“Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Ingrid Michaelson. Her rendition is just so raw and stripped and full of feels. It never fails to put me in the exact right headspace when I need to write a heartfelt scene between the main character and love interest.
5. A pillow from my bed.
It’s weird, yes, but when I’m not writing at my desk, I’m usually writing on the couch, and I need a pillow to prop up my laptop so my arms and wrists don’t get super sore. Bed pillows work way better than those decorative couch pillows that are too small and made of super slick polyester material.
6. Relative quiet.
I don’t mean dead silence where there’s no sound ever. Dull background noise is perfect actually (I live near a busy street so I can’t have complete peace and quiet even if I wanted it). I just can’t be in a coffee shop with people making noise around me or have the TV on. Loud noises make it almost impossible for me to focus if I have any hope of hitting my word count for the day.
7. Proximity to a window.
Writing, at least for me, is a very isolated activity — that’s what I enjoy most about it. But that isolation can get pretty intense sometimes, and on busy days, it’s helpful to have a peek to the outside word. Just being able to look outside helps me feel less isolated and connected to the world around me, as silly as that may sound.
8. A notepad and pen.
I know, I know. I’m already typing on a laptop — why in the world would I need a pen and notepad if I can just jot it down on my computer? Because some days I’m staring at a computer screen for so long that I get sick of it. Also, when I brainstorm story ideas or plot points, I prefer to do it on paper. The change of medium is sort of like a reset, and my brain is able to switch between writing mode and brainstorming mode more easily if I use pen and paper. And sometimes those brainstorming sessions involve drawing out certain sexual positions to see if they would even work out physically, and that certainly can’t be done in a Word doc.
What are some of your writing must-haves? Tweet me at @AuthorSarahS and tell me all about it!