I’ve been working on the pocket novel for the past couple of days. I’m trying to write it by the seat of my pants, but I am a natural planner.
So I went in to Scrivener to add a new file … and I already had one!
There’s even some writing on it.
So I’m going to merge that one and this one because the opening in the Scrivener file is much better than the opening in the new document.
I like to have a cover to illustrate my work in progress, and if no one buys it as a pocket novel, at least I can still publish it myself as a novella.
I had a much better cover in CreateSpace for this story, but now that has been taken over by KDP, the covers aren’t a patch on what we could do in CreateSpace.
Canva is something I’ve been looking at for a while. I want to create these covers and then keep entire series the same, and Canva seems to offer that. I can even purchase cover templates if I want, but at the moment, I’m sticking with the free ones and trying to work out how they do layers.
I’m sure I can play with the titles and maybe put opaque backgrounds on them. But for now, as I’m already very busy, I’m leaving it at this for now and will see how it goes.
When I opened my Scrivener, I was looking at the index cards and corkboard system too, and I thought I could use some index cards on my giant murder board in the office. But when I went to look for my coloured index cards, I couldn’t find them.
What I did have was a brand new pack of coloured Post-it® notes, and the poet had found me some magnetic page-holders and little square pads.
I went down the Scrivener file, updating the index cards with scenes, and then I transferred them to the Post-it® notes and stuck those onto the murder board.
Then I dug out all of my pictures for characters and added those to the board as well. And you’ll be pleased to know I now have a picture for Fal.
And here is the result. The poet returned from a business trip abroad and it was one of the first things he noticed, with a “Wow!”
I’ll be returning to the seat of my pants, but being able to look at this and update it as I go along will be a big help.
