This Writer’s Space
Where do you write? That is a question that I, and many of my author friends, get asked quite often. I wonder why people ask. Do they believe there is some magic space where we spin our tales? Most authors I know write in very ordinary places: at their desks, on the couch, in a coffee shop…
My main answer to the question is that I write on my computer. I have forgone the pen and notebook in favour of typing away on keys. I find I can type so much faster than writing with a pen. There are times when my thoughts bubble over in my brain and I am much more efficient in recording them when I use the computer.
But I know that’s not what the people want to know. I suspect they’re asking about whether I prefer to write in a confined or open space, quiet or noisy, alone or with people, on a desk, table or lap, in a tidy or messy environment.
The beauty of having a laptop is that I can write anywhere. And I have tried many different places. Sometimes I sit on the recliner chair with my computer on my lap, having my back and shoulders comfortably supported as I work. And sometimes I like to work in a coffee shop, surrounded by ambient noise and people that provide a backdrop to my ideas.
However, I have discovered that I am most productive, most creative, and most successful when I sit at my desk in a quiet room. It has taken a bit of tweaking to arrange my workspace such that I can sit for several hours in comfort and with little distraction. For a while I suffered from shoulder and neck pain, and realized it was because my posture and screen height were all wrong. Ergonomics are important! For my birthday, I received a wonderful new desk chair, adjusted to the right height and with lumbar support, and I have set my computer so that I can read the screen through the bifocals in my glasses without bending my neck at odd angles. Much better.
Recently I changed the location of my desk. It used to be beside the doors leading to our patio, through which the view of the azure ocean beckons. Talk about distraction! I would spend more time watching the boats on the water than producing words on the screen. Now my desk is in a corner where I have to physically get up and move to look outside. While the view isn’t as pretty (although I’ve hung pretty things on the wall), it is much more conducive to achieving my word count.
One more thing – my desk is always tidy before I can get to work. If I’m surrounded by clutter, I feel the need to eliminate it, and thus would not be writing. Oh, and I almost always have a mug of tea beside the computer.
You can see my writing space on the photo above. What do you think? Does it look like a writer’s desk?
