Oh…my…has it really been an entire month since I posted on my blog? And that last blog was about routines and resistance?
Well, it’s a new year and time to make a renewed effort to get back into my routines and overcome resistance in all areas including writing.
A NEW YEAR BRINGS NEW IDEAS
For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been using Vellum (an ebook and print book formatting package that I bought on January 1st). It’s only available for Macs, so I’m very lucky I chose to buy a MacBook in September to replace my old (and extremely slow and noisy) PC laptop that I’ll soon be retiring completely (along with my PC copy of Scrivener that I previously used to format my eBooks).
Yes! Vellum is making my life easier now that I’ve invested time in learning the program (which was quite easy) and time transferring and re-jigging the pages of my books (which is not easy if you’re obsessive, like me, about details to the point where you want to give yourself a shake). Still, I’m happy to say that Choosing Bravery and The Calling Birds print books will be available soon.
Interestingly as I was going through the book reformatting process, I noticed I’d missed something. In a couple of books, I’d added a Story Inspiration page to the back. I decided to spend time creating a similar page for all of my books. And now I’m happy once again to say that I’ll be sharing these pages here on my blog (so you don’t have to go anywhere or buy anything to read this new content).
I’ll share one Story Inspiration page a week. Here’s the first…
CHOOSING BRAVERY – STORY INSPIRATION PAGE
While writing Following Faith and watching six-year-old Élodie Rousseau become such a fundamental part (even while mostly off-screen), I knew my next story had to be her grown-up adventure. I also knew she needed a larger-than-life man to match her big personality.
A decade or more before, I’d met someone with the surname Bravery and tucked it away for future use. The right story hero never appeared to claim the name. After writing Following Faith and watching The Revenant, I knew Élodie’s match would be a legendary almost mythical mountain man. A man who’d been brought low by a bear, but could be lifted high by Élodie and her mountain home. A man named Bravery.
When my research led me to Oregon’s Cascade Volcanic Arc, Newberry Volcano, and lava tubes, I knew the majority of their story would be underground—a challenging place to describe. When travel isn’t an option, a writer relies on pictures. I created a Pinterest board to help me visualize the story. For links to Choosing Bravery’s picture board and boards created for my other stories, visit my website www.JacquiNelson.com
MORE INSPIRATION TO COME
Click HERE if you’d like to read the opening of Choosing Bravery on my website.
I hope you enjoyed learning more about what inspired me to write Élodie and Lachlan Bravery’s story. I also hope you’ll join me for the next several Mondays as I share the new (and old) Story Inspiration pages for all of my books. ❤
Glad you’re back! I haven’t written anything in a month and need to get back to it too. I’m “retiring” from the day job at the end of January to work with my husband and, hopefully, finish the last 2 books in my series. I could use some inspiration–I think I’ll follow your lead!
All best for a fabulous 2018!
Congrats on “retiring” your current day job, Lark! Hope it opens up lots of writing time for you. I want to read more of The Durand Chronicles! Wishing you a fabulous 2018, as well 💞
Hi Jacqui,
I’m thinking of going Vellum, but the price tag is slowing me down. I’m glad to hear you like it. Jacquie Biggar raves about it. Let me know how it goes.
I love the idea of a story inspiration page. I’d love to read what authors say on that.
Thanks for sharing.
all the best,
Jo-Ann
I wanted to buy Vellum last year but like you the price tag slowed me down. My writing expenses for last year were quite high, so I made myself wait until the start of the next tax year – and bam, on January 1st, I made the leap to Vellum. So far, so good 🙂
Awesome. It costs me about ten dollars an ebook on Pressbooks and its easy to use. I hate formatting print books, so if Vellum makes that eadier the cost is worth it. Best of luck with your project.
Reblogged this on Jo-Ann Carson and commented:
I’m really enjoying Jacqui Nelsons “Inspire” theme on her blog. Check it out.