[UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED, and the winner of the lighted pen is…DEBORA WILDER! See the instructions on the last comment to claim your prize, Debora.]
Julie posted some of her favorite tools for writers on the blog a couple of weeks ago and I loved the ideas she shared and decided to steal her idea for my post today. (Thanks, Julie!) I’ve linked to the items in case you want to get one for yourself or a writer friend.
Phone stand: This little adjustable phone stand is under $7 and I’ve only had it for a couple of weeks now, but I don’t know how I ever got along without it—especially now that I’ve started enjoying Instagram stories. It’s a perfect place to prop your phone while it’s charging, or while you watch a video, or even to take a selfie with your timer.
Headphones: I wear headphones to shut out the distractions and to immerse myself in the music that is the backdrop to my story, but the truth is, the main benefit of headphones is that it signals to my…ahem…office mate that I am working and not to be disturbed unless fire or blood are involved! This pair by Cowin is the most comfortable I’ve owned. They are noise-canceling, but I rarely use that feature since the music I’m playing is loud enough to drown out our empty-nest noises. Oh, how I wish I’d had a pair of these when we had four kids at home!
And speaking of headphones, while I do have a lot of music uploaded to iTunes, including a playlist called “Music to Write By,” another favorite source for music is Pandora.com. I love the way you can “train” Pandora to play only your favorite music by thumbs-upping or thumbs-downing each song. It takes a few hours of listening and training, but eventually, you’ll realize that you love virtually every song Pandora plays for you. You can also create various stations that play the music of a certain artist or a genre such as classical or Christmas, etc. I only listen to instrumental music when I write since lyrics conflict with the words I’m trying to write. I often listen to movie soundtracks, which are perfect to write to since they were created as background music. If you’d like to see some of my favorite soundtracks and composers, CLICK HERE.
Dictionary/Thesaurus Library Drawers: Unfortunately, this next item isn’t available online. You’ll likely have to scour your local antique store, flea market, or eBay to find something similar. I’ve had this wonderful antique library piece for over twenty years now. I bought it with my Christmas money one year shortly after I started writing. I confess that most of the time I use an online thesaurus and dictionary, but there are times when leafing through the pages of these books looking for just the right word is part of the inspiration process for me. (And it doesn’t hurt that they look so gorgeous on my desk!)
Business Card Organizer: Here’s another one I don’t have a link for, but there are dozens of ways you could create a similar organizer. Mine happens to be in the drawer of an old sewing machine case. My sister designed and made the tabbed dividers that I alphabetize my massive collection of business cards in. (After shooting this photo, I sorted through them all and tossed almost half of them because I either had updated cards, or the company was no longer in business, or sadly, I could not remember why I even saved the card.)
Lighted Pen: I’ve been using these lighted pens for a dozen years or more. They are perfect for jotting down those ideas that strike in the middle of the night (and I don’t even have to wake up my husband turning the light on). The pens are also great for the movie theater where ideas are often sparked, or in our church’s darkened sanctuary when the sermon gives me a great idea for how to solve my characters’ dilemma! (Or my own!)
A GIVEAWAY! These pens come in sets of three and when I ordered my last batch, I put one in my nightstand, one in my purse, and I’d love to send the extra one to one of you! To be entered (U.S. readers only, please) simply leave a comment on this post and I’ll draw a name at random tomorrow.
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Your writing space is so neat and organized. Will have to add that music to my playlist. Those little pens are so cute. Thanks for sharing.❤️🌸🌼❤️
I must smile.
These pens are perfect. I write poems and I often wake up at midnight and scrabble around for my pencil and some paper on my night table 🙂
The lighted pens would help when I have one of my “midnight great ideas” but don’t want to turn on the light!
Would love to win
I love the pen! I collect them and this one caught my eye–thanks for the opportunity.
Hi Deb, I also must listen to background music without lyrics. I can’t even listen to music I know the lyrics to or I’ll find myself trying to sing along. Love the pens and can see how great it would be to use for ideas after lights-out.
Blessings,
Marilyn Turk
Love the idea of a lighted pen. Thanks for the giveaway.
I like the idea of the lighted pen for my daughter to encourage journaling at night as she’s falling asleep. I Loved all you ideas for organizing too!
These are such great ideas, Deb! I love Pandora too, and I can’t wait to check out your list of music! I’ve never heard of a lighted pen. That sounds like a fun idea too.
