The right tools for the job

Dork time.

I took a big step today. After much deliberation, I decided on and purchased the notebook and pens I'll use to draft the next book. 6 weeks in advance, but I couldn't wait. It's one of the few parts of the process that feels good.

The decision is a little more complicated this time because the supplies have to come with me on a plane trip where I am already pushing the weight limits for luggage. This much notebook paper means two fewer novels I can bring with me to read. They have paper where I'm going of course, but I want to have just the perfect thing, and I can't be sure they have that.

Actually I will have to find something else when I get there. The notebook is 3-subject, 200 pp., college ruled, and I required about twice that much paper on the first draft of my other novel. But I'll have a couple months of writing before I have to cross that bridge.

The spiral is heavy duty so I can flip it open and write on the backs of sheets comfortably, and the cover is heavy duty for long wear. The spiral has a nylon cover sewn over it for less mess, and there's a little loop sewn in to hold my pen! A few pockets are in the dividers, though I don't really clutter those up with loose sheets so much, so a few is just right.

When it comes to pens, I've figured out that I prefer fine/.7mm over xfine/.5mm. I've thoughtlessly bought the wrong size a few times. (They always seem to be the ones on sale.) So I've got a package of Uniball fine points that ought to last I don't know how long. They were too expensive to buy back-up packages. The notebook was too expensive, too. But you have to have the right tools for the job.

End dork time.