5 Writing Essentials for the Aspiring Journalists
To be a successful writer takes hard work and dedication to improving your skill and building experience. If you are just starting out or aspire to see your name in the byline of GQ, Newsweek, or TIME, you will want to arm yourself with these writing essentials to get you started. Nothing screams novice in the field when you are scrambling to find your notebook or have to ask for a pen. Lucky you, the digital age is churning out products to keep you cool under pressure and forever improving your craft.
Word. Notebooks
One of the top writing essentials is a good notebook. When you are on the go and need to cover a story or write down a quick thought for your next big story, you do not want to be lugging around a massive notebook. Word. Notebooks offers you portability and function with their Made in the U.S.A. products. What makes Word. Notebooks that awesome is the ability to fit them in your pocket. Measuring 3.5″ x 5.5″ with 48-pages, each notebook will be your on-the-go choice notebook. Available in different colors and quantities.
Fisher Bullet Space Pen
As if the name isn’t enough to intrigue the skeptics, the
Fisher Bullet Space Pen takes the cake on my writing essentials list. Renowned for its pressurized ink cartridge that allows your to brave any situation from zero gravity to underwater, and any other extreme conditions. The Fisher Bullet Space Pen ranks high with many everyday carry fans. The sleek and compact design not only feels great in your hand but looks great with all of your other gadgets. Stow it in your pocket or clip it and go, the Fisher Bullet Space Pen will be a reliable source for your everyday writing essentials.
AP Stylebook App
If you are gunning for the next position as a journalist, you’ll want to equip yourself with the knowledge of AP Style, major writing essentials to build your knowledge base. Doing a quick check for style on-the-go just became easier with the redesigned AP Stylebook App available for download on iOS devices. Features include searchable listings for the various categories, ability to add your own entries and notes, and bookmarks for the sections visited multiple times. Download now.
Zoom iQ6 for iOS
In a pinch, you might not have the time to bust out the old pen and paper. Don’t miss a second of the coverage with the awesome Zoom iQ6 X-Y Stereo Microphone for iOS. Honestly, these have worked great for picking up quality sound when I come up with a song idea or need to get the notes from client interviews. Simply plugging in ZoomiQ6 opens up the ability to focus on the questions and accurately document the response. At a $99 price point, this will surely make a perfect gift for any writer.
Insignia™ NS-MB20800 portable charger
When you are in the field you need to be able to rely on your devices to have power. These items are your lifeline to connect with the world. If you find yourself running low on battery make sure you come prepared. The Insignia™ NS-MB20800 portable charger is one of the most convenient on-the-go back-up power supplies perfect for your every charging need. Featuring a 20,800 mAh capacity, built-in overload protection, and three USB outlets, the Insignia™ NS-MB20800 is perfect for the everyday carry, and at a $60 price point, who wouldn’t pick one up?
Good advice on the tools of the trade, but I'm curious because it seems like all of the above (save for the pen and portable charger) are things that your smartphone can handle. I've made scratch tracks of songs I'm working on as videos and haven't had any issues with the quality of playback (for a scratch track, not a final). Also, I think you meant to say "churning" when you said "the digital age is turning out products". "Turning out" is a term that refers to a pimp successfully getting a new woman to be a sex worker for him. It also means to party hard.
good catch. though the smartphone can handle a lot of these things, I have found a pen and notebook to allow me to quickly jot shorthand while collecting info during an interview should I not have my recorder. I used to rely on my iPhone to record certain interviews (and riffs for songs) but found that a lot of my quality was lost if I needed to capture a wider range of sound. The zoom was ultra-helpful when out in the field.