My Writing Space
My online writing group has a new privae group facebook page where we can handle chatter instead of cluttering up our actual writers group inbox with our chit-chat. One of members who lives in Australia posted a picture of the place where she writes and asked others to do the same.
What fun it's been to see where we all write, whether in Australia, Japan, Ireland, Canada or various parts of the USA. A few were reluctant to 'show' the area because it was so messy. Not a problem with anyone--it shows you're working said one person. The most unusual writing space was on a commuter train that one member spends 2 hours each way to get to work in Washington, DC. She posted a picture of the train seat with her laptop on it.
Another member who has written nonfiction books and many articles works mostly from her bed! She scatters files and other necessary items around the bed on the floor, sits up against some pillows and tap, tap, taps away on her keyboard. My body would not work well after an hour or two of that position, I'm sure. But it is her favorite spot.
When I first started writing, my place was on the ktichen table with an electric typewriter. That meant I had to clear all my 'stuff' away before my husband got home from work so we could eat dinner there. A real bother on days when I the words were coming fast and furious and I really wanted to leave it as it was so I could hurry b ack to it in a short while.
In the house we live in now, we turned one of the bedrooms into a home office as per my request. We bought a desk that has a nice shelf unit above it, then a computer desk for me, two small bookcases, an office chair, the computer and printer plus a small file cabinet. This allowed space for both Ken and me. He seldom works at the desk, however, so this room as turned into mine. How could I be so lucky?
It really doesn't matter where your writing space is or how large the area is either. Designate a corner somewhere if you must. But let it be a spot where you can leave your work scattered around you, easily found when need be. If you still have an active family life--kids coming and going--husband hollering for help in finding something--let them know that your corner is your corner. Nothing there is to be moved or even touched. Set the ground rules early on so there's no I didn't know! statements forthcoming.
It would be great if every writer had a specifically designated entire room in his/her house for writing--a place where no one else was allowed to come in. That might happen once you're a famous writer but for the majority of us who are working our way up the ladder of success, we're happy to have a corner somewhere to call our own.
What kind of writing space do you have?
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