Your Writing Space

Gone are the days of the writer’s garret. Unless your attic is climate controlled, it’s probably not where you want to spend much time. I wonder how many other writers dream of old houses for the nooks and crannies we could claim as our own?

Today’s modern writer uses a spare bedroom, the couch corner, or perhaps the kitchen table. Successful or fortunate writers might have offices, a carriage house/outbuilding, or a converted garage.

What is important in a writing space? Why should we cultivate space for our craft?

Space that is reserved for writing 1) Keeps you organized; 2) signals to your brain that it is time to write; 3) Keeps your projects safe and centrally located; 4) Communicates to your family that you are writing. Working. Do not disturb.

A designated spot in your house would have room for a filing cabinet or storage boxes, a table or desk, perhaps a bulletin board or even a white board, easy access to paper, pens, printer, and possibly music. If you use a computer a lot, your table or desk must be able to accommodate both your monitor and room to jot notes, edit, and set a coffee cup.

Successful writing spots have been created out of large closets, pantries, spare bedrooms, odd angles, laundry rooms, the space underneath stairs, and closed in porches. If you have small children, the ability to watch them will have an effect on your location. The same goes for noisy roommates you might wish to avoid while working.

Make your space off limits to others. If you can’t close a door on it, give some visual instructions such as removing the chair, covering the desk with a cloth, or curtaining your alcove with a tacked up shower curtain. However you accomplish it, the message you want to send is that the space is off limits and, at least to a degree, you are off limits when you are in it.

For tips on cultivating space for your writing desk, browse through some books on home offices at your favorite bookstore, or browse such sites as <a href=”http://www.homeofficebuddy.com” title=”Home Office Buddy”>Home Office Buddy</a>, <a href=”http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/office/a/officetips.htm” title=”About.com”>About.com</a>’s home office article, or <a href=”http://interiordec.about.com/od/planninganoffice/a/budgethomeoffic.htm” title=”Budget Home Office”>Budget Home Office</a>. Your solution is unique to your dwelling, lifestyle, and personality. Get creative, but always keep firmly in your mind the size of space you will need and how much privacy you hope to achieve. Examine each possible solution against these two criteria. Get the best match you can.

Here’s a list of common items for a writer’s space:

*Computer
*Paper (notebooks, journals, loose paper, printer paper)
*Pens and pencils
*Printer
*Calendar
*Cork board & push pins
*Filing cabinet or desktop file holder
*File folders
*Colored pencils or markers
*Space for coffee mug or favorite beverage
*A task lamp
*A source of music (the computer, iPod, etc).

Keep in mind, all that is required is you, something to write on, something to write with, and enough light to stay between the lines. If you start with that, great! You can always add later as you need to.

Create your space. Make it a place you want to be, but also a place in which to work. Create your modern day version of the timeless writer’s garret that meets the needs of today’s writer.

What do you do if you find the household too distracting despite a carefully chosen workspace? Well, this is part discipline and part reality check. You might need to schedule your writing during times when the household is more peaceful, or complete your editing and revising tasks during the parts of the day everyone is around, saving the concentration and composition for quieter hours.

If you absolutely cannot get work done in your space or have trouble using good space, consider borrowing a friend or relative’s apartment. If they travel a lot or work long hours, you might gain permission in exchange for bringing in mail or watering plants. The point is, you know the place and probably are comfortable there, but it’s not yours. The laundry, dishes, and dusting belong to someone else, so they are not a distraction (or excuse) for you.

You might also consider writing in a café, at a bookstore coffee bar, or at the park. While it is hard to break away from home, sometimes you just need breathing room to concentrate. It is amazing how well you can concentrate in a setting like this. Peripheral activity keeps one part of your brain happy while the other part is busy with the pen. Natalie Goldberg, author of several books on writing, including Writing Down the Bones, suggests writing in a public place such as a coffee shop and does so herself.

Sharing a den with your spouse is an option, but beware. If he uses a voice headset or you sit too close together, you must learn to tune him out. If your spouse conducts her business and personal calls from the den or has a frequently ringing phone, you must either learn to work through it or tune it out. While you can probably become deaf to some of it, you might not be able to achieve the concentration level you need. You also run the risk of ignoring the spouse when you are spoken to, causing hurt feelings.

The easiest way to cope with loved ones and distractions in your writing space is to learn to roll with them. Train yourself to keep the thread when you are interrupted or jangled by the phone. Save the periods of deep concentration for scheduled times—nap or bedtime for the kids, while the spouse is running errands, or early in the morning before anyone is awake. Some writers deliberately schedule their day job opposite the spouse (one working days, the other evenings) in order for each to have time alone as well as together (this arrangement also works well for childcare, but rarely for both writing AND childcare).

If you work in an office setting, perhaps you could stay an hour late and spend the time in pure composition. If you have a flexible schedule, head to the library and a carrel in the back.

There are ways to find concentration time for the portions of your project when you need it. However, work to create a writing space at home that provides both the access you need and the privacy you require. It is a space you will be spending a lot of time in, so don’t neglect the planning. When your space is complete, settle in and get to work.

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