December | 2021 | Writing for Kids (While Raising Them)

The year we’ve had…again…so I’m going to try to gloss over it quickly.

There, I’m done!

As writers, we must continue to swim forward, like a shark. No looking back. There are new ideas on the horizon!

And thus, we come to another installment of everyone’s favorite creative exercise: STORYSTORM!

Welcome to STORYSTORM 2022 Registration!

Five years ago I changed the name and month of my annual writing challenge, from Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo) to STORYSTORM. Why? Answer’s here.

Although this challenge begun as a picture book writer’s event, any writer interested in brainstorming new story ideas in January is invited to join the STORYSTORM challenge of 30 ideas in 31 days. Any genre, any style; student, amateur, hobbyist, aspiring author or seasoned professional.

How does STORYSTORM work? It’s simple…

Register.
Read the daily posts on this blog, beginning January 1st.
Write down one (or more) story idea daily. (Do not share that idea with anyone.)
At the end of January if you have at least 30 new ideas, you can sign the STORYSTORM PLEDGE and be eligible for PRIZES.

So are you ready? Follow these steps:

Register ON THIS BLOG POST by signing your name ONCE in the comments below. Full name, nickname, whatever name you’ll use for the entire event.
Teachers participating with a class can register under the teacher’s name.
Please leave ONE comment ONLY. Do not reply to say “hi” to a friend. Do not comment to fix a mistake. ONE COMMENT. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.
Registering makes you eligible for prizes.
Visit this blog daily (taralazar.com) in January for inspirational essays by guest bloggers—professional authors, illustrators and experts in creativity.

Instead of visiting the blog directly, you can receive the daily posts via email by entering your address and clicking the “Follow Tara’s Blog” button in the left column—look under my photo for it.

At the end of January, if you have at least 30 ideas, sign the STORYSTORM PLEDGE (to be posted on January 31) and qualify for prizes.

Prizes include agent feedback, signed books, original art, writerly gadgets and gizmos.

Remember, do not share your ideas publicly in January. They are YOURS. No need to prove that you have them at the end of the month. The pledge you will sign is on the honor system.

Are you in? Awesome. Optionally, pick up your Official Participant badge (by Susie Ghahremani) below and affix it to any social media account you wish. (Right click to save to your computer, then upload it anywhere.)

You can also opt to join the STORYSTORM Facebook discussion group. Everyone needs writing friends!

The Facebook group remains a year-round source of writing information and support, mostly focused on picture books, I admit, because that is where this all began.

STORYSTORM registration will remain open through JANUARY 7th.

In the meantime, head over to STORYSTORM SWAG CENTRAL to pick up your official journal. All proceeds from sales ($4 per item) will be donated to children’s hunger charity Blessings in a Backpack. This past year, we donated $1,000!

Thank you for joining, and let’s have a month filled with creativity and fun!

It’s here, it’s here! Every writer’s favorite gifting list!

Thanks to illustrator Susie Ghahremani at BoyGirlParty.com for creating the typewriter-tree for our post. And the first item I’ll recommend is straight from her site! I bought a bunch of her adorable enamel pins, plus a typewriter pin! They now proudly adorn my denim jacket. (Psst, all the gifts on this list can be for YOU! Treat yourself; it’s been another rough year!)

The first gift I love for writers keeps your mind sharp and hones your creative connections with all those tricky clues.

NY TIMES GAMES SUBSCRIPTION (APP)
$40 annually

You’ll receive the daily NY Times crossword, mini crossword games, and my current obsession, Spelling Bee. And if you’re truly up for a challenge, NYT fan Sarah Sinclair offers a Spelling Bee knit hat pattern on Ralvery.com.

BOOK DARTS @ The Grommet
$14.95

I always say to classes I visit, “To be a good writer, you must be a good READER.” Book darts are thin metal line markers that hug a page, pointing to a specific line, without marking up the page. Each tin contains 125 book darts, more than enough for multiple books, magazines, journals… Now you can easily refer to your favorite lines.

GERBER SHARD
$7.00

If you’re like me and a box of your books goes KA-THUNK on the front porch, you scramble to grab any old dojigger to open it—a key, a ballpoint pen, even a fingernail. But that’s so wrong! You risk ruining your writing tool, your manicure, and you’ll mangle your lock trying to jimmy it open with a misshapen key. So get a Gerber Shard. It’s even airline-approved!

QUICK SKETCH PRO CRAFT
$8.99

You’re a writer, not an illustrator…so here’s a nifty gadget for you. Put it next to any drawing and it will reflect lines to trace. If there’s an image in a picture book you love, you can recreate it for yourself.

SPY CIPHER DECODING MEDALLION @ Uncommon Goods
$18.00

Don’t worry, it won’t tell you to drink more Ovaltine. However, if you’re a kidlit writer, I know you’re gonna love this! Who doesn’t want to pass secret notes? (Hey, why not write an entire manuscript in code and challenge your critique partners? On second thought, never mind. They’ll kick you outta the group.)

GRIDS & GUIDES NOTEBOOK from Princeton Architectural Press
$16.95

If you’re a visual thinker, this notebook offers varying lined pages for ideas, lists, paragraphs, doodles, anything you can imagine. It’s been a bestseller for a decade.

