In my YouTube series, 52 Weeks of Writing – The Writing Prompts, I’m sharing the fifty-two writing prompts that are included in the first volume of my 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner.
Stephen King once said: ‘Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference. They don’t have to make speeches. Just believing is usually enough.’
Having grown up surrounded by those who didn’t believe in me and my writing dreams, I know first-hand that someone showing even the tiniest bit of faith can feel immensely supportive. Over the years, however, I found that there are many more ways people can and want to support the writers in their life.Read More →
As a writer, editor, and writing coach, I tend to be working on different projects in the space of one day. It means I need quite a few items within reach at all times. Of these things, these are my absolute office favourites, those items I wouldn’t know how to live without.
Disclaimer: I wrote this post last year, and I’ve since then moved on to the Moleskine Pro Weekly Diary. Not because I no longer loved the Paperblanks business planner, but because the shop I usually get my planners from didn’t have the latter in stock anymore. I do love the Moleskine one though, so I’m not unhappy about this change.
Surprise! One of my office favourites is a planner… Who would have thought? I discovered the Paperblanks business planner last year, and I’ve been in love since. It works perfectly with my…
Which is another office favourite. I use 52 Weeks of Writing to track and plan my writing goals for the week, and I use my Paperblanks planner to keep track of deadlines, appointments, and non-writing related projects, such as the editing or translating work I’m doing for clients.
This little notebook contains all my clients, the work I did or am doing for them, the estimates I’ve quoted, the deadlines we’ve agreed to, how often we will be meeting per week or per month, and so on.
This calendar was made by CopsCats, the Trap-Neuter-Return charity I volunteer for here in Cyprus. It contains pictures of our colony cats, the cats we feed and look after medically once they’re neutered and released.
The cat on the picture is Alexis, who was dumped at one of our feeding stations when she was barely weaned. A colleague and I tried to socialise her, to see if we could turn her into a housecat because she was so young, but she was still feral after two months and we had to release her again. This picture was taken eight months after.
I have rather dry skin and I can’t stand typing with dry hands. I’m still looking for the perfect vegan hand cream, one that absorbs instantly, so if anyone knows just the brand…
When I moved to Cyprus, the thing I missed most about my old office was my Deskbike. It took me ages to get one shipped to Cyprus, but it finally arrived last August!
It’s made in the Netherlands—we love our bicycles—and it’s basically a home trainer without the front, which allows you to cycle while sitting behind your desk.
Aside the standing desk and the Deskbike, which I got for my health, I also use an ergonomic mouse in combination with a mini keyboard. Before I started working with this combination, I suffered badly and often from RSI, but those days are gone!
A laptop stand is one of the essential items if you want to create a more ergonomic office set-up, but I love mine in particular because it also allows me to work from the couch without entirely ruining my posture and inviting neck and shoulder pain. It cost me about €30, and it’s one of the best investments I’ve ever made.
Which writer doesn’t have a ton of different pens and pencils, sticky notes, and markers to make them feel much more organised than they actually are?
I do. Anything to feel in control and on top of things.
According to crystal lore, it’s financially beneficial to keep a piece of citrine in the left corner of the room where you do business. Citrine is one of my favourite gemstones so I have citrine all over the house, and I often wear it around my neck or wrist as well. The biggest piece I have is just under seven kilograms, and that’s the one I keep in the left corner of my office.
Before I moved to Cyprus, it was the pride and joy of my then office. So when I left the Netherlands, I wrapped it up in scarfs and sweaters, stuffed it in my suitcase, and took it with me. Everyone thought I had lost my mind, but I’m so happy I did.
If I don’t have tea and water within reach, I dehydrate. I easily get absorbed in my work, so I have to make sure I have enough fluids nearby. It’s why I favour giant mugs. This is the biggest one I own and it holds 550 ml.
And no, I don’t mind drinking my tea cold. There’s always the microwave…
In my YouTube series, 52 Weeks of Writing – The Writing Prompts, I’m sharing the fifty-two writing prompts that are included in the first volume of my 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner.
In my YouTube series, 52 Weeks of Writing – The Writing Prompts, I’m sharing the fifty-two writing prompts that are included in the first volume of my 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner.