Savannah Watson

Over the years, my writing tools have changed. As a kid, I wrote exclusively in one of the many notebooks I carried around, or in the back of one of my school notebooks. When I got my first laptop, I started typing my writing more. Now, I wanted to break down some of my most important writing tools as of June 2024.

Laptop

My trusty laptop, where 85% of the “magic” happens. I do the majority of my zero drafts by hand, but every other draft is done in Word on my laptop. Beyond that, editing, research, blogging, and the weekly writing prompts a friend and I do on Notion all happen on my laptop.

Phone

My phone is only a writing tool in an emergency. When I can’t get to a piece of paper or my computer, I grab my phone and jot down my thoughts in my Notes app. Otherwise, my phone is pretty much a distraction (a distraction I love, of course). Or it’s my source of inspiration, a.k.a, my chaotic music playlists.

Notebook or Pen and Paper

Ultimately with all of the fancy technology we have (and I use) for writing, handwriting is still my personal default and preferred way of zero drafting. I cannot explain it, but the connection between my brain and hand when I write things on paper seems far better than when I type. Not to say I can’t type a zero draft because I can and have; I have just found the story flows far easier when I’m handwriting. That being said… my handwriting is atrocious. If someone tried to read my handwritten zero drafts, they’d probably call the authorities… any authorities. Which is why all drafts after the zero draft are typed.

Ipad

On the note of handwriting, this is exactly why I got an iPad. My iPad allows me to “handwrite” things and then convert it to text. I have been using Word, which has a writing-to-text pen on the Draw tab. I also recently started using an app called CollaNote, which I love. It lets me have separate notebooks and folders, so staying organized is easy (and as someone with OCD, this is a critical feature for me)! I have been using the app for drafting a new story, blog ideas, and my blog schedule. And as you might guess, I, of course, have Pinterest on my iPad, just for good measure (or bad distraction, more accurately).

I don’t know if it really matters how I do the writing, whether it’s on my laptop, iPad, phone, a piece of paper, or a napkin in a restaurant (which I have done). What matters is that the writing happens. Pick whatever tool you want and write 😊

• Facebook
• Spotify
• Amazon

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