5 Things I Never Write Without | Don't forget these!

If I’ve learned anything from being a writer and author, it’s that the method to my madness varies from project to project. I mean, I did intense character development for my first historical series, but have found that apparently plotting as I go is how we roll for PROJECT: Volt and Co.

Note: what works for A doesn’t always apply to B. Or C or F or X, for that matter.🤣

That being said, there are several things that I keep the same for each and every project I work on. Allow me to share:

1—A solid grasp on my main character

This might look different from writer to writer. Personally, there are four things I absolutely must know: my MC’s greatest fear, the lie they believe, their misbelief, and a healthy dose of backstory.

Why these things in particular? Because they will be the driving forces behind each and every decision my character makes. Why did they go on that cruise when we know they get extremely sea sick? Because they’re terrified of being left alone. Why did they ignore the advice they were given? They were told they could trust no one but themselves.

Then, of course, there could be the fact that they were abandoned as a child and rescued by this person that says not to believe anyone, hence why they listen to them (AKA, the backstory).

Long story short, I get to know these people I’m going to be spending so much time with.

From there, I’m fairly confident to put pen to page and start my story.

2—An easy place to jot notes

Do I scribble notes everywhere? Yes. In fact, I have a post-it note in my pocket to remind me about an edit I have to make to a blog post. Hehe.

But I leave even more notes when I’m writing, which turn out to be super handy in the long run . . . if it’s actually written where I can remember it. So that means I usually set aside a section in a notebook or dedicate an entire small notepad for the purpose.

3—A brainstorming buddy

This is a shout-out to my awesome writer buddies! 😊 They are so important! Being an author is no solo journey, despite what some may think. Having people beside you who you can randomly bounce ideas off, contemplate a thread you want to incorporate, or just help pull you out of the plot hole ditch can be a blessing from the Lord (I know mine are!).

4—My favorite medium of choice

Call me classic, crazy, nostalgic, what have you, but there is nothing like the feel of penning words with ink and paper.

This habit stemmed from necessity, then grew into a love for handwriting my novels and stories. My brain simply won’t let my creative juices flow when I’m staring at that mocking cursor on a stark white page. It goes into full-blown rebellion mode and won’t calm down till I switch over to paper. 🙄😂 Temperamental thing.

That being said, I know people who love writing on their laptop—and even their phone! So figure out which works best for you, then go for it! It isn’t a matter of what other people do; it’s about finding what fits your creative process and sticking with it.

5—The Lord

Did you see this one coming? 🤭 If not, then you really must not know me.

We authors and writers and creators have tons of potential locked inside us. But there is truly only One who can bring that potential to its greatest.

If you haven’t invited the Lord into your writing time, I strongly encourage you to do so. Through God, all things are possible—including tackling even the hardest of plot holes and strong-willed characters. 😉

I hope you found this post encouraging and helpful! Do you use any of these methods? How many notebooks have you squirreled away for note taking purposes? (Don’t cringe—it’s an occupational hazard, I’m afraid. 😂) What kind of writer are you: paper and pen or good ole laptop?

Catch ya on the flip side!

_Mac 🤎