How to Create the Ultimate Writing Setup

As a writer, I often find myself wanting the next best thing for productivity. It’s easy to fall into the game of being unproductive when you’re working from home or even when you’re taking care of your writing hobby. Maybe you just have a desire to be really productive on that side-hustle that you’ve been working on lately. Whatever your reasoning may be, having the perfect setup is often something that I think is really necessary when it comes to having the right writing environment. So, for today’s post, I’ll be going through the steps you should take to create the ultimate writing setup that will 100% suit your writing needs, your preferences, and more!

(affiliate disclaimer: some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means that I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you when you purchase something through one of my links).

The Desk Comes First

Before we really get into anything special, we need to discuss the desk situation. If you already have a desk, then you can move on to the next section. If you don’t have a desk or you’re working at your kitchen table, let me explain why I think a desk is necessary.

A desk allows for you to have freedom, space, the ability to customize everything, and more. It’s your personal location for work (and gaming) and it’s really something that I find enhances the experience of writing. I write from the couch, from my desk, and anything else, but I find that using my desk gets me into the productivity zone more than other places.

If you want something like a standing desk for health reasons, then check out Flexispot. They’ve got plenty of great options from a wide range of price points as well.

If you don’t want a standing desk and want something that just sits in one position, then Amazon has a lot of really great options at a range of prices as well. I personally use a gaming desk because it had a carbon fiber top compared to a faux wooden one and I preferred to have that race-car look over just plain wood for my setup. I also like that they have extras such as RGB light and more.

How About a Chair?

For chairs, this is honestly your preference. If you are someone that likes ergonomics in your chairs, then you might want to check out some of these options.

I personally find that gaming chairs–the ones that mimic race car chairs–are the best. I’ve been using them for years and I find that they’ve been reliable and great. There are a lot of options with a lot of designs out there, so take a browse through them to see what works for you.

Chairs are entirely up to your back’s needs and your design preferences. I do recommend you try to pick something that will match with all your other stuff and that you go for something that fits your personality too.

Now for a Laptop!

The first thing that you need is some sort of device that you will be doing a majority of your writing on. This could be something like a laptop, an iPad, a tablet, or something similar to that. I’ll go through the pluses and minuses of each as someone that has tried all three out before.

I currently use my laptop to write most of my books and work on. I use Scrivener, which is an app that is primarily tailored for a laptop experience. For context, I own an ASUS Rog Strix G16 gaming laptop because I’m also a gamer and I’ve been using gaming laptops for quite a good number of years at this point. I can pretty much run anything on it and it will be fine, as I do work beyond just writing books and blog posts.

You can also use something simpler such as the Lenovo IdeaPad, which is not as powerful but definitely will fulfill basic work such as utilizing Scrivener or something similar. You won’t be able to edit videos on Adobe or run video games, but you’ll be able to get your basic work done.

Now, if you’re not a big fan of Windows, there is always the Apple Mac lineup, which includes things like the iMac and the Macbook. There are many different types of each, but you should look into each one to see what fulfills your requirements the best.

If you’re still not interested in a laptop or desktop, then you can always go for something like an iPad. The iPad is a really versatile tablet that has similar functionality to the Macbook lineup and is very great for a variety of work-related needs. I personally got through university with my iPad being the main device of choice. It is lightweight, can be paired with bluetooth items, and is great if you already own the iPhone or something else in the Apple ecosystem.

If you want an alternative to the iPad, then you can check out this list I wrote up for tablet options that are comparable to the iPad! There’s a lot of Android options on the list too.

Keyboard Next!

Now that we’ve got our main device of choice, it’s time to pick a keyboard out. Now, you might be thinking that if you have a laptop, then you don’t need to worry about a keyboard. Although your laptop has a keyboard built into it, sometimes, you’ll find better luck with your typing if you have an external keyboard. Many people also find that their typing speed goes up with things like mechanical keyboards, which are quite nice to type on in my opinion compared to traditional membrane keyboards.

So, for my setup, I actually use the Corsair K100 RGB keyboard. This is a gaming keyboard that is quite robust, pretty big, and one of the more premium options out there. I got this one because it has optical switches, which means that it has no metal piece to accentuate the key, thus making typing on it significantly faster and with a much higher response. This is important for me because my typing speed rests well over 100 WPM.

If you find that it’s a bit outside your budget, there are some great mechanical keyboards like the RK Royal Kludge or other similarly smaller keyboards.

My other keyboard is the one I use for my iPad setup and it’s the Logitech K380. This is a great membrane keyboard that is extremely portable, very easy to type on, and is a really great keyboard with great response times overall. I’ve used it on laptop setups as well before, so it works for more than just an iPad. There is a new version of it as well if you’re interested in something like that.

If you want something similar to the K380, then there is the Logitech MX Keys which are also a great option for people who prefer portable, smaller keyboards that have a more minimalist form. In general, for portable keyboards, I will always recommend Logitech.

If you have an iPad, you can also use the Magic Keyboard, which is compatible with some iPad models and allows your device to stick to it magnetically and connect a keyboard with a trackpad to it. It’s a bit of a pricier option, but I still think it’s a great one either way.

