writing tools 📝

Writing Nook

First, you have to have the space. Because I’m both a photographer and novelist, this space has changed quite a bit in my bedroom, but I always make room for it. As you can see, I purchased a 3 cube storage shelf from Target and placed it on the back of the desk. In the left cube, I store my school books, notebooks, and binders. The middle cube is for my basic office supplies, and the right cube is home to all my blogging binders and notebooks. Above it, I used a shelf that I previously purchased from Target to house books that are on my reading wish list and other miscellaneous documents.

Computer

A classic must-have. I initially purchased my computer for school work, but found that it easily accommodates both my school work and personal writing. I typically use it to print and use various applications on it, which I will list later.

iPad

My mobile computer.

Skullcandy Earbuds

And what’s writing without a little music to jam out to? Of course, there are many types of inexpensive earbuds available to purchase, but this is one that I splurged on a bit. I purchased my Skullcandy earbuds from Amazon for about $40. Since they are Bluetooth earbuds, they don’t need to be plugged into my phone, which is a great thing for a writer on the move.

Printer

Speaks for itself. In this day in age, digital story writing and reading is making itself popular. However, the printer is still a good tool for me. I’m a writer who likes to hold manuscripts in my hand and write all kinds of notes on it. This won’t be going anywhere for a while.

Flash drive

It’s always good to have a backup. Flash drives have always been a part of my writing process. While apps like Google Docs constantly save my work, it is a good thing to have my work saved on another device in the event of an unforeseen circumstance.

Google Docs

My ultimate writing tool. I’ve been using Docs for a couple years now and have absolutely fell in love with it. It works well for me personally as a person on the go. The best part of this application is that I can easily access it from any device I own as long as I sign in with my email. But the biggest thing I love about it is the constant save tool. This is helpful in the event of a computer crash or unforeseen circumstance, and I won’t have to worry about my work being lost or unsaved.

iPhone Notes App

I’ve heard it said that you know you’re a writer when your notes app in your phone has over 100 notes that have to do with a story or idea. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you I had 770 notes on my phone to this day and still more to come. Now I admit, some of those notes are school related and miscellaneous, but about 80% are related to writing. I’ve created all kinds of folders in this app to keep all these notes organized and am never hesitant to keep adding more. Let’s see how long it takes me to get to 1,000.

Google Drive

Organization is key. I paired my Docs app with my Drive to keep all of my different novel manuscripts and ideas in their own folders.

Word Swag

A splurge, but a good one. I am constantly using this app to create logos and images with texts. This is the app where I created the official s.p.o.t.s logo. It is very user friendly and available to purchase from the App Store for $4.99. It was definitely a good investment.

Spiral Notebooks with Dividers

Notebooks. Notebooks. Notebooks. While typing on my phone or iPad is convenient, I am always looking for a cool spiral notebook. They are available for purchase at many different stores, but I tend to purchase mine from office supply stores that have more options. I usually buy spiral notebooks that have a protected spine to avoid wearing down the notebook overtime and I make sure they have dividers in them so that my notes, stories, and ideas don’t get mixed together. Because I’m a novelist who has is working on several novels and ideas at a time, I designate one notebook to one novel/story to keep myself organized.

Sharpie Pens

The literal writing tool. A few years ago, I noticed my best friend writing with a Sharpie pen in school and never knew they existed until then. I thought it was cool and went to an office supply store to get my hands on one. I was in luck because they had just released the pens not only in the standard black, blue, and red, but also in various colors. I purchased them individually and used them until I couldn’t use them anymore. Finally, they released the signature pack of colored pens in its free-standing plastic case. I couldn’t buy these fast enough and believe it or not, I still use them to this day.

Mechanical Pencils

Only these please. Mechanical pencils are my first and only choice when it comes to pencils. I find that they work best with my grip on the pencil and help me write neater than when I use a wooden one. But this just depends on what you like.

Sharpies

Classic. These colorful permanent markers don’t really come in handy when it comes to story writing, but they are great for doodling and drawing when writer’s block makes an appearance.

Basic Office Supplies (paper clips, binder clips, stapler/staples, sticky notes)

The basics. Enough said.

Now that you’ve got a little peek into what I use to create stories and characters, it’s time to figure out what works for you. I hope you enjoyed this post. Stay tuned on the first week of each month for a new post.