Five Essential Writing Tools

Low-tech must-haves for my work as a technical writer

I am a technical writer and recently took a job with a new company. I used the opportunity to clean out my writer’s bag and pare it down to the most essential tools. After the transition, here are the ten tools I found I could not live without as a writer. Note: This post is unsponsored and none of the links below are affiliate links.

The bag

I prefer thin satchels to messenger bags and backpacks. You can wear them like messenger bags, but you can also carry them like briefcases so they won’t wrinkle your clothes if you’re going into the office. For me, two options work well. First is the Timbuk2 Commute messenger bag. It is surprisingly spacious, with generous padding for a laptop. There are tons of internal pouches for books, pen sleeves, journals, and a water bottle. My other go-to bag is the unfortunately named NutSac TacSac 13. The MOLLE webbing lets you add all sorts of modular pouches, clips, and straps. It keeps phone cables, pens, pencils, and small, loose items organized.

Notebook(s)

Leuchtturm 1917 notebooks are my favorite for every kind of note-taking, journaling, or sketching. The paper holds up to wet ink better than Moleskine’s, which is great if you write with a fountain pen or even a rollerball pen. Each page is numbered, and there is a table of contents at the beginning. Plus, each notebook has two ribbon bookmarks. They are pricey but help keep my ideas and meeting notes organized.

Writing utensils

I could go on for too long about this, so I am going to keep it simple and give you my everyday carry items. First, I like the Cross Edge gel rollerball pen. It has a wide, cigar-shaped barrel, which relieves cramping when writing by hand. Its best feature, however, seems like a novelty at first. To open the pen, you pull the barrel apart at the center instead of twisting the tip or pressing a button. This is nice because you can clip it to your pocket or pen loops, and it will open as you pull it out. It’s quick on the draw when you don’t want to lose a fleeting inspiration.

My pencil of choice is the Rotring 800. It’s a drafting-style mechanical pencil, with an unbeatable feature: if you twist the eraser end, the lead sheath retracts into the pencil’s body. This means you can carry it in your pocket without worrying about stabbing yourself in the leg or snagging your clothing.

Pen case

Now that you have your fancy pen and pencil, you need to keep them somewhere safe. I like Galen Leather’s Double Fountain Pen Sleeve. It is about the same size as my phone, pocket-sized Leuchtturm 1917. It keeps my tools tidy and together and prevents anyone from borrowing a loose pencil. If that’s not your style, look around their site. Galen Leather makes notebook covers and a variety of other tools for writers.

Reference guide: I always carry a copy of The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. And E.B. White. The pocket version of this book is a must for any writer’s bag.

What is in your writer’s bag that you could never part with? Let us know in the comments!