Trina’s NaNoWriMo Survival Kit

Trina's National Novel Writers Month Survival Kit

I was over at The Procrastinating Writer, and Jennifer had a great post about putting together a National Novel Writers Month Survival Kit. Zip over there and check out her suggestions; meanwhile, I came up with some additions to her list that I customized to Trina:

Yoga Mat: My legs get numb, my arms get tired, and my entire body generally gets stiff from sitting and writing all day. I have to stretch frequently during my writing bouts. Sometimes I use my mat, but most times I don’t when I’m sitting at my desk; however, having my mat in view reminds me to stretch and loosen up. Starting Nov. 1st, I’m posting some stretching moves on my Yoga/Wellness blog  for my fellow NaNoWriMo authors. I’ll also have some tips for reducing stiffness and tension while sitting at the computer.

Herbal Tea & GSU cup: In the mornings, I mix a big cup of tea. We purchase our tea loose and combine it ourselves in tea bags. I don’t like caffeine, so I just drink white, herbal, and Rooibos teas. Tea warms me up and gets my insides humming. The tangy, tart taste, laced with fresh-squeezed lemon is enlivening and inspiring. My favorite beverage would be lost without my favorite tea-cup. The cup was a Christmas gift of my undergraduate Alma Mater, Georgia State University. Seeing the Alumni emblem on the cup each morning reminds me of past accomplishments and that I am still accomplishing.

My darling little Yorkie Romo: Romo is very in tune to my moods, needs, and body language. He unselfishly provides his back for me to rub when I get stuck or start staring off into space. When I sigh or feel exasperated, he wedges his little head under my hand, determined to make me rub the hair on his little head. For all of Romo’s 2 1/2 years I’ve worked at home writing, and he sits right next to me, in the window sill, or on my lap as I work. I couldn’t dream of trying NaNoWriMo without him expectantly gazing at me.

Lenovo Ideapad: My fancy, powerful, $2,000, not even a year old Dell XPS abruptly died earlier this summer. The mother board said goodbye, and the replacement was $600 +, but the worse thing is that after researching, my husband learned that the mother board was faulty, and would probably go bad again. I was preparing for a trip to Italy & Greece, and I couldn’t possibly go without a laptop. We purchased my Lenovo Netpad from Radio Shack, and it’s one of the best purchases that I’ve made. It’s not extremely fast, but it gets the job done. It’s compact, efficient, and WiFi savvy. It fits in my purse, under my arm, and even accompanies me to Yoga class sometimes. I do have an external ergonomic keyboard, an ergonomic mouse, and a couple of 19″ monitors that I plug into the Netpad when I use the little guy here in my office.

iPhone with Writing Music Playlist: I cannot sing the praises of my iPhone loud enough. It was a Christmas present from my husband in 2006. Yes, it is one of the first editions. It is not a 3G, and it only has 8GB, but it’s the best phone that I’ve ever had. My life fits on this small, touch screen, portable, computer. I love it. I have a writing playlist that consists of: Maysa, Incognito, Philippe Saisse, Earth Wind & Fire, Shilts, Gota, and Nils. All of whom imbue my writing environment with calm, relaxing, yet invigorating sounds that inspire me. My iPhone is also my calendar and timer, prompting me for meetings, deadlines, and Yoga classes. The myriad of applications that are available for the iPhone are endless and priceless. I love them all.

Dr Grip ergonomic Gel pen by Pilot: I have six of them, and I’m aiming for as many as I can get. These pens scroll effortlessly across pages. I can write swiftly and efficiently with Dr. Grip in my hand. My finger doesn’t get that achy feeling since the Docs been here. I write notes, character sketches, drafts of articles, and outlines in long hand, so a smooth flowing pen is as necessary to me as water.

Assrt Notebook from Barcelona, Spain: It’s large, college-ruled with color coded pages that I use as sections. The notebook is married to Dr. Grip because the two of them go hand-in-hand. I keep a notebook for everything because they help me to stay organized and to divide the various types of writing that I do.

Ace wrist support bands: Being a 15 year Professional Writer, I’ve experienced the pain and fatigue from daily, prolonged, repetitive motions with my wrist (writing long hand and typing). That’s where my sturdy wrist support bands come in handy. They force my wrists into the proper position and stave pain. So I can keep on typing like the Energizer Bunny.

Writing Buddy: Djuanna, from DivaFictionBytes, is one of my best friends and my writing buddy. We speak several times per week about our writing, goals, and progress. From one aspiring novelist to another, she always understands. We encourage one another, and I know she’ll be checking on my daily word count. She also keeps me up to date on the latest pens, notebooks, and technology. I so wish that we lived in the same state!

Daily NaNoWriMo tips from the Procrastinating Writer: Jennifer plans to send out daily e-mails while we are writing. Sign up!

Cozy socks & Turtleneck: I am always cold. When I’m too cold, I cannot properly function. My warm socks with the toes in them keep my feet warm, essentially warming the rest of my body. Any turtleneck, color or material doesn’t matter, is my winter wardrobe. I’ve found that if my neck isn’t warm, my brain gets frost bite.

This is my NaNoWriMo‘s Survival Kit. It’s all put together and ready for November 1, 2009, which is just three days away. What’s in your NaNoWriMo‘s Survival Kit?