🧰 The Grief Writer’s Toolkit: What to Keep Nearby When You Sit Down to Write

Geri Watson
Oct 20, 2025
2 min read

A soulful collection of tools, rituals, and reminders to support emotional writing

Writing through grief is not just an act of creativity—it’s an act of courage. It asks you to sit with what hurts, to name what’s missing, and to shape sorrow into story. And like any sacred practice, it helps to have a few trusted tools nearby.

Here’s a grief writer’s toolkit—filled with objects, rituals, and affirmations that can hold you as you write.

✍️ Favorite Writing Tools

A Pen That Feels Like Home Whether it’s a smooth gel pen, a fountain pen with weight, or a simple ballpoint—choose one that flows easily and feels comforting in your hand.
A Journal You Don’t Have to Impress Lined or unlined, leather-bound or spiral—pick a notebook that invites honesty, not perfection. Some writers even keep a “grief journal” separate from other writing.
Loose Paper for Raw Emotion For moments when the words come fast or messy, keep a stack of blank pages nearby. Tear them, crumple them, tuck them away. Let them hold the overflow.

🕯️ Rituals That Ground You

Light a Candle A simple flame can mark the beginning of your writing time. It’s a signal to your heart: “I’m here. I’m ready.”
Create a Sacred Space Surround yourself with comforting objects—a photo of your loved one, a soft blanket, a stone from their favorite place. Let your writing space feel like a sanctuary.
Play Gentle Music Instrumentals, nature sounds, or songs that remind you of them. Let the music guide your mood and memory.
Set a Timer (or Don’t) Some days, a 10-minute timer helps you begin. Other days, let time dissolve. Trust your rhythm.

📚 Books That Hold You

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion A masterclass in grief writing—spare, honest, and deeply human.
Healing Through the Dark Emotions by Miriam Greenspan A compassionate guide to navigating sorrow, rage, and fear through creative practices.
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg Not grief-specific, but a powerful invitation to write freely and truthfully.
The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller A poetic exploration of grief as a communal and creative force.

(Feel free to keep one nearby, or copy a quote into your journal before you begin.)

💬 Affirmations for the Grief Writer

“My words don’t have to be perfect—they just have to be true.”
“I write to remember. I write to release. I write to honor.”
“Even silence is part of the story.”
“Grief is not a weakness—it’s a witness to love.”
“I am allowed to feel everything. I am allowed to write everything.”

Write these on sticky notes. Tape them to your journal. Whisper them before you begin.

At Orion’s Legacy, we believe that writing is a sacred act of remembrance. That your grief deserves space. That your voice deserves tenderness. And that your words—however broken, however brave—can become light for others.

So gather your tools. Take a breath. And begin.