Any of you done 12x12?
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I have to wait a whole year to enroll, since I was dumb and forgot to sign up on time. So while I sit here and wait for the time to pass, I was wondering if any of you have gone through it. If so, what was your overall experience with it?
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I may be out of the loop... what is 12x12?
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Find out what 12x12 is here: http://12x12challenge.com/
I just signed up for 12x12 this year, so I only have a few months of experience, but my experience has been very positive so far. With the encouragement of that community, I've written 7 new manuscripts this year, so I'm more than half done with the challenge.
If nothing else, join it for the webinars. I still have one to catch up on from the three so far this year, but the two I watched have been ABSOLUTELY phenomenal. Seriously. The price of 12x12 membership for one year is worth it just for the webinars IMO.
The facebook group is supportive and active, its easy to get feedback on PB mauscripts on the forum, and there are lots of people there looking to be in smaller critique groups as well if that's what you're after. There is also a facebook group just for the illustrators in 12x12 where people can ask for critiques--personally I prefer this forum for that sort of thing
but its still a nice part of the community, and a good place to connect with other illustrators.Before joining I asked on the Kidlit 411 facebook group what people thought about it. Many people commented on my post saying what a huge help 12x12 has been for them. A few people sent me private messages sharing why they felt it wasn't worthwhile. While I appreciated how these people were honest and they let me know how they felt, after being in it for a couple months I have to say I think why they didn't have a good experience was you get as much out as you put in. The forums and facebook group will do nothing for you unless you interact with them. That is even more true in any critique group you join, or any kind of community for that matter.
Obviously I've yet to go through the whole year so there is time for my opinion to change, but as of now I will say that 12x12 is an amazing community, a solid career investment, and definitely worth considering if you want to write as well as illustrate.
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I read that as illustrate 12 picture books in 12 months and I came close to spitting out my coffee all over the screen.
It would be nigh impossible for me to come up with even 12 illustrations for ONE book in one month--let alone the standard 32-ish.
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@mattramsey it's a writing group/challenge, not illustration (although it sounds like illustrators can share their work though too). So, 12 PB manuscripts in 12 months.
I would agree with you, ILLUSTRATING 12 in a year would be too much! -
This is my second year in 12x12. Last year I was a silver member, and this year I am a gold member - which means I can submit to one of the featured agents each month. The program gives you an incentive to write one manuscript a month, and make one revision a month. I mostly like the monthly webinar's - they have some great guests, and so far this year, the webinars have been tremendously helpful. Author Jean Reidy gave last months, on how to revise your manuscript and connect with spark that prompted you to write it in the first place. She provided a worksheet. We also had a Jen Bryant webinar (award-winning author of The Right Word, a biography picture book about Roget's Thesaurus). She talked about how to write non-fiction picture books. And agent Sylvie Frank talked about what agent's are looking for right now. There is an active forum (I try to spend my time on the work, and not on the social side of things). If you want to write picture books, I think it is worthwhile.
