Writing Tools and Accessories
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Any form of writing requires at least some minimal set of tools, facilities, and accessories. Even if you write only with a pencil and paper, you still need, well, a pencil and some paper. An eraser might be handy as well. Where do you keep your finished manuscript when you’re done scribbling it out?
In this article I wanted to cover some things to consider when you decide to take up writing. It’s not meant to be an exhaustive list. That would be impossible because every author utilizes a different style of writing and will therefore naturally select a different set of writing tools. Think of the list more as something to consider, rather than something that is essential. After all, you could get by with simply a pencil and paper (though you and your editor will probably not like that much over time).
The first thing to consider is what you are going to write with. Common choices are a laptop or desktop computer, though people increasingly find a tablet or phone an acceptable option. I use a laptop. I like the ability to connect multiple monitors, but extra monitors certainly aren’t essential. Few people would think of writing a book of any significant size without the aid of some form of computer and an adequate mix of authoring software. We’ll take these as a given. You’ll want them.
Before we go much further let’s talk about one of the most important tools you’ll need. You absolutely must have some form of backup device or service. You must have the ability to copy your works in progress to a backup medium. If your computer contracts a virus, your disk drive grinds to a halt, or you drop your computer and it shatters, you will probably regret not having a recent backup. Problems like this always seem to happen right after you’ve spent hours devising, writing, and massaging the perfect piece of plot material. Once you’ve finished writing it you forget about it and move on. You’re disk drive dies. You’ll never be able to recover your writing in its original pristine condition. It’s gone forever. Save yourself. Back up your writing with great regularity. Use a memory stick, the cloud, another hard disk, or a CD-ROM if you have to (not likely), but find some way to save your work.
Additional necessity if you plan to do a lot of writing is a note taking facility. This can be a notebook (or several placed around your house or office), a computer program or app on your phone, or an audio recorder. I use them all. If I’m writing and have a sudden idea pop in my head, I’ll use a scrap of paper, a sticky note, the back of a business card, a notebook, a spreadsheet, the book I’m writing, or even the back of my hand to jot it down. These ideas are priceless. If you don’t record them immediately the vast majority of them vanish and never return. Capture them immediately. You won’t remember most of them three minutes later.
If I’m not at my desk I’ll jot ideas down on a nearby notebook. If I’m away from “the office” I’ll either capture the idea by typing a note or recording a brief verbal description using one of several apps on my phone. You’ve been there. You’re at the store and witness someone doing something unique or remarkably stupid. You think that you’ll easily remember that for a future book sometime. But you get home, put away the groceries, and it never crosses your mind again – and of course, never graces the pages of one of your wonderful books. Of course, it may not be in your best interest to open your phone and start recording something like, “I’m standing right next to this idiot who just…” You have to use some discretion.
If you write early in the morning or late into the evening and you don’t live alone, get some earphones or earbuds. If you’re researching some topic for a book, others in the house will appreciate the silence as you watch a video.
Office supplies are also important. The supplies you need will be a matter of personal preference. I use a three ring binder for each book or at least for a series of books. I put divider tabs in the binder so I can organize draft material, the latest printed copy of the book (not always current), research notes, maps or drawings, or anything else I may need to reference while writing. It’s simple, but effective.
Pens, pencils, staples, hole punches (I use a powered three-hole punch for materials I keep in binders), and related office supplies depend primarily on how you prefer to write. You’ll wind up with a set of tools you use frequently, another indispensable set you use infrequently, and a bunch of stuff you thought would prove useful but that now simply take up space in your drawers and on your shelves. If you haven’t used something in a year – it’s probably not indispensable. Want to keep someone from snatching your manuscript out of the recycling bin? Better have a paper shredder.
I find a whiteboard useful for jotting down ideas or fleshing out a concept. Once I’ve filled up the whiteboard I copy what I’ve produced into some other format – either adding it to a book in progress or recording it in some form I can utilize later. For example, I used a whiteboard to work out poopy suit colors for The Enigma Chronicles books. Once I was satisfied with the colors it was easy to transcribe them into the first book in the series, The Down Time. I use multiple dry erase colors – not because they’re good at listing poopy suit colors, but because they help differentiate between different concepts or perspectives about a single idea.
