Today I’m sharing my top 10 writing tools, the essentials without which I simply couldn’t do whatever it is that I do:
10 – Coffee. Don’t expect me to be coherent, let alone creative, at 5am without coffee. Ain’t gonna happen.
9 – Quiet. I don’t work well in loud, busy environments. I need quiet to think.
8 – Notebook. I’m really picky about my notebooks. Different stories require different notebooks. This is where I create the first draft, with all the mistakes and crazy risks that sometimes turn out to be wonderful.
7 – Pencils. The mechanical kind that don’t need sharpened in the middle of a pivotal scene.
6 – Laptop. As I type that first handwritten draft, I edit, expand, and polish. I work all over the place, so I have to be able to take my work with me.
5 – Printer stocked with paper and ink. Sometimes it’s easier to edit on paper.
4 – More coffee.
3 – Distractions. Sometimes I have to come up for air. My favorites: Facebook, Google Talk, and Dragonvale!
2 – Novels. Lots of them.
1 – Time. I never have enough of it to keep up with my growing story idea file!
What are your essential tools?
Coffee, a kitchen alarm clock, (to race myself against, and water.