My growing list of things I need based on articles written by other writers:

1. A comfy sweater. I subscribe to Poets & Writers. On the Writers Recommend page, Jonathan Lethem writes, “Have lucky things. It doesn’t matter what they are. I bought a green cardigan sweater for a quarter at a thrift store in Bennington, Vermont, and wore it nearly every day through the writing of my first three novels, until it was in tatters.” I don’t want a lucky thing. Just a sweater. Maybe two if the temperature continues to drop and stay below 35 degrees for longer than 24 hours.

2. An inspirational writing space.  I request a window that faces the east and overlooks the river. Our house, situated between two hills and surrounded by pine trees, prevents my seeing a sunrise, a sunset, and any bodies of water. Unless, of course, it rains and the yard floods. Ironic, considering the name of our street is Harborview and our neighborhood boasts three lakes.

Quotes about writing:
“People who have the ability to write have an obligation to offer something of use to their chosen readers.” — Ted Kooser, U.S Poet Laureate 2004-2006

“Write only if you cannot live without writing. Write only what you alone can write.” — Elie Wiesel

“I used to think I had to write about God to serve him, but now I know that I need only to tell the truth about people as they are.” — Helen Norris, Alabama’s 9th Poet Laureate, 1999

“Composition is a discipline; it forces us to think. If you want to ‘get in touch with your feelings,’ fine — talk to yourself; we all do. But, if you want to communicate with another thinking human being, get in touch with your thoughts. Put them in order; give them a purpose; use them to persuade, to instruct, to discover, to seduce. The secret way to do this is to write it down and then cut out the confusing parts.” — William Safire

“Who knew paper and ink could be so vicious.” — Kathryn Stockett, The Help