I can’t believe it’s only a few weeks until Christmas. I’ve been traveling a lot. Between writing retreats, conferences, and vacations with family, my life has been less ho, ho, ho and more go, go, go. On the road, I still try to write whenever I can. So, I created a go bag with the tools I need.
Here is a look at what’s inside:
I love a keyboard. I need it to write. I have tried smaller devices to reduce weight and optimize space. I’ve even tried traveling without my MacBook and always regret it.
At the Austin Film Festival, I heard a writer and busy mother say that she writes between the seams in her schedule. I feel like my life is the same way. I found a budget-friendly lap desk and write during long drives from the passenger seat, in the carpool line waiting to pick up kids, in coffee shops, and in dinky hotel rooms.
I found this Voyager Refillable Journal in Books to Be Red, an independent bookstore, on Ocracoke Island. It holds three notebooks: lined, dot grid, and blank pages. It is great for research notes, sketching diagrams, and jotting down ideas. The notebooks are small and refillable. Until I found this gem, my note-taking system on the road was random scraps of paper and sending emails to myself which was problematic at best.
I hate playing Twister behind furniture searching for outlets. This USB desktop power strip has been a game changer for me. I love the outlets are easy to access, and I can charge multiple devices at one time.
I’m notorious for forgetting to charge my phone. I often use it as a hotspot when I write. This portable charger has saved me countless times. It is also small and easy to carry.
There have been days (I wish more) when the writing has been going well and suddenly, I’m hungry. If I stop to find food, the magic disappears. I keep bags of almonds, dark chocolate, and protein bars with me in a pinch.
[NOTE: All links provided above are solely for your convenience; I have no financial relationship with the brands or retailers.]
Do you have a go bag for writing? Do you have advice on the best way to write on the road? What tools work for you?
Please share your ideas in the comments.
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I always have a notebook and pen and pencil. I've never taken a laptop, but I have a bluetooth keyboard for cell phone, and that's a keeper. (Samsers on Amazon) Thanks for the tip about the travel power strip!
ReplyDeleteA bluetooth keyboard for a cell phone is a great idea! Thanks for sharing. I will be sure to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI had a 50yo black leather travel bag with a zillion pockets, some for business cards, credit cards, airline tickets and passport. Unfortunately, I left it on the other side of the world in a repair shop that happened to be closed the week I departed. My backup is a tan leather bag with a few pockets less, one where I swapped in magnetic catches to replace the flakey snap fasteners. After witnessing rough handling by airport personel, I added a laptop sleeve to double protect my MacBook. I still carry a micro USB cable along with the newer USB-C cables.
ReplyDeleteMy Bose noise-cancelling headphones actually melted– Florida heat turned the earpieces into a gummy mess and the device ate batteries like mad. I liked the isolation so I might try again… but with some other better executed product.
I’m a mom of school-age kids and will be for a while, so I also try to write when I can—baseball practices, pickup line, band camp…those little bits of time can allow an author to cobble together something great! My laptop comes everywhere with me. Thanks for the tip of carrying a travel power strip—that’s great idea!
ReplyDeleteI’ll add that I also like to carry a few of my author cards and at least one recent published example of my work. You never know who you’ll run into or meet on your travels, so it’s nice to have something to show a potential reader!
All the best for your holiday season, Stacy!
-Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier
Also—thanks for letting us know about the podcast, I didn’t know about this one!
I never considered a recent published work. I LOVE this idea. Recently, I attended the Austin Film Festival and heard a screenwriter say, "I write between the seams" (of her schedule). I know how that feels. Sounds like you do, too. Thanks for stopping by, Ashley-Ruth. Excited to see what you publish next.
ReplyDeleteI had saved this post of yours for a few weeks, hoping to find time to come back and thank you. The power strip is a great idea. There are so many options these days, and they really help. I continue to be shocked how hotels that claim that they cater to the business traveler still have so few outlets in their rooms, or else make it difficult to use the ones that are there. I feel pretty sure that the Voyagers notebook you picked up is a knockoff of the pricier Travelers Company brand notebooks, which have a ton of different inserts. People swear by them but I have never capitulated. Thank you again, and how to meet you on the road one of these days. - Joe
ReplyDelete