By Dame Kaz
Posting a little early (well, it’s gone midnight here!) because I’ll be away Monday – I’ll be back in the evening to read replies. 
Virginia Woolf famously said:
“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.”
Here is the beautiful writing ’shed’ that Virginia Woolf eventually owned, tucked away at the bottom of her garden:
Rather than thinking about what we write, I’ve been thinking about where we write. I do the majority of my writing on a laptop, so you’d think I could be flexible with location. So far this hasn’t proved to be the case. I have one or two particular spots that I like to sit with my laptop, and if I can’t settle in those places – for whatever reason – I find it difficult to get into the writing ‘mindset’. I often wonder if this is similar to those writers who prefer to work with music playing, and specifically a playlist created for each novel or story.
When I wrote The Iron Witch (the YA manuscript currently on submission), I mostly sat at a large table that overlooked my parents’ garden. While writing ‘Falling to Ash’ – my story in The Eternal Kiss – I was sitting at the kitchen table (with my laptop) at a friend’s house. Despite having a portable ‘writing device’, I feel far more comfortable sitting upright at a desk/table of some kind.
And what about the room? Dining rooms, kitchens, bedrooms… These are the places that I create fiction, but what I really want is a dedicated study. I am definitely one of those writers who desperately desires a ‘room of my own’. I can’t help but admire Jane Austen, who wrote at this tiny table in the corridor right by the front door of her house. Her writing was squeezed into what little private time she had:
Joyce Carol Oates has said: “I love my study. It’s the place to which I return, with myriad daydrams, sketchy memories, scraps of paper.”
Joseph Campbell (in The Power of Myth) describes the need for “a room where you can simply experience what’s coming forth from what you are and what you might be.”
Many artists and writers agree that they need a sacred space where they make their works of art. Many others take their writing ‘on the road’ and can write anytime, anywhere – whether on a computer, in a notebook, or on scraps of paper and folded napkins. I like to write in a notebook; the act of physically putting down words with a pen, sometimes while sitting on a bus or train, other times in a café with my favourite notebook propped against my lap – these are the times when I can take my writing with me. But never on a computer; it has to be handwritten notes and snippets when I’m on the move. The ‘real writing’ takes place once I return home.
Here is British children’s author, Jacqueline Wilson’s writing room:
Although she has a cosy-looking study, she confesses to doing much of her writing either in bed – after she wakes up – while she’s eating breakfast, or on train journeys.
Do we, as writers – or other creative types – need a room of our own in order to create? How do you feel about it? I’d be very interested to know where you write, if you’re a writer. Or maybe if you don’t write, but you create art of other kinds, do you have a particular space for that? Or for those who love to read – I have a friend with a special ‘reading nook’ in her house – perhaps you have a favourite place where you do most of your reading. I know so many writers who have to squeeze their writing into small crevices of time they carve out of their days (myself included). It’s often by necessity that we create whenever and wherever we can. But if you could choose an ideal situation for your writing: would you want a room of your own?
(Images are taken from The Guardian’s series on Writer’s Rooms)
Related posts:
Tags: Karen Mahoney, writing
I just love this post! I have a huge fascination with writer’s rooms and the spaces that they occupy. I love to see what they keep on their desks, and what they see while they’re working.
I’m always thrilled with authors post pictures of their work spaces, so when I created my own webpage, I put pictures of my two desks there for others to see.
Elle Parker
http://www.elleparker.com
Ooh, photograph your own rooms-with-tables-for-writing, please, Kazzy?
Step one: get second hand desk.
Step two: paint it a shade of purple so crazy, no one else will want to use it.
Wait. I already did that…
I love the idea of writing in coffee shops (even though I don’t drink coffee). My two problems with enacting this fondness are a) I rarely get a chance to go to a coffee shop long enough to settle down to write, and b) I’ve tried most within reasonable distance and for some reason none were exactly right.
I have a study which is usually in a state of organized chaos. XD Currently, it’s overrun with post-its – revision notes, story ideas, continuity reminders, etc.
A friend of mine can write in coffee shops but I find that too distracting. I’ve taken my laptop to the library a few times and gotten some writing done, but most of my stories are written in my study on my desktop computer.
