There are some days, especially when I am trying to meet a deadline, that I need inspiration. I get discouraged, tired, or overwhelmed. So here are some of the things that I do to gain inspiration.

Take a Walk: If I hit a wall, I will often take twenty minutes and just walk. It is amazing how a change of scenery and some movement will help the creative juices to flow.

Make some tea: My dear friend Elisabeth Allen sent me some tea all the way from England. I reserve it for times when I am writing and having a hard time concentrating. Pick something to eat or drink that you only do when you are writing. This will help your brain to focus.

Play a game: I actually find it very helpful, on occasion, to play a game for a few minutes every couple of hours when I am writing. I normally play a computer game that I can easily spend ten minutes on and then leave. My favorites are time management games (Sally’s Spa and Diner Dash being two of my favorites).

Read blog posts: Reading what other authors have written, especially if it is about their own struggles and triumphs of NaNo, can be very helpful.

How do you gain inspiration?

Today, we are taking a look back at A Different Kind of Courage, which was written two years ago for part of NaNo.

Top five posts:

J is for Joseph

It is Here!

H is for Harrison

R is for Revolution

Independance Day

Top Five Quotes:

I have been doing a lot of reading to get ready for NaNo. Today, I thought I would share some of the books that helped me the most.

Reporting the Revolution: This book was a gift from my dad and it has been a favorite ever since. This book has photocopies of newspapers from the time of the revolution. Not only do I get to see what was said, but can also tell a lot of the feelings of the people who wrote it.

Rebels and Redcoats: This book is filled with firsthand accounts of different events in the American Revolution. As anyone who knows and understands me, I love to get firsthand accounts. This book is well arranged with many great perspectives on events.

Dear Abigail: This is by far the best book I have ever read about Abigail Adams. The author did a great job at not putting too much of her own ideas into the telling of Abigail’s life. I really loved how many letters she quoted and how strong the research was for this book.

John Adams: After reading 1776, I knew that David McCullough was a great historian. As John and Abigail were going to figure largely into this book, it seemed natural for me to read this book.

The Siege of Boston: I mentioned this one was really helpful for my last book. As the siege is still going on at the beginning of A Different Kind of Purpose, I will be using this book again for reference.

November is a big month for writers because it is National Write a Novel Month! Yes, I am already starting to countdown because….

I am writing the sequel to A Different Kind of Courage!

That is right; William and Selah (among others) will make their return in a book sometime next year. November will be the month that thier story gets written.

Right now, I am knee deep in research. While some of the main historical characters have been identified for my story, others I am still trying to work out. I am reading a wide variety of books. My favorite sources are first-hand accounts; letters and documents of the people who lived and breathed during that time, such as the letters between John and Abigail Adams.

As you can see from the shelf (pictured above), I have a lot of books to work through. I am planning on rereading 1776, as I think the majority of the book will take place in that year. I am also reading a wide variety of biographies to help identify more historical characters to include, and get a better feel of the time.

As I come across a historical fact that I think I might find useful, I am writing it down on an index card along with the source. I am hoping that this will avoid the issue that I had with the last book, having to go back and find my sources again.

I have also created a timeline so I can easily keep track of the events that were going on and can build my story around it, but more of that next week.

Are you doing NaNoWriMo? Join me for the #NaNoCountdown series! You can even join with posts of your own.