Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about writing space. I think the fixation is coming from the fact that I’ve had a bit of upheaval in my own usual writing geography (yay for a much-needed renovation project!), but space is about more than the physical location where writing takes place.
I read “A Writer’s Space”, by Eric Maisel, PH.D., a couple of years ago. As a writer who can suffer from procrastination paralysis, this little book was a godsend. Maisel addresses the physical requirements of the spaces where writers do what they do, as well as the mental and emotional space questions. It is packed with lessons and exercises to help writers find their space, in all of those senses. Seriously, peruse a copy.
With Nanowrimo 2020 coming up fast upon us, finding the space for writing is a key concern for many of us. 50,000 words in one month is a big goal, no matter how you slice it. It’s a pretty big goal for professional writers with the lifestyle and flexibility that non-pros dream of. It’s an even bigger goal for a writer fitting the pursuit around a full time day job and other ‘real life’ considerations. Creating space for writing can make or break the achievement.
Matters of Geography
‘Ideal writing space’ can mean as many things as there are writers. It might be a sterile and distraction-free office space. Or a bustling coffee shop might be better for your energy and imagination. The space might be regular and formal, like a home office. Or it might need to be flexible. A park bench today, the kitchen table tonight, the local library on your lunch break tomorrow.
The important thing is to find what works for you. Personally, I like a computer on a desk. I’ve also written on my laptop in bed, jotted notes in my phone app in the grocery store line, and scribbled lines in my Bullet Journal when a coworker says something that could have come from one of my characters’ mouths.
Different phases of the writing process may call for a change in geography. I love Stephen King’s sentiment, “Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open.”
Head Space
Getting into the mental space for writing may be even more important than the physical location. Theoretically, I suppose, if you can get yourself into the right write space, your geography doesn’t have to matter. During a recent renovation project, I had to consolidate my usual desk and file sprawl into a small pile of essentials I could work from on the foot of my bed. Thankfully, a temporary arrangement. All the same, I wrote three short stories and a blog post during my exercise in spatial minimalism.
So, how does one get into that right head space for putting words (ideally good ones!) on paper?
Little Rituals
Never underestimate the value of ritual for putting yourself into a given state of mind!
We create rituals, like habits, without a great deal of control, and they can help us or hinder us. We can be conscious of the rituals that we create, and be thoughtful about the rituals that we do need to serve us. It doesn’t have to be complicated, in fact it’s better if it isn’t.
For example, my writing ritual, the thing that tells my entire system that it’s time to get to work, is a beverage. The precise one changes, coffee in the early morning, tea in the afternoon if I feel like it. Water when I realize that the caffeine intake is getting ridiculous. I’ve certainly been known to work with a glass of wine at hand (love me a nice glass of Catawba or Niagara!). But the beverage is the thing. It feels weird to me to have an empty coaster on the desk. Having a drink within reach just signals to my body and mind ‘you’re going to be here for a while, settle in.’
In contrast, I rarely eat while I’m working. Or, more accurately, eating is too distracting for me to do while working at any level of measurable effectiveness. Plus I don’t like crumbs in my keyboard. What kinds of little rituals do you have that help focus you into the writing zone?
Eliminate Distractions… Or Find the Right Ones
When I was in middle school, I begged my mom to let me listen to my portable CD player and headphones while I did my homework, and she grudgingly agreed. I also remember making my case based on Mozart, not Blue Oyster Cult, but that’s another story. I like white noise, something going on in the background. It’s a fine line, though. Podcasts, or music that keeps me too busy listening to it, naturally enough become distractions when the endgame is getting work done.
To that end, I can’t recommend online ambient noise generators enough. Ambient Mixer is awesome, with hundreds of already mixed ambient noise tracks to immerse you into the perfect environment. It can be its own distraction, for sure, but once you find the perfect track for the mood of the scene you’re writing, it can be the perfect thing to keep you on task and getting those precious words down.
Claim Your Space for Writing
We are T-minus four days to the start of Nanowrimo; how is your prep coming? Got your physical spot? Getting your head into the write space? A serious and honest plug for which I get nothing in return… snag a copy of Dr. Maisel’s book. It’s a great guide for finding the space that you need as a writer, in any sense of the phrase.
I’m closing in on ready to do this thing. I’ve done far more prep this October than I did for my maiden voyage in 2019, and am feeling good about the skeleton of my project. My big challenge is going to be getting the words down around the other elements of my life.
I’m trying hard to get my Nanowrimo profile updated to make myself easier to find on their platform (oh why, oh why did I roll with that anonymous handle last year???), so hopefully you can find me as S. M. Grable… but, I also answer to ScoutWriter over in that neck of the woods. :)
Happy writing!!
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