Extraneous tools I use to write

This seems like a strange subject, but I find that it is something that I just never really thought about until now. Oh, sure, I listen to music to set my mood and the mood of the piece I'm writing, and I even use it for inspiration sometimes. But there are other things that clutter my desk.

A set of bobble-heads that instill a sense of whimsy. Two dictionaries for those moments when I can't think of the correct word I want to use, or am momentarily stumped as to how to spell a word. (An uncommon occurrence, but there it is.) A baby-name book for the occasions when I need to find just the right name for a character. A pair of tactical knives (an S&W HRT and an old V-42) for those moments when I NEED the tactile sensation of having a deadly bit of steel in my hand to evoke the impression I want to insert into an action sequence. A couple of envelopes of old family pictures when I want to experience sadness, melancholy and nostalgia. The emotions help me to convey what I want to say sometimes. A measuring tape for those moments when I simply need to know how big or small a certain measurement really is. A large coaster to hold my coffee cup or glass of water.

Add to that all the general clutter that writers seem to habitually have on their desks and my workspace suddenly seems to have been diminished. Oh, and of course, a small notebook and pen to keep notes regarding whatever piece I'm working on. In it, you will find lists of characters with descriptions and familial connections appended to them regarding other characters. Hand-drawn maps of the general, fictional area the action takes place in, and page numbers denoting the page-breaks for chapters. I also keep a running track of whatever page I am on when I proofread and/or edit a piece.

When I am writing, these things delineate the extent of my world; there is nothing and no one that exists outside them. Oh, I keep my concerns, duties and responsibilities running in "background" in the back of my head. (What did you think? I'm not oblivious to the world around me.) But when I am in "writing mode", these things are what exists for me. I suppose that would indicate dedication to the work and concentration; I've been known to snarl when disturbed. The cordless phone behind me has a weak battery and I will not buy another; it manages to keep my phone conversations to a minimum so I can get back to writing quickly.

That is a partial tour of my writing environment. There are other things in the room that serve me as much as the things on my desk, but this was designed only to make people aware of what I used on my desk to aid me in writing.

Thank you, Derek A. Murphy
Author of Gulf of the Plains, Congruencies, The Empty Heart and others.
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