Five tools that earned their place on my writing desk

An important part of my creative writing process these days is taking time to curate my work environment to optimize focus (you can check out my holistic focus tips here). To make things a pinch more complicated, like many writers, my ‘desk’ is the kitchen table. Small space living, am I right?

The kitchen table is often the default dumping ground for things without a home until they find a permanent space (bills, shopping bags, that one kitchen appliance that doesn’t fit in the cupboards). So, I have to be extra cutthroat about what is allowed in my workspace. Before I sit down to write, I clear the table, and if something doesn’t have a purpose for my work, it can’t stay.

Here are the five things (besides my laptop) that always have a place on my desk:

A parking lot

The parking lot is a technique used in the corporate world to sideline off-topic but valuable thoughts to discuss at a later time. Any ideas or questions pulling you off course are jotted down, clearing space in your brain to focus on the task at hand. For me, that’s usually a grocery list, an appointment I need to make, or an idea for a different project.

My preferred parking lot is a sticky notepad. I like that it takes up minimal space—if I am removing the intrusive thoughts from my head, I don’t want to physically bump into them either!

One lidded hydration vessel

Alright, I admit, this is unnecessarily militant. For the same reason I prefer a sticky note parking lot, I try to commit to one drink on my desk at a time. Space is a commodity, clutter distracts.

My favourite mug at the moment is a reusable bamboo cup from Squidinki.* Honourable mention goes to the Mushroom Mug from Rosevear Tea in Edinburgh.*

Why the lid? The most obvious explanation is that a lidded drink stays warmer longer. That means I am limiting the number of times I am popping up from my desk and drinking less tepid tea (though this is a rite of passage as a writer). On top of that, a lid is a bonus safety measure for folks like me with poor spatial awareness. We can’t afford to be frying our tech as a result of a flailing arm.

*Not a paid promotion, just an honest rec.

A measuring tape

This is an under-hyped tool in the creative writing world, especially if you are a visual learner. My measuring tape helps me logically block scenes and make better decisions regarding the level of detail I can include in my narrative.

Let me give you a few examples:

In my current work-in-progress, my protagonist robs a grave, coffin and all. To set the scene, I needed to know the size of an average coffin, the depth of a typical hole, the height of my character, and approximately how much space she’d need around the coffin to be able to manoeuvre. So, I got out the measuring tape. While the measurements won’t make it into my novel, being able to visualize the coffin and the hole helped me assess the logistics of the heist.

At other points in my novel, my protagonist makes observations about people from a distance. Is it actually possible for her to see the bags under someone’s eyes who is on the opposite end of the living room that I just described as expansive? Grab the tape! I’d argue that 10 feet is the maximum distance for that observation to be credible, and a 10-foot-long living room is not expansive. Time to make a change in my text!

A potted plant

This one is dangerously close to the chopping block, but here’s how I logic it out.

1. Beautiful things stimulate creative energy.

2. My plant gives me a reason to look away from my screen and rest my eyes.

3. It’s a reminder to “touch grass” (are we still saying that, or am I dating myself?) daily.

A portable monitor

While working from my laptop is perfectly sufficient for most of what I do, a second screen is exceptionally helpful when I’m conducting research. It significantly reduces the time I spend flipping from window to window and allows me to sort my apps to streamline my creative process. However, the kitchen table is a multifunctional space and can’t host a permanent screen.

So, last year, I invested in a portable monitor. At £70, it was a bit of a splurge, but it has proven to be a worthwhile investment. The model I chose has a built-in cover that converts into a stand and folds over the monitor to protect it when it’s not in use. That makes it easy to tuck away at the end of my workday, and means I can safely transport it in my backpack on the days I’m working elsewhere.

--

Tell me, what must-have items am I missing? What surprising tools do you keep on your desk?