The stack of blank paper is yelling. Write ME! If that M. Clifford guy can do it, so can you!
What is this? Let's check the cover art. Advice on writing. Projects I'm working on and what's to come, updates, and all that jazz. Practices, like my proc...
In 2006, we were living in Chicago. When I had time to write, I could always be found at Caribou Coffee on Ashland Avenue.
It was a short walk to the Paulina Station, which meant that I could work on my art forgery/time travel romance novel up until the last second, then quickly hop on the Brown Line elevated train and get to school on time. I remember that season of life so well. Maybe it was because those characters and that story meant so much to me, maybe because that time felt so valuable, or that I was writing a "real book". Previous to this, my novels had been for fun or fan fiction. This was my first attempt at writing something commercial.
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My tools were limited in comparison to now. Limitations suck when you're trying to be creative.
Doesn't everyone know who I am and why my time is more precious than theirs?! I'm writing... A NO-VEL! Most likely the greatest Great American Novel to ever... be great...! You should be grateful that I'm in your presence!
If there's one stand-out limitation that always bugged me, it was my dependency on an outlet. If I got to the coffee shop and there wasn't a table available near the outlet, I was shit out of luck. There I was at Caribou Coffee, shoulder bags full of architectural drawings and utensils needed for school after my limited writing time was complete, facing a difficult choice. Really, it became a sort of roulette game:
Do I wait for a table? Do I set up shop at a different one, hoping that the right table would open up before my battery ran out? Do I hike over to the Starbucks down the street where outlet availability is higher? Maybe, but the atmosphere is cold, it's a good 10-minute walk, it's louder, and the place is always packed! Should I take the train early and get off at the Armitage stop where there's another, much larger Starbucks? But I prefer Caribou! What do I do? Time is limited and I just want to work on my novel!
Despite the romance of the moment, it was a frustrating time for me as well. When I got the right table at Caribou Coffee, I was NOT moving. That sweet, sweet outlet belonged to me! (*evil laugh*) I usually tempted fate with the laptop battery, but they had a shorter life cycle back then. And oh how times have changed! What I wouldn't have given for what I have in my possession today...
One of my newest and completely Favorite Things is my Sikon Portable Laptop Charger.
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This thing. Oh, this thing.
For the first time in my writing life, I can enter any library or coffee house with boundless self-assurance. I, Michael Clifford, am no longer in need of an outlet for my waning battery! Yes, the upfront cost is legit ($109 as of today). But this bad boy has an AC outlet, I can charge my phone at the same time, it came with a molded case, and it even has a flashlight! I feel like Ralphie from A Christmas Story with how much I'm gushing over this thing!
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For real, though. When I first started thinking about the list of My Favorite Things, this was at the very top. Every worker needs the right tools and authors are becoming more and more reliant on items that require a power source. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to get around those needs, ideas that I've developed over the last 10 years, but nothing cuts the mustard like this.
There are a number of different options out there today for external battery packs. And make sure that you choose the right charger for the wattage requirements of your laptop. But depending on the device you're using, you may be able to charge it twice!
It has some weight, it runs hot, and makes a light noise when in use due to the cooling fan, but the benefits of its portability far outweigh any negatives. If you use it up, it doesn't take long to recharge with the USB-C fast charging port. And if you're someone who always loved the idea of writing in the wild, this makes that dream a reality. Grab your laptop, set it up at the picnic benches, and get your writing done. Literally, nothing is stopping you.
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The funny thing is, I haven't used it all that much. It's a new toy, for one. But also I've so structured my writing life around the necessity for outlets, that I don't write outside or even use certain cafes, simply because it was never an option. Whereas, for the younger writers out there, these concerns may never come to you. You write on your phone, your iPad, and you use all sorts of portable chargers to do so. If you're like me and you often use a laptop, you now have much more freedom to do so.
You can write wherever you like. There's no more squabbling over who gets outlet priority. There's no switching locations. There's no going home because your battery died. In my backpack is a just-in-case device that saves the day. It's a fantastic feeling and gives you the confidence you need to set out into the world to write.
If only 2006 Mike could see me now.
So! Check it out, fellow writers. Look up other external batteries. There are lots to choose from. But get one for your toolbox. You won't regret it!
byeeeeeeeeeeeee
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