Writers 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Everlasting gobstopper from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: But only if it comes in coffee flavors and provides a constant caffeine fix.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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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