Do you think you can meet the PiBoIdMo challenge and create 30 new picture book ideas in 30 days? Well then, sign-up for all the craziness!

Those who sign-up for Picture Book Idea Month will be eligible for prizes—and oh, are there prizes this year! Signed books, picture book critiques, original art by picture book illustrators, book jewelry, hand-made journals, vintage children’s books, and feedback from one of three literary agents. Plus more to come, including items from our PiBoIdMo Cafe Press shop, which will open on November 1. You’ll be able to get PiBoIdMo mugs, mouse pads, t-shirts and tote bags whose proceeds will support children’s book charities.

To sign-up this year, you must do three things:

1. Subscribe to this blog via email. (Handy-dandy button in the left column.) This way you won’t miss any of the amazing guest bloggers.

2. Leave your full name in the comments of this post. The form will ask for your email address. Please be sure to enter it so I can contact you if need be. (Your address won’t be published and I won’t use it for any other purpose.)

3. Display the official PiBoIdMo participant badge on your blog, website, or social network. (Right click to save to your computer.) Please include a link back to taralazar.wordpress.com so folks know where to join the challenge.  And if you’re game, mention what a super job Bonnie Adamson did on the logos. (If you don’t have anywhere to display the banner, then skip this one.)

Optional:

4. Add a firefly Twibbon to your Twitter avatar.

5. Join the PiBoIdMo Facebook discussion group.

6. Repeat the pledge 10 times fast:

I do solemnly swear
that I will faithfully execute
the PiBoIdMo 30-ideas-in-30-days challenge,
and will, to the best of my ability,
parlay my ideas into
picture book manuscripts
throughout the year.

That’s it. You’re good to go! (Wish I were good to go. I’ve got a sick kid at home today!)

PiBoIdMo will kick-off with the first guest post on October 30 this year, so you’ll have two extra days to get in those 30 ideas! Sign-up will close on November 3rd, so you must be registered before then to qualify for prizes!

Just visit here daily for inspiration from the guest bloggers, then keep a notebook or computer file of your daily ideas. There’s no need to post your ideas online or send them to me. If you’d like, comment on the daily posts with a simple “Eureka!” Remember, your ideas are for your eyes only! At the end of the month, I’ll ask you to sign a pledge confirming you did create 30 ideas, and then I’ll pick prize winners from that bunch.

Thanks for joining! I hope you enjoy this year’s PiBoIdMo! As always, if you have any suggestions for this event, please contact me at tarawrites (at) yahoo (dot) you-know-the-rest.

And now I leave you with my favorite Roald Dahl quote from THE MINPINS. I believe it sums up my intent for PiBoIdMo quite nicely, like a good ol’ English chap would:

And above all,
watch with glittering eyes
the whole world around you
because the greatest secrets
are always hidden
in the most unlikely places.
Those who don’t believe in magic
will never find it.