Perhaps my preference is associated with convenience. Any research I need to do is readily available (get up and pluck a book off the shelf) and I’m alone and able to concentrate. (That is, until my cat announces it’s feeding time.)
I’ve read about a lot of writers who have to have complete silence … yeah, not so much for me.
I write in my main living space the dining room/living room/study. And I have two kids under four …
Mostly it’s the music. I don’t generally have a specific playlist for my books, but I’ll find certain music (an artist or an album) and play it. Of course, there’s always a background of children and Dora the Explorer …
I would love to have a writing room, but I have a little one-bedroom apartment so I had to carve out a corner of the bedroom to make my writing space. Two bookshelves, a desk, a purple lamp and a painting that says, “Wish It, Dream It, Do It!”
My space is the back patio-cum-Florida-room. My work table sits on top of the door to the storm cellar and has to be shifted whenever the tornado sirens go off. My desk is cluttered, with piles of…stuff. Post its. Notebooks. Whiteboard. Radio/CD player. TV. (Hey, its baseball season!). I can’t write in silence. And I’m three steps from the back door (dogs), seven steps from the coffee pot (necessity!), and…a short walk to the nearest “necessary room.” Hey, coffee. Need I say more?
The DD gave me “The Writer’s Desk” – Jill Krementz 2009 calendar/desk book. The writers’ spaces pictured there give me hope!
I’m lucky enough to essentially have my own space. I live with my boyfriend, often referred to as the Irish Sailor. He made his little desk area on my coffee table in front of the TV. He doesn’t constantly watch TV, just when he’s only working with his hands (he makes knives). I have my desk in our office, the second bedroom in our apartment. My little corner is mine, I get to mess it up or clean it up as I will. He doesn’t come up here much unless he’s hanging out with me or getting something he needs out of the closet.
We’re also both pretty quiet so that’s good as well. I find I write best at my desk, though I do like to write in the Lazyboy as well. My cats like it when I write in the lazyboy too.
I also have a coffee shop I like to go and write at, mostly when I’m up in the middle of the night. I tend to listen to music when I write, but not all the time. It just depends on the mood I’m in. If I find myself more easily distracted I put on some music, if I’m focusing well a bomb could go off and I might not notice.
Like Firewolf, I’m lucky to have my own writing room. It has reference books, inspirational art, a decent sound system. Reality though, is that I never refer to my reference books, I never look up at my art, and I rarely remember to turn on the music. All I truly needed was good word processing and a place to perch. The rest fades away.
Still, I fantasize about a cottage in the woods by the beach…
Well I want to be a writer but I still have one more year of college to get through before that can happen. Plus I am still trying to work on a story. It needs more to it. More what, I don’t know yet. I need to try finding an actual writing class that would be beneficial to me. The ones at school weren’t that great.
Anyway, space of my own…I like to write using my laptop at my desk that I bought. It’s a snazzy little piece that I got from a store that specializes in wood furniture. I like my room to be kept in mild solitude when I am trying to write so I usually shut my door. I live at home still and I like to have privacy when I am trying to write. I am very critical of my own work so I don’t let anyone read it, ever. Plus I can never get myself to a point where I can say, okay not 100% happy but pretty damn close!
I usually have my TV on low as well, in case I need a quick distraction to get the bad stuff out of my head. I distract my train of thought from where I don’t want it to go and start a new thought pattern. It can be very time consuming.
One of the first blog topics I ever wrote about was the dream office I had built in my current house. It’s still my dream office, which is a good thing, considering I now write full time and am up here seven days a week! http://jennablack.blogspot.com/2006/03/my-dream-office.html
I used to have a writing room and I have one in progress at my folks place but my favourite place to write is on the sofa with my laptop. Legs crossed, in my pyjamas, with either cartoons or Stargate on the TV.
Failing that I write best at my studio bench in uni with a pen and paper. Usually whilst I’m waiting for something to dry.
I’ve got a super awesome writing desk in the corner of my bedroom now though. When I’ve finished moving in I’ll be giving it a try.
