No power? No problem. Write On

As winter sets in for many of us, it’s more important than ever to have a plan in place for power outages.

One day last winter, I left my day job to dive into my writing at home. I hoped to interview someone for a project with a looming deadline. As I drove into my neighborhood, I realized the power was out. The sun was beginning to set, so I quickly collected several flashlights and loaded them with fresh batteries.

Luckily, I had been diligent about keeping my laptop, Verizon mifi card, and iPhone charged. I turned on my computer, put my phone on speaker, and as darkness fell, I was able to conduct the interview, typing my notes in the light cast by my trusty flashlights. The power didn’t kick back on for another hour but I was able to finish the call, write awhile, and e-mail a draft off for approval.

Especially in the winter — when the weather can be unpredictable and power outages likely — it’s a good idea to keep your electronics charged and flashlights at the ready (with plenty of extra batteries).

If you haven’t already created a writer’s disaster plan, you’ll find some excellent tips from Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Andy Inahtko, who wrote about technology preparedness when he endured a long siege without power during the Hurricane Irene disaster.

Whether you’re hit by an ice storm, wind storm or blizzard, prepare now, and if the lights go out, you can write on.