I would live to find some old drawers and use them in my craft room. The phone stand looks promising. I wonder if it would hold an ipad or if they make them a tad bigger for ipads? Thanks for the great ideas! I love the pictures of your estate sale finds!
Paula, I just tried it with my iPad (which is fairly small) and it works just great! Thanks for the idea…I don’t know why I hadn’t thought about THAT before! 🙂
Those pens would be perfect for my daughter who is an aspiring writer. I know that she has the most vivid dreams and ideas while sleeping!!!
Some great ideas. What an amazing idea – a lighted pen!
I’d be thrilled to try it out. Thanks for the chance to win one.
Thanks for the really great ideas! I love to see how other people organize their work areas. Even if I don’t use the exact idea, it often gives me inspiration for organizing myself.
Some great ideas. And I LOVE the dictionary/thesaurus holder!
Thanks so much.
I love your ideas! I think a lighted pen would be very useful and would allow me to stay warm in our cozy bed instead of popping up, walking to the nearest light and writing my sudden inspiration down.
Love those library drawers! Oh now I have some intentional to scour for when we go “junking” as my sister calls it! I love that the headphones actually work as a signal for Ken, I mean your officemate. My hubby just chats away!
Thank you for sharing all your favorite tools. Have to try some of them out. Really liked the drawers for your dictionary/thesaurus.
You have some great items listed. I love pens to begin with, so I find these lighted ones extremely cool. I’d love to add one to my collection. Thanks for the chance to win.
I would love a lighted pen … I’ve never seen them before but they look really cool! I, too, cannot listen to songs with words if I’m trying to concentrate on my work. One of my favorite Pandora streams is “Soothing Waters”. It’s great for a nap or at night when I’m going to sleep. 🙂
It is very inspiring to read of your ideas and “tricks of the trade”. I’m new at sharing my thoughts in a more organized manner. Since early childhood memories my Mother took me ” junking”. The lovely treasured pieces are gorgeous and bring a flood of rich memories flowing over me.
Thank you for each idea and suggestion! The lighted pen is a tremendous and thoughtful gift.
Blessings Always,
Pamela Kay
Pamela
Good morning, D! I love your favorites! They are all so useful and handy to have. Thank you for sharing and I hope you have an absolutely wonderful day. Smiles and blessings to you.
The lighted pen is an awesome idea!!!
Deb, I always enjoy a glimpse into your writing space, which is so tastefully vintage and antique. Your post gave me a “well-duh” moment. Headphones?! Why haven’t I thought of that? My favorite place to write is on my love seat with lots of light pouring in through the windows…until my family wakes up (mostly Hubby now that our girls are in college). Headphones would allow him to watch his Dan Patrick and I can write without struggling to block out the noise. (Well-duh!) My oldest daughter will be married this year. I’m not only gaining a son-in-love but an office, too (her bedroom)! Still, headphones are going to be a great investment.
Happy Monday! The pens are great.
Oh my gosh, your ideas are genius! I struggle with getting enough light to read & write by (thanks, lousy vision) and I think I need that phone stand for while I work too! Excellent insight and lovely ideas!
Oh nice! Perfect for those random plot ideas that hit you in the middle of the night. 😉
I love the post topic! Great way to learn about some awesome writing accessories that you didn’t know you were missing out on! 🙂
Oh! A lighted pen. I wake up with amazing ideas. This way, I can jot them down in the dark instead of forgetting them as soon as the light is on. 🙂 YAY. Great invention.
I like reading about how authors organized their lives/time, and this article about favorite tools was very interesting–the prize sounds fun–especially if my young grandsons (who LOVE flashlights) find out these pens exist! 🙂
Thanks, for the giveaway! Love the business card organizer idea. 🙂
You have given us some great ideas. The pens look like they would be comfortable to write with.
Deb, what awesome pens! I love your earphones, too. I have earphones that I use when I want to umm drown out the make contingent in my house lol ( sports, etc) but the funny thing is, is that usually, the second I put them on, that’s usually when everyone in the house wants to chat me up lol. Thank you for the chance, and keep up the great writing!
Boy, a lighted pen would be handy. Sometimes, after I turn my light off at night I think of something I wanted to write in my journal. I could write it without turning on the light!
I love the library drawers!
A lighted pen? Will wonders never cease. I wonder what Mr. Bic would think about that.
Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
I love all the antique appearance of your writing space! The pen light is a great idea because I have even tried getting out of bed and going to write my ideas in the living room. My husband still wakes up. He said he can sense I’m not in bed and for some reason he always wakes up immediately, no matter how quiet I am. The pen light would be great! I cans stay in bed so I don’t wake him up.
I like the ideas of the headphones and lighted pens.
The pens are so pretty! I love pens, I’m told sometimes I carry to many.
What a great idea for burning the midnight oil. I also love the wooden drawers you have repurposed. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.
You have the best ideas for your writing area, and all over your house!! I love to see how you use all of your treasures from garage and estate sales!
I would love to get the thesaurus and dictionary drawers for my mom! She would love these. Thanks for a chance to win.
What a fun idea – lighted pens! Love your books and would love to win this give-away!!
I absolutely love the old library drawers! I really like the lighted pen and I never knew there was such a pen.
I could have used those pens when a teacher! Same as you…I would bend over my night table after going to bed to jot down ideas for lesson plans.
Such helpful and wonderful ideas. Thanks
Such great tips! I’ve worn earplugs to drown out room noises but I like the idea of the headphones. Your storage for the thesaurus and dictionary are like nothing that would ever have occurred to me – but certainly attractive on your desk, and quite serviceable! I’m going to look for the phone stand, I’ve never seen that before either. Thanks for sharing your tips and offering a lighted pen. Very useful!
Great ideas! Thanks for the link to the background music! I see why you are my new favorite author! Love every book you’ve written!
Awww! Thanks so much, Kim!
I love “favorite things” posts . . . I am powerless to resist them! =) I guess it makes me feel part of a community of women . . . when someone blazes the trail and researches the best moisturizer or book or recipe for a spring dessert, it saves the rest of us time and money and fails! I hope you’ll continue to do posts like this one covering a variety of favorites!
That’s really good to have that feedback, Andrea! I feel the same way about those kind of posts. We’ll take that under advisement! 🙂
You are always so neat. Love the pens and would love to win one , thank you for the chance
I love the pens and am thrilled that you are giving us a chance to win one. Thank you for sharing you list of soundtracks. I’m going to go check them out right now.
Those look great!
All good ideas! Love the pens, would love to win! Thanks for the opportunity!
I’ve been looking for a phone stand for my desk at work, and I love the one you featured so much that I just ordered it! I ordered the pink one to match the other pink accessories I have on my desk. I’m very excited to get it. Thanks for the great idea. I’d love those light-up pens, too!
What fun tools! Thanks for sharing, Deb. You have such an artistic talent for photography and all things décor!
I noticed “The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill” by Julie Klassen on your nightstand. It was a great read! (I just finished book #2, “The Ladies of Ivy Cottage”, yesterday afternoon.) Hope you enjoy!
These pens look really cool.
Thereadmaster(at)me(dot)com
How fun! Lighted pens are genius. I could use these on days when I keep my classroom lights off, but still need to write!
I love your tools! They look so fun and useful. I love antique-y things, and the drawers look great. The light-up pen looks amazing. Thanks for sharing some of the things that you love.
I keep thinking one day I will back my pickup to the basement door and clean out my office. Then I need to get whatever I keep organized. You have shared some great ideas.
I think my husband would like one of these pens.
I’d love to win one of those pens!
I love the pens, but I love all your drawer storage.
Thanks for sharing your clever tools!
Would love to win the lighted pen!
I know if I don’t write down an idea or “to do” in the middle of the night, it’s gone ! I can see where that lighted pen would work.
I love ink pens. Reviewer jrs0350 @ yahoo.com
Ohhhh! I like your list, Deb. The phone stand and lighted pen are my favorites! Just got my first pair of headphones for Christmas. Will check out your music ideas!
Thank YOU for the idea, Julie! I’m getting ready to name a winner shortly…
Great list! Hope I’m not too late.
And the winner of the lighted pen is…DEBORA WILDER! Congrats, Debora, and if you’ll e-mail me your snail mail address to debraney@mac.com, I’ll get your pen in the mail and winging its way to you!
Loved everyone’s comments. Thanks so much for following Inspired by Life…and Fiction!
I’m in love with your work space! And those headphones! Over the years when our children were young and I was writing in the dining room, I taught them that the ‘door’ was closed. There was no door. Or even a wall. We had to use our imagination and keep that invisible door closed when mommy was working on a deadline. BTW It doesn’t really work anymore with my honey. I guess I need headphones!