I had dinner with my son the other night which is always
enjoyable. He’s a writer too, but when I say that, I mean he is a WRITER!
Not to brag, but this kid who writes for
several magazines and one publishing company is a wordsmith, truly. Anyway, he
said something at dinner that gave me the idea for this blog. He said, “I’m
trying to move my various work environments to my home office. I’ve never
believed an office in a building is conducive to creativity.”
Wow. He wants to work exclusively from home. What about that
noisy neighborhood, his two small dogs, his wife who interrupts him when it’s
time to eat something yummy she has prepared? Not as disruptive as an office,
the son claims. When I first started writing way back in 1990 something, I
yearned for an office space, a cubicle in a building with a door that locked
and a view to the ocean. A place where I could go every morning and stay as
long as I wanted to. Everyone says writing is a business, and I agree, so why
not treat writing as a business that deserves its own location. Get up every
morning, put on decent clothes, some
lipstick, and go to work!
Alas, I never got that office, and now that I’m alone except
for a demanding but adorable dog, my home office is perfectly fine. I set my
hours, eat meals at the computer if I want to and eye the super comfy day bed a
few feet away if I feel like a nap.
So what is your office environment? How does it differ from
your ideal location? Has there a special, perhaps unusual place where inspiration struck you? Is your office space what you’ve always wanted? Pictured below are some
places my writing friends have used as offices. Have you ever set up in places
like these? Or is your office anywhere an idea strikes?
Whatever your special space, happy creating.
P/S from a techie flunky. I chose several beautiful pictures, a coffee shop, a library, a cozy room, even a bathroom to suggest the idea of writing spaces. Unfortunately none of the pictures uploaded to the blog except for these two. Sorry
Cynthia Thomason
Whatever your special space, happy creating.
P/S from a techie flunky. I chose several beautiful pictures, a coffee shop, a library, a cozy room, even a bathroom to suggest the idea of writing spaces. Unfortunately none of the pictures uploaded to the blog except for these two. Sorry
Cynthia Thomason
I set up an entire room with a worktable and loaded bookshelves, then my kids moved into to do their homework and home studies, and so my office is a desk in the corner of my bedroom. I still produce stories from the spot, so all's well. At least the pics that did upload, Cynthia, are beautiful and uplifting!
ReplyDeleteI get what you're saying Moira. So many of us have to share our spaces with others in the family.
DeleteThis office issue is such a hot topic for writers. Thanks for bringing it up. My office space has always been somewhere in my home, wherever that home happened to be. I once wrote an article about the way my various office spaces (or "corners") tracked what was happening in my life, good and not so good. When I moved to NC in the early 90s, my college-age son drove the truck and helped me settle in. He looked around the second bedroom in the townhouse I was renting and said, "Wow, you finally have an office in a room that isn't supposed to be used for something else." I'd arrived!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great story, Virginia. I can imagine you loved that space while you had it.
DeleteCynthia, I love that your son followed in your footsteps! This is such a timely post for me. I just got an "office," meaning I converted a tiny room into a writing space. I've written about ten books and several novellas all over my house. Mostly perched on the sofa or sitting up in bed. I've never minded being mobile. But last year I started having some issues with my neck and back (no, it is most definitely NOT an age thing :) So I finally took the plunge. I bought a desk (it even moves up and down!) and a chair (it moves up and down, too!) and now I don't know how I managed before.
ReplyDeleteGreat example of the "improved office space" Carol. Good for you. I think I would like one of those up and down desks too.
DeleteI've had a room in the house as an office for quite a few years, but my kids are always after me to get a laptop so I can write anywhere. I say I need my notes, much worn thesaurus and Synonym finder, which of course are all online now. But it's not the same to me. I remember when Debbie Macomber got an office away from her house and those of us who knew her were envious. But truly maybe the writer's space to write is anywhere the ideas flow.
ReplyDeleteI love Debbie M's story. She has come a long way from that first rented typewriter. I still use my "book" Thesaurus too. Goodness are we "old dogs" or what? LOL
DeleteI prefer a desk to write, but I share an office with my hubby and he tends to be chatty, so my laptop is the more productive choice. The dog comes with me, so that the most important part of the office environment.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, the dog is always around.
DeleteIt’s very interesting to read these comments, Cynthia, and see how we all have unique writ g places. When I first started writing years ago, I used a desk and very uncomfortable chair in our bedroom. But when I wrote during my summer holidays (still teaching then) I used the coolest (literally) room in the cottage which we call the Honeymoon Suite. Long story there but somehow appropriate that’s where I produced romances. Do you and your son like to talk about the creative process in writing?
ReplyDeleteHi Janice, love the name "Honeymoon Suite." Yes, very appropos. My son and I talk writing a bunch, but he's a reviewer, interviewer, reporter on all aspects of entertainment in our tri-county area so our writing goals are much different. I truly love reading what he's written and feeling proud. Does he like reading what I've produced? Probably not so much. LOL
DeleteI have an office at home. It's full of accounting things, but the laptop sits on a stand, with an ergonomic keyboard, and a second screen. So even though I can write elsewhere, I usually end up staying at the desk I've just spent all day working at, because I'm familiar with it, and can be productive there.
ReplyDeleteI did get to spend a week writing on our boat. Want to do that again.
Oh, please Kim, next time you decide to go on the boat and write, take me with you!
DeleteMy office is a big room at the end of the garage that is combined with my sewing room. I do almost all my writing here. I do have distractions here--I work beside a window--but they are ones I choose.
ReplyDeleteWhen we moved into this house, my daughter and granddaughter lived with us, so I bought one of those armoire writing desks. My thought was that I' d be doing most of my writing in the living room, I wanted to be able to close it up and hide my mess. Then they moved out and I turned one of the bedrooms into an office space. But I spent too much money on my desk to get rid of it, so I'm kind of stuck with it. While it is beautiful and I love it, it's really not great for posture and it hurts my back to sit there for a long period of time, so I end up taking my lap to the kitchen table, the sofa, the bed, where ever. But I tend to think better when I can use one space and post notes on the wall, ect. I like to surround myself with reminders. Although, a big open window with a view would be great too.
ReplyDelete