3 Writing Tools to Consider

I have been working at this whole writing thing for a long time. I can write crappy stuff quite easily, but writing something good - something memorable and beautiful…well, that can take years. Each time I try write, I am reminded why writing is called a craft. Unless you are one of those people out there who are naturally brilliant, writing well is a marathon, not a sprint.

During the years I have spent pecking away at this craft, I’ve come to learn that I need lots of tools to make this happen. Here are some of my favorites that I hope will help you too.

My Top Writing Tools

1 - Pen and Paper

It's probably a given that I’m a big fan of pen and paper. And while some writers prefer to directly type all of their work into the computer, I have found that there's something organic that happens when I write my initial words out by hand. Thoughts and ideas that I didn't even know were inside start to come out. Sometimes my mind starts moving so quickly that I can't write fast enough to keep up; that's when I begin to consider typing.

2 - Digital Dictation

Sometimes I want to give my hand a break, or I’m out and about and don’t have time to stop and pull out a notebook. Sometimes, it’s just that the words won't come by hand and I need to talk out my ideas. This is the beauty of a dictation device. I find this especially helpful when I am running around town and just need to get my idea logged, because if I don’t, I won’t remember it, no matter how brilliant it was.

With our current cell phone technology, you can use digital dictation to record your thoughts then shoot off an email to yourself with the transcribed work. Most cell phones already have a digital dictaphone app already installed on their notes section. There are, however, a range of apps you can download for free or for minimal cost.

3 - Walks

The third writing aid I use is simply the act of taking walks. I get some of of my best writing done before I write anything down at all. I have also had major insights when I've been cycling or on the treadmill at the gym. In her book If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit, Brenda Ueland has a fantastic chapter with several pages detailing the close connection between physical exertion and good writing. My point: go take a walk. Move around.

I hope these are helpful ideas for your writing. Please comment below and share your favorite writing tools. I need all the help I can get.

~Enjoy the journey, Heidi Beth

TELL ME: What are you favorite artistic tools?

BOHEMIAN CHALLENGE: Try a new tool for creating. A new kind of paint, a different style of music, a new ingredient in the kitchen.

*Previously published on my old blog heidbethsadler.com. Revised for your reading enhancement.