Before we all buckle up and head off on our 2017 writing journey, let’s agree on some useful stuff to pack. I don’t want us to get into our journey and discover we forgot some important items. We don’t have time for tears!
- Writer Friends. Grab a couple of writer friends and stuff them inside your case. They are essential items for surviving dark creative times, getting honest feedback, sending you amusing writer selfies and giving you lots of writing encouragement.
- Fun Non-Writer Friends. Place a few in your bag and fasten tightly. You need several of these to take you out and show you a good time when you need to celebrate a book launch, finishing a challenging draft or the rare event of being happy with your writing.
- Twitter Friends. Pick a couple and tuck in your pocket. You will need some Twitter friends to give you a much-needed retweet or like.
- Facebook Writer Group. It might take a while to pack and you might have to sit on your case to lock it. One of these is vital for when you need some good old-fashioned Facebook support during a low creative mood.
- Tweed. Pack an array of interesting and unique tweed based outfits for 2017. Wear with writer pride!
- Wine, cheesecake, chocolate, coffee, cake & a large cheese board. Place in food box and keep cool. Can be used for all types of writing scenarios, especially my favourite – food procrastination. It’s amazing how long I can procrastinate for with a nice cheesecake sitting in the fridge.
- Amazing eyebrows. Let’s stand together and make the ‘writer brow ‘ promise – our brows will be perfectly arched in our author photos in 2017! Yes! No more #caterpillarbrows
- Upgraded Literary Daydreams. In 2017 we all need to be upgrading our literary daydream. Staring into space and daydreaming about getting an agent is so last year! 2017 is the year we all go premium and select ‘The Publishing Bidding War Daydream’ – yes!! Spend a moment to sit back and savour this special daydream!
- Tissues. Our journey will contain creative heartbreak so we might as well prepare and take a bumper box of quality tissues.
- Glitter. It works a treat on brightening up miserable looking print outs of draft novels.
- Lucky Writer Undies. A vital piece of clothing and useful to wear when querying agents and launching books.
- Permission Slip to be Weird! This is a MUST HAVE for 2017 writers. We can’t hide our weirdness any longer. Give yourself a permission slip to be weird. Make sure you stash this in a safe place.
Let’s start our literary engine. BTW – hope you like my driving outfit.
Strap yourselves in writers – we have a long journey ahead!
Can you all keep the noise down in the back!
Photo: Pixabay
Great post! *rushes off to get eyebrows done* 😀
You go girl! 💪🏻
I love these! Chocolate, cheesecake, and eyebrows! Some of my favourite things haha x
Yay – they are mine too! I get depressed when my brows get bushy, the chocolate cupboard is bare and we have no cheesecake – sigh!
Oh I love this list!! Think I’ve got most covered… but the eyebrows need working on…. 😂
Great. Now I need to do something about my eyebrows. I’ll check with the missus, maybe she can help. Happy New Year, Lucy! May it bring you nothing but joy and success 🙂
Yay!! Hey Mr Rossis – what a great start to 2017 – an eyebrow wax! Happy new year my friend 🙋🏼
A wax?! No one said anything about a wax! Whatever happened to… erm… tweezers?
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
I really need to do something about my eyebrows, I swear my hair is falling out in this place and nowhere else… perhaps it’s the stress of being a writer! Happy New Year Lucy, all the best for 2017!
You too Marje – let’s do this!
Loving this list! Hope you have a fantastic new year!
Reblogged this on Sleepy Book Dragon and commented:
Any other essentials anyone wants to add?
Thank you & happy new year 🙋🏼
loved this. Happy New prosperous year to you. x
Yay – to you too 🙋🏼
Reblogged this on Crazy Little Redneck Goth.
Thank you 🙋🏼
Lucy, it’s nice to start off my new year reading your cheery and often cheeky prose. In my own packing list, I’d have to add the voice of the late curmudgeon Stanley Elkin saying “Oh, boyyy…” as he discussed my manuscript submission at the Sewanee Writers Conference 25 years ago. He was right…the work was woeful, and his unabashed scorn has been a useful editing instinct ever since. Happy New Year, Lucy, and thanks for all you do.
What a fabulous comment! Thank you and all the best for 2017! 🙋🏼
Great list! I’m afraid the eyebrows are a lost cause, but permission to be weird is a must for me – acting normal is too much hard work.
Reblogged this on Don Massenzio's Blog and commented:
Check out this entertaining post on one of my favorite blogs, BlondeWriteMore
I’ve had to censor myself! … so Lucy that leaves ‘Happy New Year!’ Cheers Eric.
My mind is boggling 😆
This is great! You had me at wine and cheesecake!!
Hey thx for reading & happy New Year’s Day!
Not sure I can go the eyebrow route but I have everything else. Happy New Year, Lucy.
#12, thank you for permission….😂😂
Use your permission slip at all times during 2017 😆 Mine is framed!
Good list! I definitely made a few writer friends last year. 🙂
That’s cool… Happy new Year 2017 … !! ✌✌😊😊
Thank you! Happy Monday 🙋🏼
Reblogged this on The Owl Lady.
I’d go for a ride in that car any day.Do they still make clothes in Tweed? From the looks of this list, the most important thing to pack along on your writing journey in 2017 is a good sense of humor. Let me see if mine is under the bed or behind the dresser somewhere. Loved reading every word. Thanks to The Story Reading Ape. 🙂
Thank you for dropping by! Yes a sense of humour is a must. Hope to see you again in this blonde part of town 🙋🏼
Reblogged this on Writer's Treasure Chest and commented:
Lucy Mitchell of Blonde Write More has published a list of things writers should pack for their 2017 writing journey. Thanks so much for the humor Lucy!
Thank you for sharing! Happy Tuesday 🙋🏼
It was my pleasure Lucy! It’s a great article!:-)
Ha ha. Love this. Be back in a minute. Can’t pencil in my eyebrows exactly the same. Is there a class for that?
Me too!! It’s so hard isn’t it? Keep trying 🙋🏼
Ps: if we ever met in person and I had wonky brows would you say anything?
Fun post. A good “list-to-pace” for any adventure.
I’ve definitely got the upgraded literary dreams packed. Oh, and glitter. You can never have too much – putting on glitter eyeliner before writing also helps get me in a sparkling mindset. 🙂
‘Glitter eyeliner’ – *gasps* I think all my glitter dreams have just come true. I could write some good stuff with this – sigh!
Yes so much to cheese, wine, cake, and chocolate. I do not have any writing undies (hmm…) but must agree on the eyebrows. This is a much-overlooked issue. Get it…see…over and looked…eyebrows… Um… Hey, look! Cheese! (See how #12 is a must?)
Yes now that you an author you must make sure your brows are on form! As I am still unpublished the brow pressure is off me – sigh!
No, it’s not. I’ll have Sacha sneak in and take a photo of your caterpillar eyebrows then we will blackmail you (I mean, be your writer buddies). 🙂
Reblogged this on When Angels Fly and commented:
Awesome post!
Awesome post!
Thank you & happy Saturday 🙋🏼
Love it! And isn’t it amazing how many comments you got on the eyebrows from both men and women? 🙂
Hey yes! I feel like I have brought change to the faces of male writers. Sigh! Thank you for reading my post 🙋🏼
Fun post esp #11. Lucky undies ? I used to have a drawer full but I’m the only one that has been in my bedroom for last 20 years.
A drawer full of lucky undies – wow! Thank you for reading my post 🙋🏼
I love it when individuals come together and share ideas.
Great blog, stick with it!