Writing Stuff (What You Need/What You Might Not)

by Susan Lyttek @SusanLyttek

I have a stuff limit. I’m not exactly sure what it is, I simply know that after the house has acquired for a while, I reach a tipping point. Then I become mildly obsessed with decluttering, giving away, and tossing until things feel in balance again.

It can be the same with writing stuff.

Years ago, when the primary way to support writing efforts was through physical books, magazines, and other documentation, the purges were more drastic. But over time,  I’ve learned the “sweet spot” of what I need on hand to nurture writing efforts without overwhelming my sensibilities.

Fortunately, we live in a world of the internet, e-books, and virtual media. All of those sources of information mean I don’t need physical (and cluttering) copies of most writing tools. But as I will print a recipe we use often so I don’t have to hunt for it, I keep a few writing “recipes” printed and nearby where I can grab them quickly. My favorite of these is a list of overused words to edit out of rough drafts.

Your minimum collection of writing support will vary depending on your writing style, calling, and abilities. But as we start a new year of projects, I thought I’d offer mine as a starting point.

Number one, a laptop or computer should be obvious. You may opt to hand write all or portions of your drafts (this blog’s draft was handwritten), but any final projects need your computer. Long gone are the days of the typewriter or the acceptability of a neatly written submission! Your computer should also be your first editing tool, your research assistant (always verify sources), and your method of communicating with publishers, editors, and fellow writers.

My second and third go-tos are available online, but I prefer them in book form as back-up: a dictionary and a thesaurus. The latter especially helps more than the online versions when I’m stuck for a nuance or another way of phrasing something so that it doesn’t sound trite. I try Word’s options first, but if that doesn’t quickly give me a synonym with the tone I desire, I pull out the book. Because I’ve used it for years, it’s simpler and faster for me to go through the cross-referencing in my Roget’s than down the rabbit hole of online searches.

The bulkiest items on my list are notes on upcoming or current projects. Because I’m a pantser and many ideas percolate for years before I begin to turn them into books, stories, or other printable items, thoughts for one story can exist in multiple journals, sheets of paper, and even the random napkin. All of these need to be nearby to jump start my creativity. Add in the computerized notes and you sense a little of the chaos when I’m finally ready to merge them together. However, when a project is complete, the joy of decluttering that assemblage!

Last, but obviously not least, print Bibles knit together all other writing stuff. I do use two online Bibles for quick reference, but if I want to specifically know how I’ve related to a passage or theme, I need the physical copies with my highlights and margin notes.

In the past, I had a shelf in the office devoted to writing resource books. Now, I have a handful I use occasionally and that collection reduces yearly. With the ease of an internet search, a physical library doesn’t seem as necessary. You, however, may have writing reference hard copies that make your minimum. Or you could have e-books in your files or on your devices that you depend on.

Periodically, some items can be filed, recycled, or trashed. It all depends what level of text support keeps you in balance.

May this year be one of supported and productive writing!

Author of the Portal Watchers YA fantasy adventures, Susan Lyttek loves to encourage readers and writers on her blog at sajlyttek.com. Some of her favorite things include going to the gym with her hubby, cruising open highways in her 6-speed manual A-Spec Tech, and trying new recipes out on unsuspecting guests.