Welcome to PiBoIdMo, 30 days of inspiration and motivation created for picture book writers.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it (and I know you will ’cause it’s a cakewalk), is to jot down one new picture book concept a day during November. That’s it. You don’t have to write a full manuscript, but if you want to, go ahead. No one’s stopping you!

Guest articles by published authors and illustrators will serve as your inspiration. Visit here once a day to read a new perspective on creativity.

Your motivation will be prizes. (Plus finishing the month with a file of ideas.) Sometimes you’ll need to comment on a post to qualify for a prize, but for most of the goodies, you’ll need to finish the month with 30 ideas.

To qualify for prizes, there are two steps:

  1. You must sign-up below (leave a comment) by November 7th.
  2. You must sign the 30-ideas-in-30-days pledge which will be posted on December 1st.

The pledge is by honor system and will remain open for signing from December 1st thru 4th. Prizes will be announced on December 6th. Please note that if your name does not appear in both places–the sign-up and pledge–you will not be eligible to win.

So that’s the fine print!

Now Johnny, please tell us what they can win…

Feedback from Literary Agents
Three winners will be paired with one of three agents: Ammi-Joan Paquette of Erin Murphy Literary Agency, Kelly Sonnack of Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc., and Joanna Volpe of Nancy Coffey Literary and Media Representation. Winners will send their five best ideas to their assigned agent. The agent will provide feedback on which ideas may be the best ones to pursue.

Picture Book Critiques
Seven winners will be randomly chosen and paired with one of these authors: Sudipta Bardan-Quallen, Brenda Reeves Sturgis, Corey Rosen Schwartz, Tiffany Strelitz-Haber, Lori Degman, Lori Calabrese and Linda Bozzo. Winners will send one picture book manuscript (up to 800 words) for a critique. (Linda Bozzo offers a non-fiction picture book or article critique. Lori Degman, Lori Calabrese & Tiffany Strelitz-Haber will critique rhyming PBs. Alternatively, Tiffany offers a lesson in rhyme and meter.)

Original Artwork
Some illustrators will be guest blogging in visual format. You can win original art by Neil Numberman, Bonnie Adamson, Jannie Ho, Adam F. Watkins and James Burks, who designed the PiBoIdMo logo and badge.

Picture Books

Picture books donated by Jannie Ho, Sterling Children’s Books, Alison Ashley Formento, Joan Waites, Pat Miller, Tammi Sauer, Jeannine Q. Norris, Lori Calabrese and Simon & Schuster.

Jewelry
Stay inspired all year long with the “write” bracelet, donated by writer and artist Laura Hamor.

Heather Powers has donated her “Anne of Green Gables” book club pendant. Check out her Etsy store Humblebeads for more lovely nature- and literary-inspired wares.

Greeting Cards

Artist Christina Peressini’s inventive die-cut greeting cards have also been donated. The winner chooses a mix & match 10-pack from her original designs, like the “Wishing You Peace” card.

And, there might be some extra-special stuff added as the month progresses, so stay tuned.

So there you have it. PiBoIdMo 2010.

Let the sign-up begin!

Then come back on Monday for the first of 30 posts to help you along your idea journey!

[Update 11/8: Comments are now closed. If you are not signed up below, you aren’t eligible for prizes, but you can still join PiBoIdMo–just visit every day for a new post about creativity to help you along your idea journey.]