ARCHIVE FOR Susan Williams

Playing can develop our confidence by helping us feel we have control over our world. And just as importantly, it teaches that life  can be fun. But as adults we often don't play enough. "There are more vital things to be done!" we tell ourselves. Yet psychologists like Jean Piaget have argued that play is vital to development. Well, if this is true, then surely it can help us develop our craft as writers too

I love using a simple notebook. I invest in one I really enjoy, focusing on the feel of the pages, the texture of the cover, and the lightness of the book (I like to carry it in my bag). Then, when I'm moved to, I fill it with scribbles, jotting down ideas and inspirations as they come. 

But it's more than a tool, this notebook I invest in. It helps me to always be an active writer, no matter where I am, no matter what I'm doing. By training my focus on "art in every moment", I live a writer's life. And that's part of my own writerly self-esteem.