Tag: FALLWRITINGFRENZY

2023 Fall Writing Frenzy Entry by Kidlit Writer, Blogger & Librarian, Chelsea DiCicco

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts

Hello kidlit friends, are you as pumped as I am? The only thing more exciting than pumpkins in October is the #FallWritingFrenzy!

Writing contests are a great way to find community and discover new and wonderful stories from diverse creators all over the world. Speaking of which… if you’re a kidlit writer or illustrator, please take a moment to subscribe to my blog. Trust me- you won’t regret it!

Among the many helpful blog posts I put out for readers like librarian-recommended book lists specific to reading group age or genre, one of the most exciting things I offer are monthly Feature Interview segments. On the first of every month, I publish feature interviews with members of the writing community, where we discuss all things publishing.

These interviews are an INVALUABLE resource for creators at all stages of the publishing journey. We talk about writing workshops, resources, diversity in literature and why it matters, where to find support and community, how to improve writing craft and set goals, how to deal with setbacks, disappointments, and waiting, helpful tips and suggestions for aspiring authors and illustrators, querying agents, contract negotiations, book deals, and time frames, and of course- new books!

Now that I’ve shared that little tidbit with you… back to our Fall Writing Frenzy!

I’m so excited to share my story with you all.

But before I do, I want to explain a little bit about the background of what this story means to me and why I wrote it.

From a very early age, I had a deep emotional connection to music. Though I enjoyed all music, I found a “home” in orchestras and symphonies because they allowed my mind to form a connection of understanding that I had never before experienced with people. For me, a symphony is a neurodiverse lullaby.

Being on the neurodivergent spectrum (ADHD), my mind doesn’t always stay on one path or at one volume. It ebbs and flows, sometimes unexpectedly. This can present challenges for me in everyday verbal communication because my emotions and thoughts don’t translate or flow into words in the same pattern as many of my neurotypical peers. The chaos and structure in my mind play out differently… much like a symphony.

So, now that you have an idea of my inspiration, here is the image that I associated with this story. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

All my love,

Chelsea

Photo 7 by Jonas Mohamadi

My Mind is a Symphony (199 words) by Chelsea DiCicco

When I hear the rushing sounds of the clarinet…

The zip of the flute…

The swish of the violin strings…

The calming purr of the cello…

The sharp squawk of the oboe…

The gentle strum of the harp…

I am home.

My mind whirs

Tumbles

And dances

To the warm embrace of chaos and structure

Quick! LOUD bursts

And slow, soft melodies

Blended together to create something spectacular

Like my thoughts

Never staying in one place 

…Or at one volume

S c a t t e r e d

Like wild notes

Strewn across a sheet of music

One moment, fast and excited like Flight of the Bumblebee,

The next, calm and smooth, like Moonlight Sonata.

A constantly moving orchestra of dreams…

Leaping, wriggling, cascading off one another.

Flitting from one idea to the next.

I shut my eyes and take a deep breath,

Letting the vibrations pulse through my brain,

Like a kaleidoscope of butterflies.

Fluttering

Frenzied

Free!

An ensemble of energy fills me from head to toe.

Here, only here, is my mind in complete harmony.

Finally, at peace.

My thoughts echo every long pause

And shift of volume…

And mirror each sudden blast of sound and change in tempo.

My mind is a symphony.

Thank you for reading!

If you have a friend or family member on any spectrum under the neurodiverse umbrella, and are looking for a list of neurodiverse reads (for any age) be sure to check out my personalized list of over 100 book recommendations + resources. Additionally, if you’re looking for a gentle picture book, (with gorgeous watercolor illustrations) that explores ADHD/Autism and embraces themes of finding beauty in your differences- aka “gifts,” take a peek at my book, ADHD and Me.

And now, a round of thank you’s

For everyone reading today, please give a warm thank you in the comments to all of our guest judges & prize donors who have worked so hard to volunteer their time and energy to sift through these gems and select winners from among them, to help mentor writers on their path to growth and publication. And of course, we can’t forget our wonderful host, Kaitlyn Sanchez! I believe 2023 marks the fifth year of this wonderful annual contest. If you don’t know who Kaitlyn Sanchez is… please, by all means, go and visit her website! Not only is she a champion and supporter of writers and illustrators as a Literary Agent, she’s also the host of various writing contests and events like the Spring Fling Contest, Kidlit Fall Writing Frenzy Contest and Kidlit Zombie Week, – and she offers a ton of fantastic resources to other fun writing contests and events on her website, so please, take a moment to stop by.

Host X Handle

@kaitlynleann17

Guest Judges X Handle

@Ms_Holliday93 @ebonylynnmudd

Prize Donors X handles

@AndreaYWang @chanastiefel @JStremer @amandarhill32 @AutumnLeaflet @HovorkaSarah @readbystephanie @Ms_Holliday93 @SerendipityLit @BrianGehrlein @IvanTaurisano @ErDiPasquale @ShannonStocker_ @ebonylynnmudd @kaitlynleann17 @AReynosoMorris @DianaMWrites

A summary of my writing year in 2022

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts 
Wow, wow, wow. What a year! I made a few posts on my social media accounts, but I wanted to share them here on my blog for anyone who may have missed the updates.
Here goes...
Whew.  So that was my "sappy and a little cheesy" post. At the beginning of 2022, I decided I wanted to make a collage to help remember the journey. I think sometimes as writers we can feel a little bogged down or lost at times. Rejections can be disheartening. Waiting can be difficult. And let's face it, we all feel discouraged sometimes. So, I wanted to make sure that this year I wrote down all my accomplishments and saved them. That way, whenever I was having a day that I was dealing with imposter syndrome, I could go and look at my list of happy moments and achievements. Every step counts!