DRY-ERASE STICKY NOTES by m*c squares
$39.99 for 24-pack of 4×4

It doesn’t matter if you’re a plotter or a pantser, every writer can find a use for these. And another use. And another. They’re erasable, re-stickable, and each one should last about 2 years stuck and unstuck to your wall, your manuscript, your bedside table, or your partner’s forehead.

SCRIBBLER MONTHLY BOX FOR WRITERS
starts at $27 per month

Scribbler says it’s “like a writing conference in a box.” There’s lessons, chats, other writerly gifts and a new novel to enjoy. All you need is a cuppa tea, a cat, and a roaring fire. (In the fireplace. Don’t set your manuscript alight.)

RUSTIC BOOKSTORE CANDLE by Mirus Candles on Etsy
$8.95 and up

Writers love books. But we adore old books, especially the aroma of a used bookstore! I’ve searched high and higher for that scent, and this may be the closest with its combination of old books, worn leather, and fireplaces.

A LITERARY HOLIDAY COOKBOOK by Alison Walsh
$19.99

Published in late 2020 from Skyhorse, this delish little tome may have escaped your notice. “From Christmas and Thanksgiving to Halloween and New Year’s, this seasonal cookbook offers 17 full four-course holiday meals from 25 classic books—each including an appetizer, entrée, side dish, and dessert.” Don’t forget to invite me to dinner!

DIXIT STORYTELLING GAME
$31.97

This game is especially perfect for picture book creators, as it’s based on creating words to describe the illustrated cards and telling stories based on the images. Both children and adults can play together!

ROLANSTAR TREE BOOKSHELF
$86.99

I have bookshelves all over my house, but I could always use another one. That’s probably you, too. This bookcase is narrow, meaning anyone can find a place for it. Besides, it’s a nice excuse to buy more books—to fill it up!

NOVEL TEA BOOK TINS from Uncommon Goods
$35.00 – $39.00

I admit, I don’t like coffee, so you’ll never see that bitter brew on this list. However, I adore a good cuppa tea. I should’ve been born British.

POSTCARDS FROM PENGUIN
$25.00

Maybe the pandemic has renewed your love of old-fashioned letter-writing. Here’s a treasure trove of 100 book jacket postcards for short communiques that are more meaningful (and more fun) than text messages.

ICONIC FEMALE WRITERS NOTECARD SET OF 12 by Etsy Seller CustardApple
$14.10

And for those longer hand-written sentiments, there’s this gorgeous notecard set of 12 iconic female writers, with original portraits by Etsy seller CustardApple. They’re lovely, printed on recycled linen, with Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Sylvia Plath, plus 8 others.

EX LIBRIS STAMP by Etsy Seller ExLibrisStudio
$42.90

Personalized gifts are so special and this shop has every “ex libris” design you could ever want, from children’s choices to animals, science, and mystery. Choose a stamp or a sticker for your favorite bookworm.

THE WRITER’S COMPANION SMALL CERAMIC VASE
$20.00

For keeping you writing friends close, and your writing enemies closer. (The pen is a double-edged sword, is it not?)

BLADE BRASS DIP PEN by Dan Berry
£20.00

Speaking of sharp writing implements, I asked my friend, illustrator Kirk Reedstrom, to tell me a little about this curious pen I saw him using last week. He says:

“For the calligraphy lover or illustrator in your life, I cannot recommend Dan Berry’s Blade Pen highly enough! Hand-made by UK-based cartoonist and illustrator, Dan Berry, this pen is a lot of fun! This dip pen’s unpredictable nature helps me loosen up and get a delectably wonky line quality I haven’t found with any other tool.”

Here are a few adorable drawings Kirk made with his new pen:

LAP DESK by Lap Gear
$35.00

During the pandemic, I gave up sitting at a desk. I balance my laptop precariously on a living room pillow. NOT the best set-up. Enter this lap desk. There are tons of designs to choose from if you choose a couch for comfort. There’s even a slot for your phone (so you don’t sit on it, like I do).

MOFT Invisible Laptop Stand
$29.99

Speaking of comfort while writing, this “invisible” laptop stand won a design award for its slim profile that attaches directly to your laptop for go-anywhere convenience. You’ll get a perfect tilt when you need it and a sturdy, flat base when you don’t.

FILL IN THE BLANKS GAME
$22.95

“Each round begins with a rotating judge drawing a Story card and reading the first sentence aloud. The other players then write down a word or phrase that fills in the first blank. After every player has submitted their word or phrase, the judge chooses their favorite and places it on the story card upside down. This continues for every line. At the end of the story, the judge reads the completed story, revealing the winning submissions!”

ABSURD WORDS
$16.99

Shameless plug. If you’re a fan of my List of 500+ Fun, Cool & Interesting Words, you’ll enjoy how I turned it into a book, with 750+ words arranged by category for ease-of-use and fun facts behind entries. Available wherever you purchase books, starting January 2.

NARWHAL FOUNTAIN PEN
$50.00

And finally, thanks to my friends at Goldspot.com, we have the Narwhal Fountain Pen, one of the owner’s, Kiran Mehra’s, favorite pens. I asked her what makes it so special. She says, “Narwhal pens write amazingly! Fountain pens have been around a long time, but the Narwhal fountain pen takes what’s good about classic fountain pens (for example, the Piston-Fill system) and removes the headaches that used to come with them. Narwhal pens are the same quality and often-times materials as expensive luxury fountain pens (which can go upwards of $200 – $2000, believe it or not), but for an affordable intermediate price of $50. There is no better first fountain pen to have!”