alongside others who were pursuing the same goals and facing the same obstacles. Next, I enrolled in The Chapter Book Alchemist course with Hillary Homzie through Mira Reisberg’s Children’s Book Academy. Hillary’s online course and critique helped me with character development, pacing a chapter book, and so much more. I subsequently enrolled in the Chapter Book Blueprint course, further refining my work. In Chapter Book Challenge 2017, I made great progress on the manuscript for Book Two: THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE!

I’m so grateful to the Chapter Book Challenge community – everyone is incredibly supportive and it's heartwarming to know that an entire group of like-minded authors is rooting for you to succeed. So thank you to Becky, and to the rest of this wonderful community. I can't wait for next year’s challenge and for ChaBooCha Lite in September!

So here it is, the cover, illustrated by the very talented Callie Metler-Smith. Callie is also my publisher at Clear Fork Publishing. I’m thankful to Callie for publishing this book series, and for contributing her beautiful art. I love how Callie captured the Cyclone Roller Coaster that’s featured in the story. The Cyclone is encased in the snow globe and it also forms the background of the cover, representing the worlds inside and outside the snow globe. I feel like Callie read my mind about what Emma and Simon should look like – their expressions are perfect. And I’m so happy with the fonts and the glittery snow in the globe and at the upper left corner. Callie includes so many evocative details . . . I can’t wait for you all to see the inside illustrations as well!

I’m thrilled to include a sneak peek of the back cover draft text as well:

They thought it was an ordinary sleepover . . .

When nine-year-old twins Emma and Simon shake a snow globe from their grandmother’s enchanted collection, they’re transported back to Coney Island, New York, on June 24, 1928. According to family legend, that’s the day their great-grandparents meet. But if events don't work exactly as they’re supposed to, the meeting won't take place and the twins might never be born. After a day of adventures – from the Cyclone Roller Coaster to the boardwalk arcade and finally to the fateful Coney Island trolley ride – will the twins help make it happen? VOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the LibertVOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the Libert

VOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the LibertVOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the LibertVOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the LibertVOYAGE OF THE IDEhelp the LibertmLOBE]ringing the Liberty Bell to California. When trouble brews, will the twins help the Libert

I hope you’ll follow my writing journey at www.MelissaStoller.com and sign up for my blog at www.MelissaStoller.com/blog. And of course l hope you look for my book starting on July 25^th!

Cheers to all the authors working on their own chapter books! I look forward to reading your stories!

*****  

Melissa Stoller is an avid collector of snow globes, sea shells, stories, and other treasures. She lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and a mischievous puppy. THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION – BOOK ONE: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND is Melissa’s debut chapter book. Her debut picture book, OLIVE’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH, will be published in March, 2018, also by Clear Fork Publishing/Spork. Melissa is delighted to be a Regional Ambassador for the Chapter Book Challenge!

Connect with Melissa at:

Facebook – Melissa Berger Stoller

Twitter - @MelissaStoller

Instagram – Melissa_Stoller

Pinterest – Melissa_Stoller 

One week until ChaBooCha 2017 begins!

It's almost time for Chapter Book Challenge 2017 to begin! I hope everyone is excited to start working on their stories!

Have you come up with an idea yet? An outline? Or are you just going to wing it and see what comes to you when you sit down with that blank page?

We have some exciting guest posts coming up, and I'll give you a list of the authors who will be guest posting as soon as our month of writing begins.

There will be prizes, including books on the topic of writing and even a Kindle Fire tablet. As the month begins, I'll post up the new Chapter Book Challenge badge for you to use on your websites and blogs.

If you haven't signed up already, go to the sign-up link above and sign up for the challenge. There is also a Facebook page you can follow and a Facebook group you can join. You can even find ChaBooCha on Twitter.

Happy writing!

The Second Week #ChaBooChaLite #ChaBooCha

We've already reached the second week of the Lite challenge. How are you all doing with your stories?

The second week can often be difficult, because the first rush of the idea and your opening scene are done now and you have to start getting from one point in your story to the next. If you've outlined your story ahead of time, you might find this stage easier, but for those of you who, like me, create the story as you write it, you might find the writing comes to you a little bit more slowly now. You'll have to think about the story and where it is going before you write these next scenes.

