March 1 will be here soon–are you ready for the PBParty contest? The judges and I can’t wait to see your entries! Here’s a post packed with tips, screenshots of the Google entry forms, and stats from the Zoom that you requested to see again.
Have you watched the PBParty Preppers Zoom replay yet? People have been raving about how helpful it’s been. Password: 8QPWB+o6 (copy and paste it if you can–some had trouble with letter o and number 0).
Here are slides from the Zoom you wanted to take a closer look at. Huge thanks to Judge/Ninja Superstar Sylvia Chen for doing such an amazing job on them.
Click the arrows to scroll left or right. 🙂
Tips on items in the slideshow above:
*We shared frequent topics from last year. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enter any of those…but if you do, it has to work extra-hard to stand out.
*In the past we’ve summarized the top wishes and non-wishes. This year, we added small blurbs from the agents and editors. The more you see them, the more editors/agents expressed the same thing. You’ll notice that sometimes a wish for one agent/editor is a non-wish for another.
*If your PB is rhyme, you need to make sure it scans perfectly and really stands out from the rest.
More tips:
*Links to the Google entry forms will be in a new post by February 28–I’ll also add them to the original contest announcement. I’ll include a World clock to help people in different time zones. Keep an eye out for Twitter and PBParty Participant Facebook group graphics to count down 1 week, 2 days, etc. before the contest starts…and to remind you when the window is almost over. PLEASE don’t wait until the last minute to enter. Have your responses ready to copy/paste into the form (and triple check them). Once the Google form closes, it won’t open again until the 2024 contest.
*Here’s what agents/editors saw while browsing the 2022 finalists…most entries have been taken down, but a few are up. And this gives you an idea of how important it is to have an attention-grabbing title and choose the best genres.
*PBParty Success Stories are great inspiration…and a wonderful way to see queries that worked. Stay tuned for an awesome new Success Story soon!
*We’ll have a Zoom for the finalists to celebrate and so they’ll be 1000% prepared for the agent/editor showcase…either on Saturday, March 18 or Sunday, March 19. I’ll put a poll up in the finalist FB group after finalists are announced on the 17 and we’ll decide the day and time.
*Please look closely at the PB you’re entering. If something amazing happens soon after the 70 word limit…do everything possible to streamline the beginning to work it in. That could be what boosts you into the finals! Streamlining tips:
Look for words you can easily cut, such as: that, just
See if you can strengthen verbs like: ran fast to bolted
If you’ve included any art notes (which count for the first 70 words) make them as short and simple as possible. You don’t even need to say art note. One of my PBs has a stray cat in a new home try to escape through a watery exit. [Toilet]
I have the word in brackets in a line of its own and it’s 1 word vs. 3 [Art note: toilet] Plus, it’s easier and less distracting to read inside a manuscript.
Good luck. 
I know you can get it down to 70! You can ask anyone critiquing it to show you places to streamline, especially in the beginning.
Here’s a screenshot of the Google form for writers–and the form for author/illustrators.
You’ll have to enlarge your screen to see them well.
The next PBParty New Draft Challenge & Critique Train will be March 23 – 25. I’m happy dancing for all 41 picture books that were born in February–and can’t wait to see how many more will arrive in March.
Do you have any PBParty contest questions?
Who’s excited for the contest fun to start? I can’t wait to hear how your contest prep is going with ranking parties and all the critique giveaways! I know it’s going to be an amazing year filled with Success Stories…and I can’t wait to celebrate all of them.
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