As someone who works from home and earns money by working on the computer, the last thing I want to do during my writing time is be at home writing on my desktop. I can’t yet justify the money for one of those little eee PCs, so I got about it the old fashioned way: pen and paper.

(Well, pens. I always carry about half a dozen because I get paranoid about running out of ink.)

One of my favourite places to write, though I don’t get the chance to very often, is on the train. There is something about trains that I find peaceful and inspiring. Sometimes I entertain the idea of getting an all-day ticket and spending the day riding around and writing.

Seeing as I only usually take the train once per week, I’m always on the lookout for other place I would enjoy writing in just as much. That’s why I always have my writing tools with me – pictured above.

The larger notebook is for my work in progress. Tucked inside I have various notecards, ads and envelopes that I have written notes on. The smaller notebook is for other stories, story ideas, etc. The way my mind can go off on tangents sometimes, it’s always good to carry a second notebook.

How about you? What tools of the trade do you carry with you, if any?

It seems to me that an increasing number of reviewers (and critics in other areas as well, I imagine) think that the only way to make a name in the business of reviewing is to hate everything they read, make snarky comments as often as possible, and have a general loathing for humanity thrown in just to make things interesting.

Granted, those are the more extreme cases, but there truly are a lot of people out there who seem to think that the only way to make a name in the review world is to loathe everything.

I do understand. It wasn’t until I put up my first review of a book I didn’t like at all up on The Book Stacks that I started drawing a bit more attention to my reviews. Yes, you do need to have the occasional negative review so you can preserve your credibility and show that you aren’t someone who is scared to hurt people’s feelings.

That doesn’t mean you need to ‘hate’ everything for the sake of appearing ‘tough’.

Yes, be honest in your reviews. Yes, point out things (gently, not vindictively) that didn’t work for you. Yes, do put in the occasional negative review to help you become a well-rounded reviewer.

Don’t hate for the sake of hating. That’s just boring.

Plus, at least in my eyes, having all negative reviews is the same thing as having all positive reviews – I can’t take your reviews seriously.

PS. If you think it will take ‘forever’ for you to become ‘known’ as a reviewer then talk to me. If you have a site, I know how to get your review site more views. No trollishness needed.