Illustration by A G Duffy

Dear Agony Editor,

Recently, I bought an expensive notebook and pen to motivate me to write more. But they didn’t help. Now I’m out-of-pocket and have no writing to show for it. What went wrong?

Signed,

Blank Page

Dear Blank Page,

You missed an important step. 

You need to place your new notebook and pen on the floor and skip around them counterclockwise three times while repeating, “Upper case, lower case, comma, comma, colon.” Once you complete this ritual, the writing will flow from your expensive pen into your expensive notebook in no time.

Okay, I’m being glib.

I’m sorry to tell you that no notebook, pen, or grammatical chant will improve your productivity or motivate you to write. That’s not to say writers shouldn’t have techniques or routines that help get them into the mindset for writing. We all have our favourite spot, or our favourite time of day to write. Maybe even a favourite article of clothing to wear, or something that creates ambience. (Someday, I’ll tell you about the years I spent believing a banana nut bread-scented candle was key to unlocking my creativity.) 

But it’s important not to rely too heavily on these routines. Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming dependent on them. Writing can be a mysterious process and it’s easy to fall prey to magical thinking. But you should be able to write anywhere, anytime. I realize this is easier said than done – especially if you’re on a crowded transit bus, surrounded by noisy family members, or dealing with interruptions by work colleagues who keep insisting you do your job while you’re at the office. 

The point I’m trying to make is that if you can master the art of versatility, you only stand to gain. In other words, you should be able to write with a crappy pen on a napkin. I know it’s not ideal, and not nearly as glamourous as that expensive notebook, but writing is something that comes from you, not the objects you use to write. 

If you see something that you think might inspire you, great. But remember that you don’t need objects to fuel your writing. All that’s required is your imagination, focus, and the knowledge that the tools you need are already within you.