Essentials of a Writer's Life

The only voyage where one never reaches a destination is a creative journey. The expedition of art is not linear but a constant time loop and one hunt for scrapes of gold in heaps of unfathomable rough work. Keeping the writer's life taut and streamlined is of utmost importance for creation. Here's a list of 5 must-have stuff that is essential for a writer's life:

⦁ Thesaurus & Dictionary: You can buy a physical copy of a thesaurus and a dictionary or you may get an app for the smartphone. There are many free and paid apps for the same. I use 'Merriam-Webster' App (available for iOS and Android), a free offline app. It is 'synchronic', meaning it concentrates on current, active vocabulary and has over 4,70,000 words.

⦁ Writing Assistant: A cloud-based writing assistant that reviews spelling, grammar, and punctuation, identifies mistakes, detects plagiarism, and suggests replacement is a boon to every writer's journey making it easier than ever. Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Ginger, etc are the most popular ones. A free version of Grammarly is good to start with. You may later pay for the advanced features that come in monthly or annual packages.

⦁ Index Cards/Flash Cards: A bunch of index cards is my go-to stuff to jot down any passing idea. The key is to catch the idea with my pen and a flash card before I lose its sight forever. Flash cards are easy to carry and if you use them often, you end up with your own awesome collection of random ideas/creatives.

⦁ Desk Space: A dedicated place and time to write is important if you are working on a project. Going to your desk religiously at the same time every day even if you just have to stare at the blank screen is the only way to fight writer's block. Find a quiet corner with a little desk to type and you are good to kickstart your writing expedition.

⦁ Books & Books: If you don't have time to read,  you don't have time (and tools) to write. - Stephen King 
Reading permeates in us the fundamentals of writing, grammar, language, plot development, syntax, vocabulary, sentence framing, and ideas. So, start building a little personal library at your desk or simply get a kindle subscription and commence the writing voyage with your tools and essentials.

-Dr. Akanksha Abhishek