The Single Best Thing I’ve Invested in as a Writer

Writers use a lot of tools while constructing their writing pieces. We are constantly filling up laptops, our phones, recording devices, and even notebooks with ideas, drafts, tentative titles, and other little things. They definitely help us during the pursuit of our next great article or blog.

Having the right tools makes a big difference. While one can succeed with a single pencil and a few sheets of paper, it helps to use other tools, apps, and websites. We have quite a few options at our disposal.

I’ve invested in a number of things to help me along my Writer’s Journey. One stands out more than all the others. But we’ll get to that. First, I’ll talk about a few things that have helped tremendously, then we’ll discuss the most important investment of them all.

A Good Quality Laptop

I didn’t have a great laptop when I first set about becoming a professional writer. I had an entry-level HP Chromebook that I’d been using for a number of years. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, its smaller keyboard wasn’t nearly as comfortable as the one I’m using to write this blog at the moment.

I knocked over a glass of wine onto that older keyboard about a month after I started blogging. PARTY FOUL! I use my laptop to play music when I cook and I should have known better than to have my wine next to the computer. I was horrified.

My Bride was so kind about this happening. She gave me her newer, better laptop on the spot. She told me she rarely used it for taking notes at her practice, instead using a pen and paper. Still, that wasn’t the point. The point was how kind she was to give me a far better laptop than what I was using.

The new one was awesome. It had a wider touch screen, which my older one didn’t have. The keyboard was spread out more and far easier to use with my bigger hands. The keys also light up, which makes them perfect for use in the dark. I love it and spend many hours a day using it.

Grammarly

I’ve mentioned the importance of using Grammarly when I’ve talked about writing here on Medium. It’s especially useful when you own a publication like Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Blogs. I receive anywhere from a dozen or two submissions for BBB daily from our writing staff.

They’re not always of top-notch accuracy. I can generally tell when I receive a blog or article from someone who isn’t using Grammarly. There can be a lot of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors for me to have to go through and edit. With as many submissions as we receive daily, the time I spend editing and proofreading can really add up.

Grammarly is a free add-on that you can get from their website. My writing mentor highly recommended that I download it for free, which I promptly did. He was right. Grammarly kicks ass. If you’re not using it, please do yourself a favor and invest your time in grabbing it right now. There’s even a paid version if you REALLY find it useful. You will.

A Nicer Phone is Helpful

This thing to invest in as a writer is pretty easy. Almost everyone I know has a phone. Just about all of those anymore are smartphones with numerous apps. Having a good phone with these capabilities truly helps us as writers.

I use mine to write down topics I think of that could make for good blogs, when I’m out and about somewhere. The last thing I want to do is come up with some amazing idea and then forget what it was when I think about it later. This also holds true for keeping track of potential titles or even certain lines to be used in future writing pieces.

It’s also can be used as a voice recorder, should you think of a lengthy section of prose you’d like to include in a piece you’re working on. The camera could provide excellent photos for your new blog. You’re also able to use Medium or other websites needed for the construction of your next awesome blog or article.

A Comfortable Work Area

Never underestimate the power of a nice, organized, and quiet workplace. Some writers are able to write anywhere. It can be at home in the middle of family life, inside a busy, bustling coffee shop, or even at an office. The most important aspect is having a work area that you truly vibe in while writing.

For me, I have to have a quiet place. I can’t be in the room with someone else who is watching TV, listening to music, or hearing someone conversing with someone else. I need solitude and quiet to do my best writing.

Fortunately for me, I have two options for such an environment, when I’m writing. There are four adults living at home. My Bride and sister-in-law both have offices they work at during most working hours in a week. My young adult daughter usually is home and keeps to herself.

This leaves my bedroom as the main location where I construct most of my blogs. My little dog Libby loves nothing more than to quietly snuggle next to me as I type, so this works out well. We have a good thing going here.

On the weekends, my Bride is home much of the time. I’ll usually use her office at the counseling practice she owns when my family is home during the weekend. After four or five hours at the office, I’ve usually accomplished writing a pretty solid blog or two, then I’m ready to come home to my family.

So What’s the Best Thing I’ve Invested in as a Writer?

At this point, you’re probably wondering what the single best thing I’ve invested in during the first 10 months of my Writer’s Journey? Well, that’s easy: The best thing I’ve invested in during this time is MYSELF.

Yes, helping myself put my best foot forward to succeed at building a career as a successful writer has been the most important aspect of this entire thing. This hasn’t always been easy. Nor has this investment in myself happened in only one obvious way.

I’ve had to use some tools to do this the right way. A nice laptop, a great phone, using Grammarly, and having a nice, quiet workplace have all been important components of this entire process. But putting myself and my writing first ahead of other things has been my best investment as a writer.

For me, this meant making time for myself to be able to write as often as I do. I cut back the content writing portion of my routine to make more time to blog. Blogging is my passion and my joy. Content writing paid the bills, but was boring.

Allowing myself to quit doing content writing and focusing solely on the type of writing I wanted to do was very fulfilling. I was also scared shitless about not spending at least some of my time writing for income. Though I knew I could do well on earnings here on Medium, it was going to take a lot of time.

So I’ve invested that time. I believe in myself as a writer. My Bride has been awesome about being supportive and cheering me on. I’ve taken the time I was using on content writing and side hustle work to fully commit to my Writer’s Journey.

It’s been incredible. I highly recommend that you invest in the most important tool that you have as a writer. The belief in yourself. If you believe yourself to be an incredible writer and put the time into it that it deserves, you’ll get there. &:^)

If you can see it, you can be it.