“A writer’s space is wherever she lands; her treasure is the writing she gets done in these myriad spots.”
“Naturally you want a room in which to write that is dedicated to your writing pursuits and not the center of family commotion, the place where the canned goods are stored, or home to the water heater and the washer-dryer. But maybe you can’t have such a dedicated room; maybe space is at a premium and all that’s available to you is the kitchen table or a desk in your bedroom.”
“There is nowhere that you need to go in order to write, not even out of that bed. Right where you are is where your thoughts and feelings become available, if you are inclined to access them.”
“If you have a bed, you have an office. Writing is about thinking, feeling, and scribbling and can be done perfectly well while reclining. Colette, Proust, Walker Percy, Edith Wharton, James Joyce, my good friend whose novel just sold, our younger daughter who is working on her first novel, and countless other writers have written in bed and prefer to write there. What more do you need than your computer, your lap, your cup of coffee or tea, and warm feet?”
“Supply yourself with all the necessary equipment and icons. If some itch remains, move the rubber ducky a little south or change the music—but at some point decide that your space isn’t the issue, that your rubber ducky isn’t a dybbuk, and that it is time to write. Just hop back into bed—but get writing.”
— Eric Maisel in A Writer’s Space: Make room to dream, to work, to write
I have a nice writing space, but I love bed-writing in the winter when it’s cold in the house. It’s an easy place to close the door.
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Diana, I will always remember you as the author with a beautiful writing space!
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I love this no-nonsense advice!
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Love it too, Pam. I don’t write in bed though…I have a table with a computer (laptops conk from the energy flowing through my hands, so I still use a desktop) and all other writing I do in my couch, which is beside my bed. Close to writing in bed 🙂
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Sometimes we fuss about not having the right space but for me it is mostly that I want to write but don’t know how to start. That’s when the space I am in becomes the problem. Otherwise I can pretty much writ where I am because like the post says your thoughts are wherever you are.
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All beginnings are potentially challenging… but I found that if you just sit and relax and allow your mind to wander…soon the words come…whether you’re in bed or in the bus! I hope you’ll get to the point where beginnings can spell surprises instead of blockages 🙂
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Great advice, Rosanna. With a laptop a writer can work a number of places. I’ve learned to write in the livingroom at my desk there even when someone’s got the TV on and turned up. I just tune it out. I didn’t used to be able to do that. It’s taken practice. 🙂
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Technology certainly has made things easier for writers, Suzanne. Great, that you’re able to block off external noise…not everyone can do that!
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