The Surprisingly Fun Benefit of Back-to-School Shopping for Writers

by Beth K. Vogt on @BethVogt

It’s back to school season, and you know what that means, right? It’s time to grab the oh-so-detailed shopping lists, head to the stores – they’re all boasting sales, right? – and fill the shopping carts to overflowing with the required school supplies. Paper, notebooks, and don’t forget the pens!

I miss back-to-school shopping. My kiddos are adults, some with kiddos of their own. Even so, I check the sales, wander the aisles, and toss a few boxes of crayons or markers, along with the notebooks or pens, into my cart. (Did I mention they were on sale?) It’s always good to have craft supplies on hand for my GRANDkiddos, right? And I can never have too many pens or too much paper. 

I see you nodding your heads out there, writer friends.

A couple of weeks ago, two of my GRANDgirls were over for the day. They mentioned they needed to go shopping for school things like index cards and highlighters and notebooks. 

Aha!

ME: “I have some of those in my office.”

GRANDGIRLS: “You do?”

ME: “Yep. You’re welcome to look around in the closet.”

Sound of their footsteps as they disappeared around the corner and up the stairs.

They came back with huge grins on their faces and announced they’d found everything they needed, along with a few other things. Cost to them? Nothing. Yes, it cost me something at one time, but the stuff had been in my closet for months, maybe even a couple of years. I’m thrilled they’re using it. The girls also came back a week later and asked to visit “Gigi’s store” again. (More like “Gigi’s stash.”) 

Yep. They both found some other things they could use. 

Happiness all around. 

“Beth,” you ask, “what’s your point?” 

It’s this: we’re writers. We love pens, paper, notebooks. Maybe like me, you enjoy the back-to-school shopping season and indulge in the sales. Do you share the wealth with your kiddos, grandkiddos, or even your neighbors? Do you contribute to your local store’s drive to collect school supplies for kids? The cost of school supplies add up—who can you help this year?

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The Surprisingly Fun Benefit of Back-to-School Shopping for Writers from @BethVogt on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” She’s authored 15 novels and novellas, both contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Beth is a Christy Award winner, an ACFW Carol Award winner, and a  RITA® finalist. Her newest contemporary romance novel, Dedicated to the One I Love, released June 20, 2023. Her novel Things I Never Told You, book one in her Thatcher Sisters Series by Tyndale House Publishers, won the 2019 AWSA Golden Scroll Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Learn How to Write a Novel and The Write Conversation and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people. Connect with Beth at BETHVOGT.COM.