Writing Space

I'm reading this interesting book talking about our Writing Space and it got me thinking about just that, my writing space. I look over my physical space and realize, yikes, talk about counter-productive. Let me see if I can describe it for you.

I have a desk that's shaped like an L. The shorter part of the desk holds the brunt of my stuff. To the the right sits a little cubby that holds five binders. One of the binders has my playing cards (Star Trek....yes, I'm a nerd and proud of it), one holds the printed copy of the Golden Crown, another holds half of the printed copy of Memory Lane and the other half is upstairs currently asking me to take it downstairs, but more on that later. Next I have a binder with my household chore list and a few other household business information in it and as to why I need this binder, well, that's complicated. The last binder holds Star Trek scripts that a friend...acquaintence....had sent to me eleven years ago. I haven't heard from him since and I should shred it and dispose of it, but it just seems to go against my genetic code.

Below this cubby is my Bamboo Fun pad which helps me in regards to my various hand problems that I have. If I was to use a mouse instead I'd last about twenty to forty minutes, with the pen tablet I last for several hours. In the area beside the cubby is my computer stuff and a container for my pens. I have a lot of pens, I guess you can say I collect them. So the pen container is on the right side of the monitor while on the left are two notebook/book holders. One has three notebooks and two magazines plus some other odds and ends while the other holds my school book.

Next comes the little space with a door that I throw technical wires, envelops plus a few odd and ends. I'll go weeks or months not looking in there if I'm not careful. Under the cupboard are a stack of books ranging from organizing, web design, Wicca books and a few health books, stacked neatly out of the way then we hit the turning point.

From there is a small notebook holder, meaning the notebooks it holds is small. I have my character development notebook in there...which I haven't worked in for a while, plus a few other books that have nothing to do with writing. In fact one has information about great places to visit in San Antonio. It comes with a drawer that again has a few odds and ends that I haven't looked at in months. Next is my set of dictionary, thesaurus and a Style Guide. I've used the dictionary occasionally, the other two not yet. One of my favorite writers said once that if you have to pull out the thesaurus you're using the wrong word. I guess you can say I take that to heart.

Beside that, and I really mean a few inches on down the desk in reality, is all the paperwork that I have to sort through. This includes paid bills, printed up story information, unpaid bills (though I really hope not) and who knows what else is in there because I haven't sorted through it. Next to that is another pile of stuff that I have to sort from notebooks to magazines and to who knows what else. Between the edge against the wall and myself is a stack of CD's/DVD's plus a few notebooks of information for my web design.

This desk of mine sits in a corner of a large room. Moving out in the room on the left wall are three bookcases while on the right is the printer and my husbands desk. Behind me is the playing area of my kids..........

Hmm, I wonder why I can't focus on my writing?

And I didn't even mention the top shelf which really only holds the decorative things on my desk. Apparently putting it on the bottom part causes them to either be lost or broken...perhaps both. Then of course there is the area under my desk that has stuff from the CPU of my computer, several software booklets and two small portable filing boxes that has magazines or notebooks.

Space is more than the physical area certainly, the book mentions that and I already knew it (though I believe it's going to go into more detail about it later on). I have to be in the right mind frame for it. If I'm not it's a waste of time. However the key is trying to create the mind frame because I should be writing every day. I'm not, I never have and I suppose if I had then it wouldn't take me quite as long to actually finish a book.

It's just that, and excuse the sudden need for justification, I have a lot of activities on my plate that require some kind of creative energy. All these projects are of my choice of course, I also want to make that clear. I don't feel pressured to do them...okay, most of the time I don't... so I guess it could be say that while I don't necessarily write every day, I am creative every day. That's almost the same thing right? RIGHT?

........Okay, even I have to admit that I'm sounding a bit petulant and that's probably because I'm feeling like I'm focusing my magnifying glass a bit too close to the skin.

Well, one thing that a magnifying glass shows someone is if they need a change. Once you see the reality, the truth of perception, it becomes a matter of deciding to do something about it or just shrug it off.

Writing space is important, not just for the practical reasons, but also for the mental. If you have things that distract you, that pull you from what you need to focus on then you'll only ever be able to type words and not work on a story. Our space is more than just the physical though, it's the mental. It's doing that mental sabotage of yourself just to get things going. It's just like when I had talked about editing where you need to lie to yourself to make it possible.

If you can get these two spaces set then you're on a better path than before. The book is sure to talk about other types of spaces that make it easier and better for us to tap into that creative zone that works with the words instead of pictures or web sites. Perhaps as I learn more from this book I'll share it with everyone.

Obviously I have to make some changes though what I'm not sure about yet.