Feel free to browse through previous posts here in the blog if you need some help or inspiration. ChaBooCha guest authors have covered a lot of topics during past challenges.

Give-away

And now for this week's prize:

Some of you might know that I, occasionally, create book covers: some for books I publish and some for clients. Here, you can see some examples of the covers I have created in the past. I am, by no means, the best at cover creation, but my covers do appeal to readers.

I'm offering, for this week's prize, to create a *book cover for one winner. You need to comment on this post to enter. The winner will be drawn by a random number generator drawn from signed-up members who comment below. The winner will be announced on September 30th.

*I work with photo-manipulation. My style might not be right for the book you are creating, but you are under no obligation, if you are the winner, to use the cover I create. I will do my best to come up with something that reflects the title and theme of your book. 

Welcome to ChaBooCha Lite 2016 #ChaBooChaLite

ChaBooCha Lite is another chance to write an early reader, chapter book, middle grade book or YA novel within a month. The premise is the same as the premise of March's Chapter Book Challenge. (The Lite challenge will have less prizes and less guest blog posts.) You will still be trying to write your book during the 30 days of the month, but instead of running in March, ChaBooCha Lite runs in September.

It's also completely acceptable for you to finish a book previously begun or to edit one you have already written, as long as you complete the work in September.

It's another chance to challenge yourself, and to give yourself a deadline for writing your book. Want to join us? Sign up here.

There will be some prizes during the challenge, mostly hand-made ones.

Grab a badge form below and feel free to share it on your blog or website! (Different sizes provided.)

Teapot Tales: Volume 4 - Now taking submissions #TeapotTales #ChaBooCha

Teapot Tales: A Collection of Extraordinary Fairy Tales (Teapot Tales: Volume 4)

Do you like to write fairy tales?

Every year we bring out a new volume of our Teapot Tales anthologies with proceeds to benefit the Chapter Book Challenge. This will be the third volume and the theme is returning to fairy tales.

The stories are flash fiction (minimum word count 300 words/maximum word count 1,000 words) and are to either be a new take on an old fairy tale (sometimes called twisted fairy tales or fractured fairy tales) or completely new fairy tales.

Submissions are only open to Chapter Book Challenge members (it's free to join and the sign-up sheet is on the ChaBooCha blog). Previous Teapot Tales anthologies are "Teapot Tales: A Collection of Unique Fairy Tales" (Teapot Tales: Volume 1), "Teapot Tales: Pirates, Mermaids and Monsters of the Sea" (Teapot Tales: Volume 2), and Teapot Tales: A Collection of Unusual Fairy Tales (Teapot Tales: Volume 4). The anthologies are sold through Amazon, but will be expanding to other retail outlets. All authors retain the copyrights to their stories to publish in their own collections or on their own websites. Up to three stories may be submitted. Artwork (line drawings) is also accepted.

All work must be your own.

Please include a one-paragraph, third-person author bio with your submission. Website links to your sites are allowed within reason.

Deadline for story submissions (and artwork): August 31st, 2016

Muddling Through the Middle by Melissa Gijsbers #ChaBooCha

Keep Going Through the Middle

It’s about the half way point of the Chapter Book Challenge, and we’re all at different points in our journey. Some people are powering along, and others are still just starting. Wherever you’re at, well done. You are further along in your book than you were at the start of the month.

It is also the point when many of us start slowing down and getting burnt out.

Don’t worry; you’re not the only one feeling like this.

I’ve been participating in the Chapter Book Challenge since the start and here are some of my tips for getting through the middle:

Take a break – A night off can make a huge difference. I now factor in a night off when I’m planning my writing time.

Sit somewhere different – Maybe you just need a change in scenery. Take your notebook or laptop to a café, or even just sit on the couch if you usually sit at a desk. A change is as good as a holiday, right?

Use a different medium – If you normally write on a computer, try writing a chapter in a note book, or vice versa. It’s the same idea as writing somewhere different as a change can help you get a new perspective and help get you excited about your writing once more.

