If you are an aspiring author and feel like it is time to upgrade your writing space and tools, let me share with you some of my favorite writing things!
I have narrowed the list down to my top ten favorite writer’s items, but of course, I have a long list of great writing-related things I could mention, maybe another day. Please remember this is my humble opinion offered up graciously to you so you can discover some wonderful writing-related goodies for your own space if you wish.
(Please note, these are affiliate links, but I would not mention them if they were not amazing and very useful tools for authors).
Ok, so here it is… In no particular order of course.
1. Scrivener.
I absolutely adore using Scrivener! It would have to be the best writing software I have ever used (not a fan of Microsoft Word) and yes, I have used many. My three favoritee features of Scrivener are composition mode, where you can work with a full screen on your manuscript with no distractions. The fact that almost every part of scrivener is customizablee for whatever aesthetic you are going for. I have mine set up as a desert theme. You can track your overall and daily word counts and can alter this as need be if goals shift. And lastly, Scrivener lets you create many folders that you can use for research, dialogue that you think of and want to use later, pictures, character profiles, plotting dot points, really anything can go in there.
2. Notebooks, and many of them.
I have notebooks all over the place! I have one beside my bed for ideas that come when I am trying to fall asleep (that happens a lot to me), one on my desk for scribbling scenes and dialogue if my Mac is not fired up, one that is married to my planner that I write out things I want to do or expand on later for work things. You get the picture, but notebooks are so useful. Sheets of paper or sticky notes get lost too often in my writing room.
3. Pens.
Otherwise, the notebooks are pretty useless hey! But seriously, my favorite ones are gel pens, these ones are super smooth mediums (which means you can write faster with them) to use and I have a least six of them floating around.
4. Mac Book Pro.
Ok, so this one is on the more expensive side, but I have found Scrivener works a tonne better on a Mac and you need one to upload your eBooks to Apple Books. So, the Mac Book Pro is a heftier version than a Mac Book Air. I have lost too many chapters of work to rubbish computers that don’t back up or have enough storage and it is painful! Get the best you can afford.
5. Headphones or earbuds….
I use both depending on how long I have to be in front of the computer. Headphones are awesome for music while you write, even if you think you can’t write with noise, try it, I was like that until I found music that matched the scene I was writing, and boy my words flew onto the page! Holy emotion maker!
6. A mug for authors (or aspiring ones… who is gonna know right?).
Having coffee or a uber strong tea just sets the atmosphere for writing and makes being at your writing desk a lovely place to be. This one is my most frequent companion, Best Selling Author Mug.
7. A mug warmer.
Now, it goes without saying, when you become engrossed in your story and the world you have so meticulously created, sometimes the coffee is going to sit for a while and go cold. Never fear! The mug warmer is here!! Lifesavers these things, just get one, you will be so happy you did.
This book is a super easy read and explains the show don’t tell concept very well. She also gives you exercises to use on your current work in progress to help you write turn the original draft into one with vivid descriptions, fully fleshed characters that show their emotions to move the story forward, and how to write backstory with showing and not telling so it doesn’t slow your story down or bring the reader out of the story.
9. Following the book above, and a fine companion, in my opinion, is The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression.
This incredible resource is like a dictionary of emotion description, so you can use this to show your characters’ feelings, letting the reader live that instead of being told what is happening.
This is so great for when you are plotting or for organizing multiple POV (point of view) if your story has that. You can also use different colors for each book of a series if that is something you are planning to do.
Well, there you have it. My top ten writerly goodies for the aspiring author. If any of these items feel like they could belong in your writing life and help you to make progress, click the link and check them out.
Until next time, take it easy and keep writing.
Rose-Marie xx
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