I’m lucky enough to live in a two-bedroom apartment and one of the bedrooms is my office, which I share with my boyfriend. We each have our own desk and share a bookcase for all our reference material (he works with computers).
Usually I find it easiest to work at home since I don’t have a laptop. It’s much faster to type everything rather than write it out on a first draft. After that, though, the editing can be done in any room of the house. Lately, I’ve been enjoying going to my local bookstore to work on the edits. I don’t bring a watch, and I don’t have distractions of emails, so I tend to spend more time and get more done.
I’m also fascinated by author’s workspaces. I found this great site a few years ago and check it regularly: http://www.paigecuccaro.com/html/the_cave.html. Paige has posted pictures of 94 different author’s writing spaces!
I am in the process of creating a writing room. It’s got a desk, chair, and bookcase, but it needs a few of the other touches that will make it my own.
Until then, I’m writing on the couch in from of the TV with the dogs at my feet. And, I have a feeling that a lot of my writing will still happen there after my office is completed. It’s comfortable.
I am so glad to have purchased a laptop again (one of the new netbooks; I installed Office on it so I could write, but I don’t need much more power than that). I find I do a lot of my best fiction writing in social rooms, when I’m by myself, rather than in my office. I need a different brain space for fiction than for other work, and being mobile seems to fix that — even if I wind up in the same space at the dining room table or in the living room.
Oooh, fun! I love peeking into the writing spaces of others.
I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of a writing shed — something separate from the main house. Wouldn’t it be nice to follow a little path and cross over a stream to get to one’s writing space? Linda Newbery has a cool writing shed: http://www.lindanewbery.co.uk/images/hideinplace_big.jpg. Perhaps I’d get more done if I escaped the kitchen, TV, phone and wireless Internet and holed myself up in such a shed?
You know me – on the couch or, less frequently, in the pretty chair, in bed, or in the bean bag chair next to Ben’s desk. I consider the couch my unofficial office.
Cool post!
Jenna – your office is GORGEOUS. *drools* I have a reading nook, too! I love having a quiet, dedicated space for jumping into an alternate life.
It is – at this point in time – a “floater” in spite of there being an official office in the house.
Most of the time, the office is used for writing (with the Telly on for background noise). Then there’s my room (especially when I feel like writing long-hand, telly also on for background noise).
Depending on what I’m doing, might also use living/dining room table or out on the patio, although either of these two choices is rarer.
Who knows, maybe one of these days, I will make up my mind.
Thanks SO MUCH to everyone for such great comments. I loved talking about this, and reading your responses has given me a glimpse into how other people work = and also what your ideals would be.
Also, thank you to those who gave me links to other interesting sites/photos of writers and their spaces.
Cheers,
Kaz
Rebecca C., I hadn’t seen Paige’s great feature before – thanks for that. That’s a cool link.
Cheers,
Kaz
Jenna: I agree with Renee, that is the most AMAZING office. *is totally jealous*
Renee: Obviously, I was talking about your writing nook in my post.
Must, must, must have a room of my own. For two years, Loving Husband and I shared an office. And finally, I had to move into the spare room and claim it as my own. It’s not because of anything LH did or didn’t do. I just need my own space. Need it.
Jackie, I need that space so much… ARGH!
One day… *dreams*
Kaz
I do most of my ‘quick idea’ and some dialogue writing while riding the #8 bus to and from work. Then I take that and expand on it as I have time and energy after the kids go to bed (ages 5, 3 and 1). It’s weird for me – I used to always take a book everywhere with me as a ’safety blanket’, but in the last five months I find I cannot live without my notebook and a good pen. I think my energies are shifting more from being a reader to being a writer.
I don’t really think that we as writers do need a sacred space, where all the creative energy and comfort will enable us to create, but it’s damn practical to have a study. A spacious desk, where only your writting stuff and notes and pens will be the only chaos or organized system. Then you have shelves upon sahelves of research books and fiction. Also having a computer for additional research is also quite helpful. So we certainly have a major use for it, when we are neck deep into a serious project, but it’s not an issue for writing as a whole.
Dawn Y.: I know exactly what you mean – I can’t travel without my notebook & pen now, either.