Dim's Write Stuff

About PiBoIdMo PiBoIdMo , or Picture Book Ideas Month , is picture book authors’ answer to NaNoWriMo , or National Novel Writing Month.  PiBoIdMo is the brainchild of Tara Laza r who created it as a 30 day challenge for picture book writers who seemingly miss out on all the fun of NaNoWriMo.  The challenge is to create 30 picture book ideas in 30 days.  The ideas need not be entire manuscripts, but could include a title, a name of a character, or a silly idea on which to base a picture book. To participate in PiBoIdMo, simply click HERE to find out more.  Registration  started on October 24, 2013 and is open through the first week of November. It is no secret that I firmly believe picture books are one of the great elixirs of life. An art form like no other. I adore them and love writing them. I have chosen to participate, along with a number of friends, in hope of harnessing those ideas which until now are either lying ignored in vari...

Want to compare meerkats? Then go to Compare the Meerkat.com . It's a pretty good site and Alexsandr has a certain quirky appeal. Want to compare talented emerging children's authors and then vote for your favourite? Then go to Creative Kids' Tales and vote today. It's a pretty awesome site too and kids' author, Dimity Powell , is exceedingly quirky in spite of her dislike for mealy worms aka grubs. For quirky reads and the opportunity to vote for Dimity , visit Creative Kids Tales now . Simples.

Yep, I'm taking off again on another exhilarating ride with dynamic Aussie author, Tania McCartney . This time we are zipping around Australia, from the 21st October to 21st November, with a handful of Aussie kids and a calendar-load-full of fun. Cruise on by here again on Monday 11th November and read all about the Write Stuff behind the author behind, An Aussie Year, Twelve Months in the life of Australian Kids . Check out Virtual Tour dates here . No tickets required. There are nearly as many blog stops as months on a calendar so you are guaranteed not to miss out. If you live anywhere near the SE corner of my great state, pop on in to Paddington in Brisbane, this weekend when Tania launches her new book at the Black Cat bookshop and cafe . Visit Tania's site for launch details in a state near year. Now off you go. Time to fill in your calendars.

It's the Queensland Writers Week this week and it while would be nice to add to the small glut of words being written and celebrated, it's a question of needs must first and I must tell you about this... Question : what authors and illustrators including; Christine Bongers, Pamela Rushby, Stephen Axelsen, Katherine Battersby, Judy Paulson, Michelle Worthington, Julie Nickerson, Christina Bollenbach, Angela Sunde, Candice Lemon-Scott, Jennifer Poulter and Dimity Powell have in common? Surprisingly, it's not a cryptic fascination for green clothes pegs, although I find them personally alluring. Answer : we are all part of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators ' inaugural, world-wide, multi-festival styled event - the Inside Story . It's going to be so fantastical that if there was a SCBWI chapter on the moon, the Inside Story would be taking place there too. It's FREE. It's FUN. And it's coming to a specialist book sho...

Ever had a burning desire to increase your love of humanity believing that it will improve your chances of attaining true Enlightenment? A fool-proof way to achieve this is simply to make new friends. Not sure how? Read on... Next time you're waiting in queue at the supermarket checkout or coffee counter or (here's the clever bit) at the book-launch line for the autograph of a revered author, turn around to the person behind you and say, "Hey, you'll never guess who I know!" They'll start tingling with expectation and desire to find out; after all anything is better than just standing around, right? Tell them you know this person. She's a children's author (No way. Incredible. How fascinating. These are probably the thoughts swirling through their minds right about now) "Yes way." you confirm. "And she's not bad either." (Now here's the amazing bit) Let them know they can even read some of her work at this site calle...