Time to Pick a Mouse

At this point, it’s now the time to pick a mouse for your setup. This is an important component if you’re opting for a setup with a separate keyboard since you can’t really use your trackpad in that case. There are definitely a lot of different mice options out there for a variety of needs and I’ll list some of the better ones out there.

For starters, the mouse I use has always been the trusty Logitech G502 Hero mouse. I haven’t felt a need to replace this mouse yet and it’s been very consistent in its performance since I bought it years ago. This is a wired option, and since I play video games, this was the best choice for me to avoid latency delay. For others, it might not be. There is a wireless version of it as well if you want something more portable for your setup.

If you want something smaller and more for productivity, then there is the Logitech Pebble mouse. This is probably one of the quietest, softest mice I’ve ever used out there and it’s very portable and definitely not loud in the slightest if you’re working outside the house sometimes. I recommend this one a lot, especially if you buy the K380. There is a new version of the Pebble mouse as well.

If you want something more for the ergonomics and less for anything else, then Logitech also has some very unique options in that department. The Lift Vertical ergonomic mouse is a comfortable option if you find that your hands tire out frequently and you want to rest them in a more natural position. I find this mouse to be one of the easier ergonomic mice to use as well.

How About a Monitor?

Another thing that I find is helpful to have when it comes to creating a writing setup has to be a separate monitor. Now, there are so many monitors out there with so many features and pricepoints and values that it can be really hard to determine which is the best for your setup. In my opinion, you should get a monitor that is larger in size, so 27 inches or more. Smaller monitors just aren’t worth it and it is much nicer to have a larger form for a monitor.

Personally, I use the ASUS VG279 Q monitor. This one has 144 HZ for its refresh rate, AMD Freesync (works with Nvidia as well), 1 ms latency, and a Full HD resolution. This is a great monitor in my opinion and I like the many brightness options and color outputs that it has.

There are also other monitors, which I’ll list below so you can check them out. These are specifically gaming monitors:

Now, if you’re not looking to use a gaming monitor and want something else like a productivity monitor, here are some options:

I’m not the biggest fan of non-gaming monitors simply because I play video games, but if you’re not looking for gaming capabilities, you might find something else that suits your needs.

Now, if you’re an Apple user, there is the Apple Studio display. This is a relatively expensive option but it does work with all your Apple devices so it’s probably the best if you’re an Apple-only user. There’s also the highly priced Apple Pro Display which is definitely an average monitor but more for professionals and has an insane color range and a beautiful display. It’s a premium choice but great for enthusiasts.

Mouse Pads!

You don’t technically need a mouse pad as you can use a mouse on a wooden surface pretty easily, but a mouse pad makes your life much easier. I also think that mouse pads have the ability to actually enhance the look of your setup and make it more personalized and in your style instead.

If you like a more cute look, there are plenty of kawaii options out there on Amazon that have more light, pretty colors. There are some great Sanrio choices like ones with Cinnamoroll and ones with Kuromi on them in case that’s something that you feel fits your personality the best.

If you like a more minimalist look with some Japanese inspiration, there are plenty of those on Amazon too.

In my opinion, for a mouse pad, you want to pick one that will fit your desk size, fit your keyboard size, and fit your personal preferences. Measure the space you have and then go from there. I don’t really like mousepads that only fit the mouse and I feel like having a larger one is the best system because it’s more efficient that way.

Speakers or Headphones

The last thing that you need to complete your setup is definitely either a set of speakers or headphones. Speakers are great if you live alone and can afford to just play audio out loud, but I think that if you want a good audio experience, having headphones can be really nice as well.

You can use speakers like the Creative Pebble, which are smaller and more minimalistic or you can buy something like a soundbar such as the Razer Leviathan. There are also Razer Nommo Chroma speakers which are smaller but have RGB on them for extra effect, which I think is always nice to have.

For headphones, I will never stop recommending the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones. These are probably some of the best headphones I’ve ever used and I always stick with Sony for headphones. None have been able to convince me otherwise yet and I find that Sony is more reliable than other brands. These headphones have noise canceling and an ambient mode in case you want to hear things around you. There are also ways to adjust the sound quality and enhance things like bass from the Sony app. Definitely a must-have.

If you find the Sony’s to be a bit outside your price range, then Soundcore Anker headphones are also great options. I’ve tried their earbuds before and while I didn’t enjoy them as much as I enjoyed the AirPods, I find that the audio quality is pretty great for the price you’re paying. I personally don’t use earbuds as much as I used to as I prefer the audio quality from headphones and the comfort factor they come with.

Conclusion

At this point, everything else you add onto your desk is entirely up to you and is dependent on your decorative styles. I like to include things like some office supplies and maybe some figures on my desk to add more personalization. If you’re interested in seeing what I include in my setups, then you can check out my Amazon storefront where I have curated lists of everything I have.

Before you head on out, be sure to check out my series, The Fallen Age Saga, and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter so you can get updates on all my latest posts, WIPs, book releases and more! I’ll also drop links for things I find that you might find useful as well, so sign up now!