Resources for Writers
Below you will find a variety of The Messy Muse-approved resources from craft books to software to products I have found helpful in my own writing and creative living journey. Please note that many of these use affiliate links, but I don’t recommend anything I, myself, have not used. Be sure to check back often as I’ll be adding to it as I discover new treasures.
Craft Books
Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby
Anatomy of Genres by John Truby
Fiction First Aid by Raymond Obstfeld
Editing for Fiction Writers by Dave King
Writing & Personality by John K. DiTiberrio
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maas
The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
Master Lists for Writers by Bryn Donovan
Inspiring Reads
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
On Writing by Stephen King
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldburg
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
The Business of Writing
The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman
How to Make a Living with Your Writing by Joanna Penn
Tarot Books
Tarot for Writers by Corrine Kenner
Queer Cosmos by Colin Bedell
Tarot for Your Self by Mary K. Greer
Tarot Made Easy by Nancy Garen
Tarot for Creativity by Chelsey Pippin Mizzi
Writing Software
Scrivener : Word processing software that allows you to write out of order easily
Dabble: Similar to Scivener but a more simplified interface and uses a subscription payment model.
Scapple: Mind mapping software
Writer Supplies
Pilot G2 Pens: These are my go-to pen. I have dozens of them on hand in multiple colors at all times. These write fast and are comfortable in the hand.
Mead Five-Subject Notebooks: I love fancy journals, but I always go back to these basic notebooks because they have sections for different types of writing and the wide ruled format is a must for me. I carry one with me all the time for journaling, list writing, and brainstorming.
Post-It Notes: Do yourself a favor and don’t get the generics—the sticky bit doesn’t last. I use these for storyboarding my books.
Bose Quiet Comfort Headphones: These block sound out like a champ, and I love them for immersive writing on airplanes or in coffee shops. They’re expensive, but you can easily buy new parts for them, for example if the ear pads wear out. I have had my pair for 10+ years and they’re still great.
Apple Airpods 4: These are less bulky than the Bose, obviously, and I also use them at the gym. Great sound quality and they’re good at blocking out sound too.
Bagsmart Expandable Tote: This tote is light weight and expands, which is awesome for travel. Has big pockets for water bottles, a section for your laptop and lots of spaces for all your writing stuff.
Vera Bradley Cotton Campus Backpack: This is my other on-the-go bag for when I need to lug my laptop with me (which is always). They have cute designs, it’s light weight and it’s traveled the world with me without showing any signs of wear.
Lego Typewriter with Flowers: This would look super cute on your desk.
Self Care Items for Creatives
Journal: Look, I’m not going to lie, I have way too many pretty journals that sit unused. But I bought this one a few months ago and use it for my diary. It’s cute and I like the layout.
La Jolie Muse Candles: This whole line is really pretty and the scents are gorgeous. I have the Aegean Sea and Dune one, but the Rose and Oud is also great. I light a candle every time I sit down to write so that my creative work feels special.
Dr. Teal’s Epson Salts in Milk and Honey: I love baths for unwinding after a hard writing day, and these smell amazing.
Headspace Meditation App: This app is how I got started meditating years ago. It’s great for beginners and has lots of themed, guided meditations that are helpful for those of us who overthink.
Nespresso Vertuo: Coffee is serious business for writers. I treated myself to this machine this year and I’ve never looked back. The coffee is strong and always has crema so it feels like it comes from a fancy coffee shop. I recently found out that Costco carries the pods, too, which is helpful because the pods are not cheap.
Palo Santo: I light palo santo when I meditate and before many of my tarot readings. It smells like smokey mint and is great at inviting positive energy into a space.