Writing Tools: Keep Them Handy! By Susan Hanniford Crowley

Photo by Susan Hanniford Crowley – I was at the lake at the perfect moment.

Being a writer is more than pounding the computer every day and trying to think up great stuff. For one thing, amazing stuff happens all around us. Some of it, I admit is very loud. Some are so subtle so quiet, that it’s easy to miss. Sometimes a great story falls in your lap.

The Girl Guides (known as Girl Scouts in the US and some other countries) and the Boy Scouts have the slogan: Be Prepared.

That should be the slogan of every writer. Be prepared with the essential tools of your profession as a writer. Always be able to write things down. Robert Louis Stevenson said, “I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.”

We would like to think we will always have the laptop with us. Stuff happens. Why not have a notepad in your pocket so you can quickly jot down the event, the scene, and great dialogue.

The cell phone has become the witness of events in the world. Writers can use it too. I did when I was up at the lake and the mirror event happened. I was there to capture it. It may still show up in a book of mine. I recently talked about atmosphere. This is an example!

I always have a pen in my purse. Always. I know that inspiration hits suddenly and you need to get it down. Actually, I usually have two pens.

You are now all set to write in a non-tech environment.

2 small books, one to write in.2 pensCell phone for photo taking, since photos are still worth a thousand words.

You might be writing by the sea or a lake or in a park. Enjoy!

I know some of you will be writing in a coffee shop with great Wifi. First off, you don’t need that Wifi if you have a writing program resident on your laptop. Plus, always back up that laptop before you walk out the door.

What is my 2nd book? The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks.

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Go and enjoy writing!

Truly,

Susan
Susan Hanniford Crowley

EverWarm for ages 13-113 is now available at Kindle and Amazon Paperback. More to come.
Lady Fallon’s Dragons for ages 13-113 is now available at Kindle and Amazon Paperback, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords, BAM online bookstore sells the paperback, Scribd, and in paperback in the UK at Waterstones, also in Amazons around the world.
The Vampire with a Blanket of Stars, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 3 is available in Amazon Print and Kindle, Nook, Kobo,  Apple, Walmart ebooks & Smashwords.Vampire Princess of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 2 available in Kindle and Kindle Unlimited!
Vampire King of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 1 now in Kindle and Print! Walmart Bookstore Online
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Poseidon’s Catch(mythology romance) available in Kindle.
Mrs. Bright’s Tea Room (steampunk romance) available in Kindle.
A Vampire for Christmas, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 3 available in Kindle.
The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 2 available in Kindle and Print and Barnes and Noble Print
When Love Survives, Vampires in Manhattan Book 1 available in Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords, and iBooks (on Apple devices).