From Edie: Discover the essential tools every writer needs for success. Learn the common-sense habits, software, and skills that build a strong writing career.
Essential Tools Every Writer Needs: Common-Sense Musts for a Successful Writing Career
by Cindy K. Sproles @CindyDevoted
Being a new writer is hard. We never know what to expect or what others expect of us. As a result, newer writers tend to imagine what they think they need. Those preconceived ideas can help us slip by, but more often than not, they throw roadblocks in our pathway.
Taking the time to find the necessary common-sense tools to keep in your toolbox is well worth the effort. You may not use every tool in the beginning, but as your writing skills grow, you’ll find the value in having these things at your fingertips.
Let me begin by saying that all the tools we need are not always “how to write” skills, hence why we call them common sense tools. It’s no reflection on your intelligence, simply one of those things we don’t think about as a tool. Our tools begin with that internal desire called determination.
Here are 8 tools that will help fill your toolbox for such a time as this.
1. Prayer: Call me old-fashioned, but regardless of whether you’re beginning your writing career or starting your day, put your priorities in line. We are gifted, and even as Christian writers, God calls us into the service of the kingdom. As my grandmother used to say, “Get your ducks in a row” and begin by offering these things to the Father.
- Your attitude: may it be pleasing and acceptable to Him
- A willing heart and a teachable spirit: that you might take on the approach you are not entitled, nor do you know everything. But you can be taught and led.
- A stick-to-it-iveness determination: Writing requires persistence and the determination to persevere when rejection comes our way.
- The ability to hand our work back into the hands of the Father so He can do with it as He sees fit. Learning to let go and trusting God’s plan.
2. Microsoft Word: Don’t laugh, but in a world where there are tons of free programs, a writer needs Word. Go ahead. Kick and scream that Macs are better, bla, bla, bla. The industry standard is Word. Go ahead, sink your teeth in and acquire Word for your computer, regardless of whether it’s a PC or a MAC. Here’s why. When saved projects are transferred from one platform/program to another, they can become corrupted. Specific editing tools may not be available, and tracking may become inconsistent, resulting in numerous problems that can arise, especially when you reach the editing stage with a publisher. They need everybody on the same page—literally. Just suck it in and get Microsoft 360 or at least Word. Life will be much easier. The days of reliable FREE software are history. Invest in software you can keep up-to-date and learn to use it.
3. One-Drive or Google Docs: As nice as these are for your personal use and retrieval/storage, they can be a royal pain when you begin to work with an editor. Files may become challenging to open, if at all, and even updated information can sometimes go awry. Save your work to your desktop and transfer it via email as an attachment, unless otherwise instructed. Depending on the settings and versions of the program used, Google Docs will email you every time you make a change in a document. Consistency is hard to achieve when everyone has their settings set to suit their individual needs. Do not correspond to editors using these programs unless they specifically request you to do so.
4. Familiarity with track changes: Tracking has a definite learning curve, but this is a necessity in your writing, especially once you receive a contract. Tracking is how editors make changes, leave you notes, and work through manuscript issues with authors. Other programs have their own tracking features, but Word is the industry standard, so take the time to learn how to use it effectively. This is a skill you will use frequently.
5. Learning to save your work into a PDF: There will be times when you will need to either save your work into a PDF or learn to work with edits within a PDF. Take the time to learn how to navigate through PDF changes before you are placed under a deadline.
6. Security through an off-site backup or an on-site backup system: Securing a good backup system for your computer and your writing never starts too soon. Yes, it will cost you a little money, but the money is nothing compared to having lost a full manuscript into a non-retrievable black hole. There are companies that specialize in daily backups for your computer, which are very reliable and can completely reload the contents of your computer should you experience a computer failure or an internet theft. I am not saying Google is your answer, because things get lost just as frequently from Google and One-Drive/Google Docs as they do when left uncared for on your computer desktop. Do your homework and either secure an independent backup hardware for your computer or a reliable company. A backup system is a must! It just is.
7. Learning an organization method for your work: This may seem silly, but in working with authors daily, the one thing I find happens is that they are constantly sending the wrong file. Everyone organizes differently, so find the method that works best for you. The best method for me is to organize my work into files by novel, blog post, and article. Within those files are saved documents that are titled and dated. Ex. CHOHW_10_3_25. Let me translate. Come Hell or High Water and the date. As I name and date files, then drop them into the proper file folder on my computer, I never lose track. When I send a file, I rarely send the wrong one because they are easily accessible. Find an organization method that works for you and then use it. You’ll be glad you did.
8. Keeping a writing calendar: Whether you keep a calendar on your computer, phone, or you’re just old-fashioned and keep a planner. Keep a calendar. Jot down your appointments, conferences, and even log the work you’ve done for the day. Keeping a calendar helps you stay on track and prevent disorganization or author burnout. It’s easy to overbook a day, but when you write down your day, you see the room you have to carve out space.
As you read over this list, you may think some of these items are silly, but honestly, these tools are a necessity in your writing career. Some require thought, others require learning a new skill, but either way, to best serve their writing career, authors need a handle on managing the little things that aren’t always taught in a conference.
My grandma was a hoot, but her Appalachian wisdom has proven useful more times than I can count. When she told me, “Prepare. Don’t you never get caught with your drawers down,” she gave me the best advice I could have ever received. Prepare. Make the effort to put things in order. Mary Kay Ashe, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, once said, “Much is lost but for one last effort.” As you begin your writing path, take the time to make your future life much easier now. Make that one last effort and begin to build your toolbox. Fill it with essential common-sense tools and writing craft tools. They’ll always be handy, and you’ll never regret the work.
TWEETABLE
Super funny
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Very wise instructions.
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