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 WeekFall Writing FrenzyStorystormKidLitPitKidlit411
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!
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.
Choose a picture.
Write a kidlit story (anywhere from board book to YA, 200 words or less.)
Post it on your blog and make sure to fill out the entry form.
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.
