It's Time! ReFoReMo Registration 2016

This is it! Registration is open! (And then you get to wait again.)  I know it’s no fun to wait for something when you’re excited, but you know how the saying goes: “Good things come to…” SCREAM out the last part, “…THOSE WHO WAIT!” After all, so much of this creative business involves waiting. We must be the most patient people on earth!
 
Registration is open between 6 am CST February 15 - March 1 at 11 pm CST. I ask that you read this post in full. Yes, it is long, but it provides the information you will need to know for this challenge. If you are confused, reread the post one more time before contacting one of us for help. If you have questions, please ask them in our Facebook Group. We have lots of ReFoReMo veterans that can help, as well as your admin team. We will get to the questions as soon as possible, but please understand that registration is a very busy time for us.

Please follow these steps to get registered:

1.     If you have not already, subscribe to this ReFoReMo blog using the opt-in box on the right hand side. Follow the instructions for verification and then you will be all set to receive the blog posts.  A very limited number of updates will arrive before February 27.  Starting on the 27th, you will receive three days of PreReFoReMo posts, and from there on out, you will receive the author-educator posts from March 1-31.  (The regular schedule, one post per week, resumes after, with more mentor text education and support at your fingertips.)
 
2.     At the bottom of this post, there is a comment section titled, “Leave a Reply.” Fill out the reply form completely, making sure you list the same name and email address that you used to subscribe in step #1.  (Your email will not be visible to the public unless you put it in the comment box.) Listing your email will assist admin in knowing if you are registered properly, so please do not skip this step.  Then, use the comment box to repeat your FIRST and LAST NAME as the first words of your one sentence comment. Example:  CARRIE CHARLEY BROWN is ready to research!  If you don’t want to use a sentence, feel free to just leave your name in the comment box.  Example:  CARRIE CHARLEY BROWN  If you need assistance, please contact Carrie by email, and leave this comment feed open only for registrations. We will not be posting a list of participants this year, so please make sure that you follow the steps correctly.
 
NOTE: You must have steps one and two completed by March 1 at 11 pm CST and comment on every post from March 1-31 if you want to be eligible for prizes at the conclusion of ReFoReMo. Our author-educators are rock-stars and deserve your comments! Without them, this challenge would be 31 days of only two of us blabbing in your ear. Yeah... I know, I'm thanking my lucky stars right now, too. *wink*

3.     Optional:  Head on over to the private ReFoReMo Facebook group and request to be admitted.  It was designed to build community and host discussions about picture books as mentor texts.  Prior to February 26, we will post one link or discussion question each day to serve as a research prompt or build excitement. You are also welcome to start discussions about mentor texts on your own.  Again, you don't want us to be the only ones blabbing at you in the Facebook group. You'll get more out of this experience if you fully participate. Please refrain from promoting events or posts unrelated to picture books as mentor texts. Once ReFoReMo officially begins, we will feature the link to our daily author-educators. (The blog post will also be delivered to your inbox.)

4.     Standing ovation for our resident illustrator Lori Nawyn!!!  She created the all-new 2016 participation badge for use on your websites and/or social media sites! Please link the badge back to this address:  http://www.carriecharleybrown.com/what-is-reforemo.html

5.  In addition, you may add a Twibbon to either/both your Facebook or Twitter profile pictures.  Go here, to access the Twibbon campaign. Your ReFoReMo cheerleader will look like this...isn't she precious?!  You should be able to resize her once you access the campaign.

6.     Prizes will be announced during the posts.  When March 1 rolls around, keep your research notebook close by and jot down what you read each day.  But don’t just read…study the elements, too. Our ReFoReMo posts will help you know what to look for. To be eligible for prizes, you will want to make efforts to consistently read picture books on a day to day basis. While I have dangled a huge goal of reading five picture books a day from March 7-27, I realize that life gets in the way.  The idea is to read consistently and utilize the mentor texts as study tools to help you with your current writing/illustration goals.  Whether that is one picture book each day or five, your efforts will enhance your writing. As I mentioned earlier, you must comment on every post to be eligible for prizes. (Not just the posts that have the prizes you like the most.) Your administrators (Kirsti, Janie, and I), as well as all of the author-educators, are volunteers. Please consider going beyond just a comment and follow them on social media, mark their books as “to read” at Goodreads, and if your library does not have their book, request that they get it. Of course, a personal purchase of the book is also supportive, but we’ll leave that decision up to you.  Our team would also appreciate your donations to support ReFoReMo as a continued annual event. (Things like shipping costs for prizes and technical support are among the costs that add up.) The donate button is located in the right hand side bar of our site. All donations will filter back into ReFoReMo. If you would like to support Kirsti and I personally, you can do that by purchasing our services and books.

While you are waiting for ReFoReMo to kick into high gear, feel free to check out the Get Ready… Get Set… post to learn more about how ReFoReMo works and the resources we utilize.  If demographics prevent you from accessing the picture books that you need to study, you might consider joining or starting a ReFoReMo Support Group. (New this year!)
 
Whew! I know that was a lot, but exciting, right? That's it for now!  Official PreReFoReMo blog posts will begin on February 27.  A special SURPRISE guest-educator will get us all pumped up on February 28!  You won't want to miss out!  Get ready to rock your writing/illustrating with mentor texts!

Carrie Charley Brown is the founder and co-coordinator of ReFoReMo, a research challenge and blog for picture book writers. She provides services for kidlit creatives and has contributed as a fiction picture book panelist during the CYBILS awards (2014/2015). A self-professed picture book addict, she enjoys helping other writers by blogging on various sites such as Writer's Rumpus and the Institute of Children’s Literature, and elfing her way around the  12 x 12 Critique Connect. She donates a large part of her time as the SCBWI North Texas Regional Advisor and has taught pre-k, kindergarten, first, and third grades. You can follow her writing journey right here on this site.