Get some feedback – Sometimes it can be helpful to get a bit of feedback on what you’ve written so far. It could be from other members of the challenge, or from someone in your family. I get feedback from my kids.

Review your research – If you’ve been doing a lot of research for your book, reviewing your research can give you a fresh perspective on your topic, or give you some ideas for things you could include. Even if no new ideas come, it can help you get excited about your topic again.

Whatever you do to refresh yourself, keep going. There is still half the month left. You can do it.

About the Author

Melissa Gijsbers is an Australian author and blogger. She has had flash fiction stories feature in a number of anthologies and her first children’s book, Swallow Me, NOW! was written in the 2013 Chapter Book Challenge, and was published in October 2014. When she’s not writing or coming up with ideas for stories, she’s running around after two active boys and working in the family business. You can find her online at MelissaGijsbers.com or on Facebook. 

Give-away

Melissa Gijsbers has generously offered an e-book copy of her book "Swallow Me, NOW!" as a prize for one lucky member. If you are a signed-up member of the challenge, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post in order to be entered into the drawing. the winner will be selected by a random number generator on March 31st.

Outlining and You by Patti Larsen #ChaBooCha

one of J. K. Rowling's very complicated plot
outline pages

Outlining and You

I know what you’re thinking about the title of this post. Outlining, the evil scourge of the writer, nasty holdover from high school English class that sucks all the fun and creativity out of opening up your muse and letting her flow from your fingertips unfettered, free.

Please, allow me to elaborate before you brush off the one tool that could take you from the choppy sea of book writing to the hallowed shores of book written.

When I outline, it’s one of the most creative things I’ve ever been privileged to undertake. From core idea through one-sheet delight into conflict building and to a full, chapter-by-chapter breakdown, the outlining process is, in every step, joyful and full of sparkle I can’t get enough of.

Consider the following as a peek inside what could easily be the most fun you’ve had as a writer. Now, don’t get me wrong. Outlining isn’t for everyone. I do know a small few writers who can manage to follow the thread of their story from beginning to end with all subplots firmly in place in their first pass. I’m in awe of such talent and have only accomplished it in short story form, not full novel. Nor would I want to attempt it, to be honest, when the format I use makes my writing life so easy it’s a delight.

First benefit: attachment. When I’m outlining, I’m slowly building from the seed of the idea into layers of information and plotting, rather than sitting down and writing out a giant scene (or scenes), making it 10 or 20K into the work before realizing I’ve painted myself into a corner and am now forced to delete the bulk of the job and start again. Horrifying. By building the story, plot point by conflict by character trait, I allow myself the clear and concise vision of what is coming before committing whole heartedly to the thing. It’s awesome and liberating and leaves me with goosebumpy shivers I can’t wait to feel every time I sit down to outline.

Second benefit: editing. My content editor loves me. LOVES. I love me, too. Imagine being able to follow a plan, to write a book from a template of your own creation (no unoriginality or formulas here!) in a way you can see exactly where plot holes might lurk in wait to swallow your story whole. Or having a—dare I say—easy time with your edits because, lo and behold, the story is actually complete. Finally, the delighted response from your editor when he or she discovers you’ve done a large majority of their work for them. Priceless.

Third benefit: time. No more waiting for the muse to strike. No need. The entire story is written, you just need to sit down and fill in the blanks (Procrastination is, however, up to you to deal with). Using my method, I’m able to outline and write two books a month when I’m feeling ambitious (my record is three). And yes, according to my readers, they are good, thank you.

As writers, there are times (more often than not) when we’re taught what we do is hard. Painful, angst-filled, a struggle, and that we suck at it so much, why do we bother? I choose to change that way of thinking, starting with what I can do to make my life as a writer easier. Not only loving what I write, but embracing everything to do with the process, including outlining and editing. This job has enough pitfalls. Why not grasp every advantage?

That doesn’t mean you have to do what I do. Exploring method is half the fun. Sometimes something as simple as a beat sheet (taken from screenwriting) that breaks the story down into the three acts of a complete story is enough. Or, if you’re like me, a detailed paragraph per chapter might be your cup of tea. No matter your skill set or level of accomplishment, an outline can be a valuable tool for your writer’s box of tricks.

