The only true essentials to really write are an idea and pen and paper (or a word processor), but there are plenty of other little things that make the process just a little bit easier or more enjoyable. Below is a short list of the things that I have had with me over the years when writing the Osorkon series.

Thoth Statue

The ancient Egyptian god of scribes and knowledge (among an extensive portfolio), credited with inventing the Egyptian writing system. Ibises remain common birds in both Egypt and my homeland of Australia (where we rather disrespectfully refer to them as “bin chickens”) and it . I picked this up in the markets of Luxor and it has sat on my writing desk ever since.

Grip Strengthener

Less for writing itself, more for when you get stuck on a word, sentence or even a whole scene. More effective than a stress ball and a good way to train and exercise your hands and forearms while you’re still sitting down.

Coffee Mug

Contains writer fuel. Not much more to say.

Ambient Music

Writing scenes is not just about what the characters can see nor just the dialogue between them, but the whole host of senses we have at our command. Listening to Egyptian themed music or the sound of wind rolling over the desert dunes can help transport the mind to where it needs to be. YouTube is an absolute treasure trove for ambient music, even for other projects like fantasy, other historical, or post-apocalyptic fiction. Ambient music also has the benefit of quietening down that monkey mind… at least a bit.

Small Research Library

On the other side of inspirational music comes the visual reference material and stack of fact books for when you need to verify something as you go. While the internet is obviously a brilliant research tool, it always makes me feel a little better to be able to check it against published works.