If you’ve been around for awhile (and if you’re new, waving hi! Thank you for subscribing!) you know I’m the author of nine non-fiction books and I’m working on a novel. Woot!
I’ve been a working writer, and now non-fiction book coach, supporting herself and her family for more than 32 years. 🥰
I’m so grateful.
And I’m always looking for ways to make my writing process easier and more fun.
Here’s my current list of tools I use to enhance my creativity. I hope some are useful for you!
PLAYLISTS
If I can’t concentrate or I’m feeling too anxious to write, I pop on a writing playlist. Here are a few I use:
Ludovico Einadui complete playlist
All kinds of classical music playlists I choose from.
I love weird binaural sounds. And here’s a more varied playlist.
If you like ambient sounds and want a whole bunch to choose from, check this site out.
NOISE-CANCELING HEADPHONES
I went for the cheaper SoundCore headphones because I wasn’t sure how often I would use them. They are super comfortable and the sound is good but the noise cancelling is only so-so. If you need more silence to write, get the Bose.
PENS
I start most scenes and newsletters (including this one) using pen and paper. My favorite pens are PaperMate Flare and LePen.
JOURNALS
I always loved the idea of sticking to one kind of journal and having a shelf filled with neatly matching spines that grow year by year but about a few years ago I realized that is so not going to happen. I love trying different journals, using cheap drugstore notebooks, and using those beautiful journals friends gift me.
I’m writing a lot by hand especially when traveling this summer because I want to stay off screens. We shall see how it goes.
BOOKS
Writing books are dangerous for me because it’s much easier to read about writing than to actually write but here’s an approach that works for me: when I get stuck on something specific, I read just enough to help me out of that stuck spot.
For example, I’ve been struggling with writing interiority which simply means what my main character is feeling, thinking, experiencing inside.
I pulled out Writing the Breakthrough Novel by Donald Mass and took a class from CeCe Lyra and revisited one of my very favorite writing books The Science of Story. It’s helping!
From the national best-selling author of The Woman’s Comfort Book and Why Bother.
5 Ways to Start
Your Non-Fiction Book
You can write your book faster, easier, and better.
I’ve written 9 books with about a million copies sold.
I’m not one of those creepy people who make it hard to unsubscribe or email you again nine years after you’ve unsubscribed. Giving me your email is like a coffee date, not a marriage proposal.
MY CREATIVE CAVE
I’m a huge believer in having a creative cave to work in by which I mean a spot that feels comforting and where you aren’t distracted.
This can be anywhere as long as you can’t see your phone and there are no visual or auditory distractions.
Which means turn off your email! Close your tabs! Face the wall if you have to so you don’t see clutter and unfinished projects.
And most of all? Turn off and hide your phone!
I write fiction almost exclusively in bed. I turn off my phone and pop it in the bathroom, slip on my headphones and go.
CANDLES
This is a cheat as I don’t use these candles or these myself but I give them as gifts to clients and they love them!
DO WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE WRITING OR CREATING MORE FUN
It’s not the specifics of what I use that matter but that I give thought to how to make my writing life more fun and easier.
Your creative process deserves the same.
Happy summer!