You will almost certainly want one or more thermal mugs. They keep beverages hot or cold for long periods so you are less likely to get up to freshen up your drink. If you’re successfully writing a long series of dialog the last thing you want to do is get up to get something to drink. The minute you stand, all of your dialog ideas go “poof.”
Consider your lighting. If you like things bright while you write then consider augmenting your work area with some additional lights. I personally prefer to write in the dark or without any artificial light. But I do have an excellent desk lamp with a magnifying glass embedded in the top. It comes in handy when I’m trying to read a note, have an irritating splinter complains every time I type certain letters, or when I’m trying to locate something I’ve misplaced. Think about your ideal lighting conditions and then take whatever steps you need to make that available. Writing in uncomfortable lighting gets tiring.
Find and use a good dictionary and thesaurus. These can be books or online tools, but you’ll need them both. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used a word only to discover that it didn’t mean quite what I thought it did. Oops. If the word looks suspect to you on the page, you’d better look it up in your dictionary. And if it’s been a while since you’ve looked the word up, you’d better confirm you’re using the word properly.
A thesaurus has immeasurable value. Not because it will allow you to use an especially fancy word, but just the opposite. It allows you to just type the first thing that comes to mind while you’re composing, and to then come back and find a more suitable word later. This tool is also fabulous when you have a sentence that utilizes the same word three times (or a paragraph that repeats a word often). You’ll need to either edit the text to eliminate some repeats, or find a different selection for some of the instances. The thesaurus is an essential tool.
Spelling checkers and grammar tools (such as those built into Microsoft Word and other authoring tools or available at various online sites) are also indispensable. They’ll point out your spelling errors, but more importantly help you write clearer and more concise text. You’ll see their value when you type a sentence and the grammar tool suggests you can write the same thing in one third the space.
Another very beneficial tool is an author organization system. This software allows you to define characters, create scenes, define and describe various locations and specific relationships between these story elements. An example is the free software yWriter. It allows you to flesh out your novel and keep things well-organized. Some authors use these systems to meticulously plan their books. I use them primarily as an outline system, but I do rely on the ability to clearly define my characters so that I can later refer to them when I forget whether they are slim or heavy, blonde or brunette, etc. The yWriter software is not the only software in this category and you may find other systems more to your liking.
Your writing surface is also important. Whether you use the kitchen table, your counter top, a desk, or your lap, you’ll need to find something that is comfortable, does not cause you pain or discomfort after long periods of use, and that facilitates your ability to write quickly and for long periods. I use a convertible stand-up desk. I can pull so I can write while standing, or lower it to write while sitting. If I’m trying to list a lot ideas or options I usually have the desk in a raised position. This allows me to step up to they board and type something. I can walk a few steps away as I think of other options and quickly return to the keyboard when the next idea strikes. I don’t need to bother sitting and standing, which often causes ideas to vanish in the transition.
If I’m writing prose I normally (but not always) lower the desk so I’ll be comfortable for a time. I’ll raise the desk if I feel I’ve been sitting too long and parts of my body begin to complain. Having this type of desk simply gives me options and sometimes allows me to write for longer periods of time without becoming fatigued.
Speaking of fatigue – your body gets tired of doing the same thing all the time. Get some good walking shoes, running shoes, a treadmill, a bicycle, or a skateboard and get out of “the office” once in a while. It clears the cobwebs, opens the pores, gives you an opportunity for a major idea infusion, and helps keep you healthy so you can prolong your writing career.
Nothing I do is ideal. You’ll find that your writing tools and accessories evolve over time. Be willing to recognize when something isn’t working and either discard it or replace it with something better at the first opportunity. Writing takes a lot of time and effort. It is not a passive exercise. If you write fiction, you need to be creative. That requires you to have the ability to capture creative ideas and put them into a readable format that your audience will enjoy. Any tool that helps you do that is a good tool. Any tool that hinders your ability to do that is not really a tool.
