Where Do You Do It?

Where does the magic happen? Where do you write?

I've been asked to put together a course for very beginning writers to teach them how to get started writing and how to organize themselves. I thought of a four class course: Day 1) Organize your space and time; Day 2) Organize your thoughts on paper; Day 3) Organize your thoughts virtually; Day 4) Organize your writing.

So, on the first day of the course, I want to discuss where people write, and how they find the time to fit writing into an already busy life. This is my desk:

As you can see, it's not very organized. I've got a pile of stuff on my left (all related to my writing), I've got a pile of folders behind that (all related to my teaching), and I've got a pile of stuff on my right (all related to my household expenses and miscellaneous stuff). This is organized, but not the uncluttered space that you would expect to be needed for creativity. And yet, it works for me. I've got my computer at eye level and my keyboard on a keyboard drawer at just the right height, so I'm completely ergonomic. And my desk is in our home office, which is only used by me for most of the day (when my children are home, they're hidden away, upstairs in their rooms at the opposite end of the house where I don't hear them).

So, where do write? Do you have a desk? Do you sit in a comfy chair? Do you use a laptop or do you write on paper? I would love to know so that I can give my students options. There isn't one right way to do it. What works best for you?