Creating: Writing Space

Where we write.

In a lagoon
On the moon
On a float
In a moat
On our back
In a shack

Doesn't matter. We're all different.

What does matter is that our writing space suits us. And works for us.

Most of us could probably write anytime, anyplace, with any type of writing implements. But I'm going to focus on finding the best writing space - the one where we are the most productive, the most creative. The writing space that, at the end of the day, lets us smile and say, "This was great. I can't wait to come back here tomorrow."

Are you a pack rat? Do you like all your finds - from a rock you picked up at Aunt Sally's when you were six to the latest useless gadget you bought last week - nearby within sight and easy reach so you can see and touch to bring the emotions surrounding everything to the surface? If so, maybe a small room with a locking door is for you.

Not a pack rat? Maybe you're the opposite. You like sleek, open, clean surfaces with plenty of space to spread out. All your memories are in your head and not attached to particular things. If so, an enclosed porch or sunroom might work well as your writing space.

These are only two examples. Not every pack rat has a spare room. Not every minimalist has a sunroom. I'm somewhere in between, and I don't have a spare room or a sunroom. But I am a writer. I'm creative. I know how to think outside the box. I know how to create something from nothing.

So do you.

Maybe you lose yourself curled up with your laptop in the recliner or one corner of your sofa. Or in a dark corner of Starbucks, with hustle and bustle around you while enjoying the wonderful aromas of coffee during your entire writing session.

Or you must have a desk, even if it's an old table you found in the attic or at a garage sale and refinished (or not). And your desk is in the kitchen or a corner of the living room or in the nursery.

Doesn't matter. We're all different.

Experiment to find the type of writing space that works best for you. Don't be afraid to try something different, something new, if your current writing space stops working, keeps you from creating and/or being productive.

Who knows? Maybe your locked-room self is really craving Starbucks. Find out.