Writing tools.....

I just picked up a monthly writing assignment which requires me to take pictures for the stories I will be writing.  I usually write the stories only so my "good enough" home camera has been kept survived much longer than I would like to admit. My"now" old camera had to be charged after about every 12-15 pictures and an additional battery would have cost $50. But the battery only worked when it wanted it despite the constant charging.  Nevertheless, I accepted "good enough" for too long.

But this weekend, I actually went out and bought myself a  new camera.  A writer friend of mine came along to help me pick out what I needed.  We looked at all the models and features and picked the camera for what I would need for work and family. 

We ended the shopping trip at a coffee shop. Over a cup of coffee, we discussed how  excited I was about the new camera.  But then she mentioned an even bigger purchase--- a laptop computer to make my work easier to accomplish. I certainly have been doing a lot of writing this year and it would certainly make things easier.

And yet, the number one reason that I don't have one now is simple.  It requires a mental leap that I haven't made yet.  To buy a lap would be me saying that my writing matters and that I need to have the proper tools to make it happen.

So the seed has been planted, slowly I will begin the search for a computer.  But I have to wonder how many mom writers fail to buy the one thing that would make their writing better.  For some it may be a camera, a laptop, a conference for networking, new writing books, babysitting hours to the neighbor child so that she can work in peace.  My goal this year is to make sure that I have the proper writing tools in place for my writing.  I owe it to myself.

Kathy Schlaeger lives near Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and three daughters. She begins her search for a laptop computer.