It’s the first Wednesday of the month and that means another IWSG Day! In the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, we get together (at least) once a month to exchange stories along the writing journey. This month’s optional question asks us what five things we have in our writing space. For me, there are just a couple of things I absolutely need: music and liquid refreshment.

Everything else is optional. For example: a computer. Sometimes, I like to write by hand. Sometimes, I even write on the go by recording words onto an audio file. The medium doesn’t really matter all that much. Sometimes, I need access to research and a dictionary. Sometimes, though, those things only get in the way.

For example, am I the only person who occasionally falls into the rabbit hole of etymology? Words are interesting – but they’re not always the point. Where did the phrase down the rabbit hole come from anyway – did it start with Charles Dodgson aka Lewis Carroll? Or was it around before that? Interested literary minds want to know!

Picture from the actual Bunny Trail in Williamsburg, Virginia. You’re welcome.

Distractions are everywhere. And they multiply. Like … rabbits. I could literally spend all day doing this. But, no. No.

What about you? What are things you must have on hand in order to write? What are the things that you maybe think you need – but only in moderation?