Now, if only there were more hours in the day…

About Patti Larson

Patti Larsen is an award-winning author with a passion for the paranormal, now with many books in happy publication and her best-selling Hayle Coven Novels re-releasing in book stores everywhere. She lives in beautiful Prince Edward Island, Canada, with a patient husband, six demanding cats and a Gypsy Vanner gelding, Fynn.

You can find Patti in these places:

PattiLarsen.com

Purely Paranormal Press

Facebook

Twitter

and sign up for her newsletter here

Giveaway

Patti has generously offered a signed copy of Girl Incredible as a prize for one commenter. All you need to do to be entered is comment on this post. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator on March 31st. (Only one entry is allowed per person, and you must be a signed-up member of the challenge in order to qualify.)

How to Avoid Writer's Block and Get Your Story Written #ChaBooChaLite

In my third year participating in NaNoWriMo, I set a goal of writing 10,000 words every three days until I reached 50,000 words, and I beat that goal by reaching a word count of 50,020 words within the first two weeks. The following year during National Novel Writing Month, I wrote 100,126 words within the 30 days of the challenge. These are some of the strategies I used while writing my novel for NaNoWriMo. (This is reposted from Blog Your Book in 30 Days.)

This is the half-way point in your writing, and for many, this is the point, when writing, that writer's block can sneak up on you or you might start feeling a lack of enthusiasm for your story. It's also possible that you have continued writing daily until this point, but you don't feel that you are getting the word count you were hoping for. Here are some tips that will help you to avoid writer's block and produce a high word count over the next two weeks.

1. Split your focus between different parts of the story-line. By writing different parts of your book at different times, whenever you feel stuck on what you are writing or just need a break from it, you will be able to switch to a different story to write about. This can work when writing a one-story novel or a non-fcition book as well. When you get stuck on a certain part of the book or just need a break from what you are writing, start on a different scene within the story or a different chapter within your non-fiction book. You can always go back to finish the one you started with and when you do, you will feel refreshed and full of new ideas.

2. Set aside as much time as you can spare for writing. You may find that you can sneak more writing time into your day than you originally thought was possible. If you're a parent, you can write when your kids are at school, when your youngest takes a nap, or when all of the children go to bed. Maybe you will stay up late to write. Take a notebook with you everywhere and write while on the bus or while waiting at the doctor's office. Wake up early to write before everyone else is up or before you have to leave for work.

3. Get rid of distractions during your writing time. Many things constitute distractions. Children can be very distracting, so write when they were in bed or at school. The TV is distracting, so make sure it is off when you are writing. Facebook and Twitter are distracting, so tell yourself that you will reach a specific word count before allowing yourself time on either site.

4. Challenge yourself. Try and beat your best record for word count in a day. Or look at how your friends are doing and try to beat their word count. Think of a daily word count that seems slightly out of reach for you and then challenge yourself to find a way to reach it that day.

5. Believe in yourself. No matter what obstacles seem to be in the way of you reaching your word count goal, believe that you will overcome them. Because you can.

6. Make writing a priority. There may be a lot of things that have to be priorities in your life, but if you are reading this, then there is at least a part of you that wants to make writing a priority too. So do it. Make writing something you will not allow yourself to set aside.

7. Get rid of your internal editor. Just write without looking back. When you finish your novel, you can go back and edit what you have written, but just let it go while you are in the middle of writing. You can't edit writing that hasn't been written.

8. When you are not writing your novel, talk about it with others. Not only is this helpful in coming up with new ideas or ways for you to think about your plot, but also, just the act of talking about it will help you to come up with new ideas on your own.

9. Give yourself a break from writing every now and then. Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes to give yourself fresh ideas and keep the writing flowing.

10. And the one thing that is the most important is to have fun with your story! Enjoy every second of the world you are creating!

***** 

And now to announce the winners of the first two prizes!

The winner of the journal is:

Melissa Khalinsky

Congratulations, Melissa!

*****

The winner of the mock book cover is

Kelly Vavala!

Congratulations, Kelly! (Please e-mail me with your book title and any ideas you have for the cover.)