I’ve seen a lot of writer’s show pictures of their writer’s desk/room/den/realm and give a small tour. I had considered doing this, but my digital camera died and the picture wouldn’t be very interesting. In fact, above is the best shot I could find of my writing space. Typically, it doesn’t have the frog prince in the way. He’s usually in the seat to my left if he isn’t at school or meticulously turning the living room into a mess.
So, my workspace is the dining room table for various reasons. One is that I don’t have a desk in my bedroom and spending all day hunched over on the bed nearly turned me into the bastard child of Mr. Burns and Quasimodo. I do night work there, but it’s a horrible place to work. Second is that my real desk is in my son’s room, which I don’t have a picture of. I built it in high school woodshop along with a chair and it has drawers everywhere. So, once I put a desktop computer on there, I lose half the storage space. That really doesn’t matter because my wife took it over with her scrapbooking supplies and the threat is that if I try to take my desk back, those supplies take over our room. Third is that the dining room has a large window, so I get natural light and a chance to watch the birds and squirrels fight in the backyard. Finally, I’m an easy walk to the kitchen for food and drink.
It isn’t perfect because I’m in the flow of traffic, so I’ve had to teach myself a few techniques to deal with the noise and still write quality work. I can put myself into a writer’s zen trance rather easily now. I can also switch on a rage-aholic scream-fest like a light switch when the locals become too much. It switches off just as easily, so I don’t break the scene’s mood. Okay, so this is far from perfect and I’ve probably induced a few mental disorders to cope with things. The alternative is to pack up my stuff, go to the library, pray for a spot near an outlet, and go until my hunger becomes too much. It doesn’t help anyway because libraries are nowhere near as quiet as they used to be. Thank you, streaming television and laptop speakers.
All of this exposition comes to the point of a writer needs his or her space. Most writers need to carve out a nest where their energy is centered and they can sit in the middle of their quiet world. Water fountains, rock gardens, bonsai trees, crystals, action figures, and all manner of foci come to live in this den. I do admit to envying people who have their own room to do their writing. I’d love my own room to decorate and store my writing in. I’d have a mini-fridge in there too for drinks, so I only have to wander out for food and bathroom. I’m back to the dream instead of the point.
The entire point to the writer’s space is to find a center and an area to be away from the distractions that plague all artists. It’s not so much the physical space if you think about what it really is. The desk is physical symbol of the power center, the headquarters, the sun of the writer’s creative world. Artists hunt for that atmosphere needed to stir their juices and give them the clear mind to create. That is the true objective of a writer’s desk or room. For lack of a better phrase, it’s THE SPOT.
For a writer like me, who lacks a private area, it’s more important to find a ‘mental desk’ to pull out when needed. It’s rare that we find the ideal situation that allows us to write for extended periods of time. Yet, we need that situation to really get anything done and to wait for it can be both fruitless and maddening. To those that have a room with a lockable door that they can escape to, bravo and enjoy. To those of us designated to the dining room tables, libraries, and tree houses of the world, keep up the fight and go zen on the asses of all your distractions.
Legends of Windemere 
Cute son. Inspiration flows whenever you are comfortable in your spot, whatever you carve out for yourself.
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Thanks. Though according to him, that’s somebody else. Yet, he recognizes his blankie and is happy about that.
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what an adorable froggy! If I waited for serenity and isolation, I would grow old without writing anything. I’ve found that instrumental music and noise canceling headphones are helpful when things around me get noisy. : )
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I actually use Rock music, which seems to do the trick around here.
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Your frog prince is quite charming. I also have a toddler who excels at meticulously turning my house into a mess. I have a desk in a downstairs corner, but I can only write at it after my daughter is asleep. I shouldn’t complain that she wants to play games with me, but it does make maintaining the mood for a scene impossible.
I generally write at the mall foodcourt at lunch. No one bothers me there, and food and restrooms are nearby.
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I actually just tried at the mall foodcourt, but there were loudly chatting teenagers everywhere. I think I’ve become too curmudgeonly to be there.
My son isn’t much of a distracted honestly. I have so much writing that jumping into play mode with him isn’t much of a derailment. It’s when the adults are talking to me about dinner, taxes, and boring stuff that I get derailed.
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I adore the frog prince ensemble he makes a cute and quirky addition 😉
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I’ll let him know when he’s done driving his grandfather crazy in the backyard. 😉
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hehe..don’t rush him lol 😛
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Oh, what a cute little frog! I think he’s just about the perfect addition to any writer’s office! 😉 And I agree, I wish I had a room set aside that I could write in. But I have to share my ‘writer’s nook’ with my sibling’s classroom. It isn’t too bad though, I can play some soft music while I’m trying to re-write sections of my book to match the 2016 calendar (why didn’t I print that darn thing Before I started writing…not after I thought I was finished with the Book?)
(I’m laughing at myself, feel free to join in!) 🙂
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I’ve been there. That whole ‘I should have done this sooner’ trap of all authors. At least you get to play soft music, which I hear is great for inspiration.
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It is! I highly recommend the soundtrack from the Disney/Pixar movie “Brave”. There are some very nice, soft songs without words that I play over and over throughout the day. I also like sad music, it really helps inspire me when I’ve hit a brick wall (I made a playlist of sad songs from various artists), and lively music without words also helps. Have you ever heard that playing Mozart while a child sleeps makes him/her smarter? Well, I’ve found it also helps me write better (when I’m awake, of course)!
You should give it a try! Besides, the little frog prince might like the music, too!
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I’ve heard the Mozart story, but we never got it to work. My son goes to bed to a Celtic instrumental CD that we bought before he was born. It was the only one that worked. It’s survived 3 boombox deaths somehow.
I’ve always been more of a Tarzan/Lion King mix, but I admittedly haven’t heard much of Brave. I saw it and own the DVD, but I don’t remember the music too well.
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I have some of the Tarzan songs, too, and really like them. Brave has a celtic/scottish music theme. Classical piano music is nice, too. (I also have the soundtrack from the disney movie “Tangled” and love those songs…) Haven’t heard any of the lion king, though.
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Lion King is definitely epic. It’s Elton John and rather easy to find on Youtube if you get the time.
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I’ll make it a point to find it!
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Odd that you posted this now. I just finished a book about “surviving writing” and there is a large section in it about how to be productive and create your own space, even if you have no quiet place to call your own. I will be posting that review later today.
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Looking forward to that. I can always use some advice on that.
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Cool idea, I’ll post my workspace(s) later this week.
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Cool. I’ll be waiting with envious anticipation. 😉
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OMG, love the little frog prince!!
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Thanks.
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