Create Your Own Portable Writing Kit
A while back, I did something simple that has made a real difference in my writing life: I built a portable writing kit and all I needed was my phone.
The idea came up in the Writing Mastery Academy, through one of the many lectures and webcasts available to members. It came up again recently on Page Breaks, Jessica Brody’s weekly webcast for academy members. (Speaking of Jessica, last week I reviewed her new book Page One to Done. Go check that out if you missed it.) The concept stuck with me both times, so I finally sat down and built my own system. Here’s how I did it.
I use my phone’s sticky notes app. Inside it, I created a folder called Writing Kit, with two subfolders:
- ABOUT WRITING
- SCRATCH PAD
The ABOUT WRITING folder is where I collect anything related to the craft. Notes from writing lectures. Links to articles or websites about fiction writing. Even the occasional meme about the writing life. If it has something to do with the mechanics of storytelling, it lives here.
The SCRATCH PAD folder is where the actual work happens, or at least, the raw material for it. I’ll open it while I’m sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office or killing a few minutes before church. I use it to finish a scene I’ve been mulling over, brainstorm ideas, jot down possible character names, or make notes on a chapter I’m in the middle of revising. At any given time, my Scratch Pad might contain a rough dialogue exchange, a scene outline, polished or half-finished descriptions, a character backstory, or a list of possible conflicts. Anything goes.
And honestly, that’s the point. Calling it a “scratch pad” removes the pressure to produce something perfect. It takes perfectionism off the table entirely. This kit isn’t meant to be a finished product; it’s a staging area. Raw material that I can later transfer to Scrivener or wherever the real drafting happens.
Your portable writing kit doesn’t have to look like mine. Use whatever app works for you (Notion, Evernote, Google Docs) anything you’ll actually open. Set up your folders in a way that makes sense for how you work. ABOUT WRITING and SCRATCH PAD work for me, but you might organize yours completely differently.
The only rule: keep it accessible and easy to use. Don’t overthink the setup. Just open the app and go.
Andrew M. Friday 