Tools of the Trade
Heh. Like I know anything about that. But here are the things I can’t do without (or would rather not do without) when I’m writing:
Like, no-brainer, right? I like the laptop because often I can’t work at home. I take the tot to the in-laws, and sit down at the nearest Starbucks (where they know my name and my drink, so obviously I’m there a lot). Eventually, I think that’s going to have to change. I can already feel the not-so-great effects of typing thousands of words on a flat, compact keyboard, so eventually I’ll have to break down and either take an ergonomic keyboard along with me, or lose that extra half hour driving back across town to home to use a desktop computer and ergonomic keyboard.
Convenience over function. Sigh. This is the one I got about six months ago, after I had an argument with my husband and stormed away from my desk … and caught my previous laptop’s outlet cord with my big toe in the process, making it slide across the desk and fall to the floor, bringing down the other necessary writing item right on top of the keyboard:
Yes. That was not good. Well, it was good in that I had to get a new laptop because the C - D - E wouldn’t work (not so good when the hero’s name is Colin) and I really needed to get a new one anyway, because only a couple of weeks before the file had been corrupted and I lost a couplethreehundred pages of my manuscript (yay for backups!) and all of the formatting.
It’s sad how addicted I’ve become to coffee, though. (Actually, that’s a lie; I hate coffee. But I love espresso mixed with lots of milk and chocolate, yum. Or caramel. Yum yum.) I resisted for SO LONG! Twenty-seven years. I was one of those people who sniffed superiorly when other people talked about coffee addictions.
But then I had a baby, and ohmygod if Starbucks and Seattle’s Best weren’t my best friends at 8am in the morning and I’d just been up all night with a baby on my tit and a paper due in one of my grad classes. And at three in the afternoon.
Because, you know, I have to draw inspiration from somewhere. She sits on my desk. When I need inspiration for a sex scene, I just take off her clothes and tie her up with her lasso, and bring out the Superman Ken and my Batman action figures. All five of them. Some are only half her size.
That Wonder Woman’s a lucky gal.
This may be the most important of all: my E.T. massager. Actually, it’s a HOMEDICS massager, but it looks kind of like E.T. And it is also the reason why, as reward to myself when Demon Angel is published, I’ll be buying this:
I imagine that it will also be one of my necessary things.
8 Responses to “Tools of the Trade”
 Comment by Larissa December 3rd, 2006 at 9:12 am |
I have that same laptop! Got it in August, and I love it! And naturally, a nice massager, because my shoulders tighten up when I’m writing. Total coffee addict. That chair thing looks like some sort of torture device… |
 Comment by Long Tran December 3rd, 2006 at 9:38 am |
lol, i can relate! one of my absolute essential writing tools for inspiration…my video ipod, my writing journal, and a ready supply of Twix candy bars. I haven’t done the coffee thing yet at Starbucks…although i do have a healthy supply of Folger’s coffee. I also look at pictures of actors in costume to help me gain some additional inpsiration when i write. It’s always helpful to see my fave actors in my imagained story going through the motions and trials. Depending on the genre of the book i would probably watch a movie that relates. For example I would watch Hero to get the juices flowing for my current novel. |
 Comment by May December 3rd, 2006 at 10:06 am |
I’m not horribly addicted to coffee yet, but I do get coffee on days when I’m blocked. I think it helps. Or it might be all in my head. What am I saying? Like you, my coffee needs lots of milk. Sugar, caramel and chocolate optional, but I really like the Toffee Nut latte (seasonal) at Starbucks. |
 Comment by Jane December 3rd, 2006 at 11:56 am |
Ah - you should get an apple. http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/ Look for the accident one. |
 Comment by meljean December 4th, 2006 at 12:13 am |
Larissa — the chair is an ergonomic kneeling chair; I tried one once at an office supply store, and was shocked at how much pressure it relieves off the back. I don’t know if I could use it for an 8-hour stretch, but I’m definitely going to get one and switch between it and my traditional chair as I’m writing.
Long — I have pictures on my desktop of my characters, too. It really helps me along when I’m stuck. May — I do find that I get into a coffee-rhythm. Like, I’m so used to having one while I’m writing now that it seems almost a ritual. Get the coffee; write. So that when I break the habit, it takes me a little longer to get into it. Jane — AGH! I lust after an Apple. Particularly for the iMovie thing. I think that my next computer, I’m finally going to make the switch … my primary reason for keeping a PC for so long was compatibility issues at work and university, but now it’s not an issue. |
 Comment by Green Arrow December 4th, 2006 at 4:05 am |
concerning that chair: when you get it you can get more creative inspirations for you steamy scenes.:grin: ET massager: same as above WW: hell yeah laptop: i just got an IBM Lenovo, works like a dream. new laptops just make you feel happy. and also give you carpal tunnel, maybe you can get some of those cool finger-less gloves…..yeah….. that’d be hot. But seriously thought, they have fold up or really small keyboards that are pretty much the exact same thing as a desktop keyboard, just smaller, but it’s real nice. http://www.fentek-ind.com/minikb.htm GA coffee: = life energy. |
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Comment by meljean December 4th, 2006 at 3:35 pm |
*rofl* Fingerless gloves?
I wonder if that would make me cool. I really want to be cool. |
 Comment by Bobby December 5th, 2006 at 11:42 pm |
Quit your whining and write the goddamn thing already. You think Faulkner had all this crap to help him? How about Chaucer? Or the great Nangi Lagoo? |
It’s all in my head, together with the characters. 