Just found this reminder for the Tomie dePaola contest (and now I'm a semi-finalist!)

I keep a large NeuYear calendar on my studio wall. It's so big that I had to cut it into four sections. I can post two sections up at a time, which gives me a good six months of reminders and goals that I want to look at — in large type — every day. The reminders are generally about upcoming freelance work, deadlines or doctor's appointments. The goals are often written months in advance: "complete postcard mailer," "contact this agent," "submit to such-and-such contest." The goals might feel unattainable at the time that I write them on my calendar, but by looking at them daily, I feel much more prepared when the time comes.

Anyhow, as I packed up section 2 of my calendar, to make way for section 4, I saw this little reminder about the Tomie dePaola contest. It says "Don't give up."

I had written this message to myself several weeks before. When that week finally arrived, it ended up being a very busy time for me. Had I not re-read this note, I might not have submitted anything at all.

And now, guess what? I'm a semi-finalist! In a few days, I'll be getting my next assignment, and you can bet I'll be tacking up encouraging notes to myself all over my house. (It really helps!)

You can check out my initial post about my 2014 submission here, or check out all the semi-finalists' work on the SCWBI website here.