10 Things Every Writer Should Have on Hand

I have lots of cool things in my writers’ toolbox—chocolate, encouraging notes, random snippets of paper, sentences of dialogue, character prints, rolls of washi tape, and the list goes on and on.

But, even though I love using all these things (especially the chocolate 😉), I have 10 basic things that I always keep with me that help me write, no matter where I am. And all of these things can fit into a backpack or a writers’ tote!

1 | A CANDLE (+ a lighter) OR A PINECONE

I know what you’re thinking (cause I’m a mind reader like that). “A candle I can see. But a pinecone?”

Hear me out.

I love candles. I have multiple candles. I make my own candles. I steal candles from my sister. So, I burn one whenever I get the chance.

But, while that’s all well and good . . . candles aren’t exactly cheap (or all that safe). So, to make up for my lack of burning wicks, I will sometimes take a pinecone and put a few drops of essential oils on top. If I set it to the side, the oils start to waft around me and transport me to another world. 🥰

(Or, you know, you could use a diffuser. 😆)

2 | STICKY NOTES

I don’t care where I go, I keep a pad of these guys handy. Especially when I’m on the computer (which is on the opposite end of the house from my desk) and need to jot down a quick note about my story, or a time and a date, or any other random things.

If these guys went out of print, I just might up and die.

3 | A SPARE NOTEBOOK

When I was around 10, I got a really pretty clasp notebook that I used to write down any random ideas in. Ideas like what you may ask? I’ll give you 10.

1. A list of medieval names

2. The entire backstory of one of my characters

3. A masterlist of quotes from the 2000 HOOK movie (because #nerd)

4. Scenes from multiple different WIPs

5. A character profile of one of my characters

6. A list of book titles

7. Clean books I’ve gotten from a booktuber

8. A collection of different genres I write

9. Takes of different writer bios

10. Tries of book blurbs

And that’s not even the half of it. XD

Please, writers, do yourself a favour.

Get a notebook.

4 | A TEA AND SNACK STASH (or coffee 😉)

When I first embarked on NaNoWriMo 2022, I did so with a sandwich bag full of tea. (I swear that’s what got me through that month. 🥵) I also had a handful of small chocolates, some nuts, and . . . more chocolate (*digs into stash* Mini Twix anyone?). Seriously, I can’t think creatively when I’m hungry. All I can think is, “I wonder what paper tastes like?” I’m much happier on a full stomach (and no, you are not the first to wonder if I’m part Hobbit 👀). So keep snacks nearby!

5 | A GOOD WORD PROCESSOR

I used to use the free trial of Word to type my stories, and I really loved that. It was so nice to have everything straight and uniform. Then . . . the trial ended. And Word kicked me out. *enter dramatic sobbing* After a few months of trying to find something to use that I liked, I landed on Scrivener. ACK! Scrivener was a lifesaver. It’s amazing. 🤩

And when I get to the second-draft/editing time, I transfer everything over in a Google Doc, just so I can see everything like I would in a manuscript. It’s really user-friendly, makes sharing easy, and it can be used offline (which is huge for me 😊).

6 | MUSIC AND EARBUDS

If anything will completely transfer me into another world and help me completely focus, it’s music. Both lyrical and instrumental. I’ll put on a mix of songs, nestle in my earbuds, and get to work. (I have a super fun list of some of my favourite playlists right here for you to check out, too. 😉)

And a quick note, whether you use earbuds or headphones, that’s up to you. But I would recommend that whatever you choose, you make sure they are comfortable. When you get into a mood, sometimes it can take hours for you to get out of it. And you won’t be enjoying your writing time if you’re constantly having to adjust your earbuds, or tighten/loosen your headphones. Noise-canceling is always lovely too. 😉

7 | BLUE LIGHT GLASSES

Seriously. I wear these babies whenever I use the computer, or even hop on the phone for a while. It filters out a lot of harmful light the device screens give off, and can really save your eyes from a lot of unnecessary eye-strain.

8 | A GOOD HIGHLIGHTER, A NICE PEN, AND A GOOD PENCIL

*cough* Okay, technically these should all be three separate things, but really now. Who follows rules these days? 😂

The highlighters are for going over important notes that I don’t want to miss, or for marking off things off my list.

I use my pen to take notes and to occasionally scribble on my hand and wrists. *chuckles nervously*

And the pencil is for those dates you’re not-so sure about, or things you need to double check. If the date is incorrect, you just erase it and write over it in pen!

9 | A PLANNER/CALENDAR

I LOVE my planner. I use it for everything: birthdays, when posts are released, things I need to do that month, and so many other things. It can also be very helpful in a writer's sense when you can block out time to write, or set goals for yourself and see them every time you flip open your planner.

As for the calendar, I mostly use that to keep track of when my story takes place. I don’t use it all that often, especially if I’m already plotting my book and the dates aren’t that important, but for historical timelines that need to match up perfectly, these guys are really important. You wouldn’t want your book to state that the Declaration of Independence was signed on the 6th of October when the history books clearly say July 4th. 😆 (#guilty.)

10 | A WRITING COMMUNITY

A good writing community is quite possibly the most helpful weapon in your arsenal. And it is so important to your writing. There you can find people ready to brainstorm, to encourage you when you’re certain your writing is fit for the bonfire, to beta-read your stories, to edit them, to mentor you, and so many more things. Because even though writing is a mostly solo effort, it shouldn’t be lonely. My writing community is an online workshop called The Young Writers’ Workshop, and oh my goodness. My writing and I have grown SO MUCH just in the time that I’ve been a part of it. I’ve finished two novels, almost completed a novella, released an entire snippet series, gotten beta-readers for my short stories, and even have been published. I cannot recommend this enough.

Originally posted on Leah's blog.

That’s all for today, y’all! I had a lot of fun writing this post, and I hope you found it informative!

What was your favorite(s) of my list? What do YOU think every writer should have on hand? Do you have an amazingly lovely writing community? I’d love to know!

Cheers!