Screen Shot 2015-08-23 at 7.22.03 PMWriters are a curious bunch. We tend to be a tad superstitious when it comes to writing. A writing routine, a preferred chair, a favorite mug or coffee shop: All these—so we convince ourselves—provide the creative sanctuary to imagine plot, character, and conflict. Here are a few other notable objects that might also come in handy.

  1. Ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz movie: These magic slippers will send you back home—you know, the one located in front of your computer, the cursor blinking hello from the middle of your neglected WIP.
  2. The ring from Lord of the Rings: Yeah, yeah, it makes everyone power-hungry, but sometimes writers need to add a bit of obsessiveness into their writing quest. A dash of ‘precious’ fanaticism helps finish that novel.
  3. Everlasting gobstopper from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: But only if it comes in coffee flavors and provides a constant caffeine fix.
  4. Invisibility cloak from Harry Potter: Great for sidling unseen next to agents and publishing execs during a writers conference to hear the inside scoop about the biz. Also fabulous for hiding from family and friends when you don’t wish to be disturbed while writing.
  5. Magic carpet from One Thousand and One Nights: Although Google’s satellite view is awesome for ‘seeing’ locations and topography it sure would be nice to fly through a locale for a closer look.
  6. Babel fish from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Perfect for translating the conflicting information heard at a writers conference, or a friend’s ‘helpful’ suggestions, or a rambling Facebook post.
  7. Soma from Brave New World: Rewriting, editing, crafting summaries, querying agents, waiting-waiting-waiting, receiving rejections—sometimes a writer needs to pop some Happy Happy Happy to soothe anxieties and doubts.
  8. Wilson the volleyball from the movie Castaway: Wilson understands. He’s always there and ready to listen. Writers need a person to vent, to explain, to question, to work through all those little problems and decisions cropping up during the coarse of our writing day. And Wilson keeps secrets!
  9. The iconic silver bullet: No, you don’t really want to shoot anybody, but it sure would be a nice weapon for those vanity press werewolves, Facebook witches, and computer/component/program/coding monsters determined to thwart your dream.
  10. The whale from Moby Dick: Of course, a whale is not an artifact but writers do need a nemesis. They’re great for conflict ideas, philosophical introspection, and angst—all requirements of a thought-provoking novel!

Which item do you wish you were in possession of?

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