While I won’t claim that any of us on CrunchGear are writers – “hacks” is the more accurate term – we do know a thing or two about a thing or two. And one of those things is sitting for long hours writing stuff down. While many of us use “computers” and “keyboards,” we also occassionally like to feel like we are producing “art” and sometimes we need to get away from the desk chair. Here are some tools to make your writer friend a happier and more productive drain on society.
Scrivener – $45 – Scrivener is an app for writing books. It allows you to slice and dice text into sections, allows you to meld research and writing into one window, and even offers a full-screen mode that will blow out distractions. It is, by far, one of the best writing applications I’ve ever used. I wrote an entire book using it.
Introducing OmmWriter Dāna from herraizsoto&co on Vimeo.
Omm Writer – Omm Writer isn’t quite like Scrivener but I quite like it. It also creates a quiet place to write but it asks for more a a first thought best though situation in which you have an open window and no distraction. It’s like writing in a Zen monastery.
Plans for World Domination Moleskine – $22 – I was looking for a service that was able to laser etch moleskines and it looks like they’ve gone out of business. However, the folks on Etsy are ready to help you out and have a number of exciting styles from which to choose, including this one.
A Handmade Kindle Case – As a writer you need to read. But you can’t show the other folks at the coffeehouse that you’re reading on technology! This sufficiently hides your shame inside a handbound leather book casing.
A Handsome Pipe – $5 – Every writer needs a handsome pipe. You honestly don’t have to smoke it. Just have it on your desk. If you do smoke it, try a little a little of the Balkan.
Sailor Recruit Fountain Pen – $15 – Even if you’re writing on a computer, you’re eventually going to want a pen. Take a look at these handsome and useful Japanese models from Jetpens. I got a few inks and they write like a little miniature dream. Note: they’re a little small, so you may need a bigger size.
Black Blood Of The Earth – $45 – Every writer needs something to drink. Rather than hit the rocks, however, why not take in enough caffeine to kill a small horse. The bottle I’m showing here is only available in San Francisco available all over the country (!) but these guys sell other products as well. I tried some of this and I was buzzing for two straight hours. It is, in short, very potent.
Now, just to reiterate, while the caffeine content of BBotE is high, I do not know exactly how high. I strongly recommend keeping consumption below 100ml/day. By my rough calculation, you’ve got about the equivalent of a month’s worth of caffeination by Starbuck’s Ventis in that bottle.