Essentials

I’m a writer with ADHD. And some days, I sit down at my computer with about 12,000 ideas on the tip of my brain, ready to make those satisfying clack-clack-clacking sounds on the keyboard as I unleash my genius. Other days, just getting to the computer chair feels like wading through molasses. 

I can in no way rely on being *~inspired~* in order to write with any consistency. The reason I’ve finished a novel, and then finished two more that are ready for beta readers, and then finished a draft of one more, over the last year and a half is because I made myself write. I sat down, most days of the week, and said, “I’m going to write. It may not be good. I may delete all of it tomorrow. But I’m going to write.” For me, routine is everything. 

So, today I thought I’d talk a little bit about what I need around me to get in the headspace for writing. These are the five indispensable items I cannot be without.

My Outline

Part of the reason I never finished anything, writing-wise, prior to 2023 was that I never plotted a story in my life. I just went with the flow, saw where the current took me, and the answer was always either “into a corner I can’t get out of”, or “out to sea to be lost forever because I just got a new and much more fun idea.” I also never really studied story structure, so I had no idea if I was still writing Act One, approaching the breaking point, or in the saggy middle of my story. These days, my books are outlined chapter by chapter, so I know that I need to make sure X happens so that Y makes sense later. It’s a lot easier to stay on track when you have the roadmap right before your eyes.  

My Tunes

Writing without music is almost impossible for me. If I don’t have a soundtrack to keep me in the world of my story, the TV show my wife’s watching, or our neighbors outside, or my friends chatting on Discord will cause me to emerge from a fugue state, wondering why it’s midnight and I’ve written nothing. Sometimes, depending on the scene, I want a big, bombastic film score to listen to, more simplistic jazz tunes, or big band covers of pop songs are also a favorite.

A Copy Of Book One

We can’t have any embarrassing continuity errors, can we? Sometimes I forget a limitation of one of Chloe’s powers, or if that side character wore glasses, or if I assigned someone a birthday. Picking up a copy of the previous installment lets me check quickly, instead of wondering about it or having to fix a plot hole later. I always keep a digital copy of the book handy, by the way, in case I need to search for a specific name or term. It’s just quicker. 

Snacks!

We love ‘em. I’ve got to feed that authorly brain somehow, right? I have a gigantic sweet tooth, so most of the snacks I keep at hand are chocolatey or sugary affairs, M&Ms being a favorite, as well as chocolate chip cookies. Other times a salty craving strikes me and I’ll go for some good old potato chips, though. 

Coffee

Where would I be without my Awake Juice? I like New England coffee best, as a brand. I particularly love their Butter Rum and Hazelnut blends. Then I add two spoons of sugar and some Italian Sweet Cream to the mix.

Which writerly accessories can’t you be without? Let me know!