So, if you are a writer, pre-published or currently published, I encourage you to do the same! This made me feel so good and I wanted to share it with you. 

Also, if you have done something like this or have a positive comment or achievement you reached this year, I would love to hear about it in the comments below! Feel free to link your website or social media as well so that others can take a peek. 

I think the one thing that has truly benefited me more than anything this entire year is finding my writing community and fully emersing myself in it. It makes such a difference to have friends who can encourage you and understand what you're going through on this journey. We all learn and grow from eachother, so please please share anything you'd like below! I would love to hear from you.

P.S. Another thing I did this year that I heard from another writer in a conference, and I loved the idea so much, was I got myself a jar and labeled it "positive comments" and every time someone told me something positive about my writing, I wrote it down and placed it in the jar. That helped pick me up and motivate me so much throughout the year! If you can, I suggest doing this too!


And now, without further ado, *drum rolllllllll* Chelsea's 2022 stats and inspirational photo collage of tiny victories!

My 2022 stats:
Groups joined: 6
Conferences/workshops/webinars attended: 9
Events participated in: 21
Books written: 28
Revisions made: 63
Critiques given: 64
Submissions/queries sent: 55
Wonderful connections made: too many to count!
#writingcommunity #2022 #progress #endofyear

January-Februar

March-April

may-june

july-august

september-october

november-december

Moral of the story: "It's not the destination, it's the journey."

Enjoy your journey! Celebrate every small victory! Learn from every small setback.


And KEEP. ON. WRITING!

ARE YOU NEW TO WRITING?

If you are new to writing and looking for some great places to start making connections and building your craft, here is a list of just a *few* groups & events I recommend looking into.

Events & Contests

Zidlit Zombie Week
Fall Writing Frenzy
Storystorm
KidLitPit 
Kidlit411 

Groups & Community

Julie Hedlund's 12x12 Challenge (membership fee)
SCBWI (membership fee)
IBPA (membership fee)
Storyteller Academy (membership fee)
Children's Book Academy (membership fee)

Remember, you don't have to join every group and participating doesn't always cost money. You can be a writer on a budget. Just make sure you stay active and find your community! Personally, my favorite group has been Julie Hedlund's 12x12 group. It's PACKED with resources, webinars, videoes, links to upcoming events *many contests that are free* and it's a great community! And it's where I met my amazing critique partners, who have been invaluable to my growth!

By the way... one of my amazing critique partners, Terri Clemmons, has her debut picture book coming out in Spring of 2024, Mara Hears in Style. You can find out more on her website.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you found this helpful! Don't forget to share your positive achievements below. Or, just some goals you might have for 2023!

#FallWritingFrenzy 2022 entry link: Buddy Bones Bubbleless Bath by Chelsea DiCicco

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in View all blog posts
It's October... and you know what that means! Another Fall Writing Frenzy Contest is here!

You’re looking at a #FallWritingFrenzy participant!

Hey writing pals! 


Fall is finally here! Time to break out all the candles and cozy blankets. And you know what else it means? Fall Writing Frenzy is here!


This is my first year participating in the Fall Writing Frenzy, and I'm thrilled to share my entry for 2022: BUDDY BONES BUBBLELESS BATH. 



But before we jump into the story, I'd like to thank our very gracious hosts Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez and Lydia Lukidis, as well as this year's guest judge, Alyssa Reynoso-Morris. 



So far, I've had a blast reading other peoples stories and sharing in the fun on Instagram and Twitter. If this is your first time participating, the rules are very simple. 



    

  1. Choose a picture.
    2. 



  2. Write a kidlit story (anywhere from board book to YA, 200 words or less.)
    3. 



  3. Post it on your blog and make sure to fill out the entry form.
    4. 



  4. Share, share, share! 
    5. 




For further questions, please check out the official FallWritingFrenzy2022Rules.


Remember: the goal is "to create connections and help writers grow!" So, have fun! 


Below you will find my entry.


Happy fall writing everyone!xo,Chelsea

BUDDY BONES BUBBLELESS BATH _ CHELSEA DICICCO _ FALL WRITING FRENZY 2022–

Photo Credit: Halloween- Credit: Samantha Hurley / Burst

My 2022 Fall Writing Frenzy Entry
BUDDY BONES BUBBLELESS BATH (199 word count)
A picture book by Chelsea DiCicco


It was a dry, dusty day on the ranch, and Buddy Bones was getting ready to take a bath. 
“Nothing like a cool bubble bath on a hot day,” he said cheerfully.
But, just as Buddy got into the tub…
“Oh no! We’re out of bubbles!”
A bubbleless bath? Pass!
But the sun was blistering.
So, Buddy stayed in the tub. But he wasn’t happy.
A little while later, Buddy was still grumbling when a bird flew by.
“Morning, neighbor.”
“Morning,” Buddy mumbled.
“What you up to this morning?”
“I’m taking a bath,” said Buddy, hoping the bird would go away.
But he didn’t.
“I’ve just come from the store. Today is dishwashing day, and I was out of soap.”
“Oh,” Buddy said understandingly. “I ran out of bubbles.” He pointed to the clear bathwater.
“A bubbleless bath!” chirped the Bird. “Pass!”
Buddy agreed.
“I know!” said the bird suddenly. “What if we made bubbles?”
Before Buddy could respond, the bird was already pouring a glob of blue liquid into the water. 
“Now, splash around.”
Buddy splashed and thrashed… until-
“Bubbles!” he cried.
“Nothing like a cool bubble bath on a hot day,” Buddy said, sinking into the bathtub.