Being Thankful – Writer’s Edition

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Being Thankful – Writer’s Edition
Terry Odell

Here in the US, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a day where families often gather around a groaning table, eat way too much, and maybe watch a little football. At one point during the holiday, most people share something they’re thankful for.

In her post on Monday, Kay asked readers what they were thankful for. While we routinely mention family, friends, health, creature comforts, and maybe a pet or two, I thought we could lighten up and look at things less lofty. Little things, “writer-specific” things.

Here are a few of the little writerly things I’m thankful for, in no particular order

  • No work wardrobe
  • No commute to work
  • Post-it notes and foam core boards
  • Legal tablets, red pens, and highlighters
  • Red squiggly lines
  • Word’s Read Aloud
  • Indie publishing
  • Critique partners
  • Draft2Digital’s free conversion software
  • My editor
  • My readers
  • Books

What about you? What writer-specific things are you thankful for?  (Note: TKZ is a given!)

And Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

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It’s supposed to be a simple assignment aboard a luxury yacht, but soon, he’s in over his head.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”

37 thoughts on “Being Thankful – Writer’s Edition”

  1. 1) Set my own hours.
    2) Be my own boss (at least at the outset).
    3) No co-workers bringing their drama into the office (except for constant companions Id, Ego, and Superego).

    Thank you, Terry. Happy Thanksgiving to you and to all on both sides of the screen at TKZ!

  2. Yes, TKZ is a given in the thanks department. I never thought about it until reading your post this morning–TKZ is the blog I have stuck with the longest, and I mean blogs of ANY subject matter. I think that’s pretty doggone impressive, TKZ.

    I could make a list of writerly things to be thankful for but the most important thing is that I’m thankful that I can explore ideas and brainstorms through writing. I mean what else is there in the world like taking a brainstorm and developing it on paper (or computer) into a book? That is so awesome.

  3. 1. Freedom to write whatever I want.
    2. Playing with imaginary friends.
    3. Being the god of the story world. Unlike real life, I can see justice is done.

    Warm wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to the TKZ community!

  5. For TKZ.
    Being able to write in my pajamas.
    Yes! Cut and pace!
    Scrivener
    Patreon so I can geet JSB’s short stories.
    My warped mind.
    Deadlines or I’d never get anything written.

  6. Great question, Terry.

    Scrivener
    Word
    Grammarly
    Atticus
    My wonderful beta readers
    Grandchildren to inspire my stories
    And a fantastic wife who allows me the freedom to write

    A great big HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Terry, and to all the TKZ family!

  7. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! May you have a blessed day full of good food and good company.

    1) A valid reason for my school supply addiction
    2) Computers, because even though writing by hand is okay, the machines make it SO much easier
    3) My head is always filled with ‘people’ I like, and
    4) It’s fun to spend time with them as I write their stories

  9. Great question, Terry…

    I am grateful for almost 69 years of living-mistakes, joys, tragedies, confusion, surprises, plans made and scrapped, folks who came and went. (And did I mention mistakes up the ying-yang?)

    Why?

    Because I can foist all of that on my characters and watch them deal with it for awhile. 🙂

    Hope the TKZ gang have a happy, healthy, blessed Thanksgiving!

    • So true, Marilynn – I expect to run into mine at the grocery store–that is, I did, when I still actually went into the store. Curbside pickup all the way now.

  11. Computers
    TKZ
    Audiobooks when I was young because I had no other way to read
    My critique groups
    Writing Excuses Podcast
    Surrey International Writing Conference
    Cinema Therapy (a youtube channel that discusses movies and character arcs)
    My characters and how they never judge

  12. Good morning, Terry. I love the writing gratitude running through this post and comments.

    I’m thankful for being able to “pretend” on the screen and page.
    Microsoft Word, Excel, Vellum, Freedom internet blocker.
    Being publish myself–for KDP, Kobo Writing Life, Apple Books, Nook Press, Google Play Books, Draft2Digital.
    Newsletter software.
    Tazo Awake Tea.
    ITunes playlists.
    My very supportive wife.
    All my writing friends here and elsewhere,.

    Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

  13. I am grateful for the unignorable impulse to write. Most people never have this impulse. If they write at all, it’s forced on them by the demands of work. When I stop to think of how much writing has meant to me, what life would be like without having long ago tested positive for the writing virus, I am hugely thankful for the disease.

  14. Great question, Terry.

    Far and away, my greatest writing gratitude is for the people I’ve met. Relationships in the writing world are the best.

    In addition, I’ll add the ability to create makes me almost giddy sometimes. And all the tools that make it easy
    The internet
    Laptops
    Scrivener
    Vellum
    Word
    Like you said, TKZ is a given.
    Writers Conferences
    Writers groups
    Critique groups

    I could go on for a while, but that’s enough for now.

  16. I’m grateful for my ability to tell a compelling story–even when it’s not fiction. My Ukrainian refugee friends spent the first night in their new home last night. It was made available after I sent out word to our community that they had less than two weeks left in their previous place. The landlady made concessions, and once we knew they had a place, I wrote again to our community asking for household goods. The response was overwhelming–duplicates and triplicates of some items. I wrote a third time explaining what drove them out of Ukraine, and more deluge of goods. The net of it is that they have everything they need in a 1,000 sq ft rental mfd home. So I feel especially blessed to be the agent who got us retired folks out of our small lives into the larger Life to help these guys.

    And it was fun!

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