Different writers have different ways of setting their mood for writing. Various intensities and colors of lighting, soothing music – or a playlist that reflects the theme of their story or characters, with their favorite blanket wrapped around their legs. Others prefer the hustle and bustle of the local coffee shop or another public space. Still others prefer a quiet, unadorned space that allows creativity to take any form.
I count myself in the last group. When I lived in Arizona, my little writing nook was about the size of a closet. It was just big enough to fit my desk with a little room on either side. My tall bookcase of writing supplies, notebooks, writing books, and all the rest was in a different part of the room! The thing you may have found odd about this space, however, is that it was part of the living room of our apartment. My husband’s workspace was kitty corner to mine all the way across the room. But I was content with my little space, facing the stark white wall. I could glance up over my monitor, lost in thought with my imaginings taking place on the blank slate that it was.
Eventually, I added a mechanical keyboard to my setup, and it’s clicking soothed me into a rhythm that kept my pace flowing and the story building with every keystroke. Apparently I’m a fast and accurate typist, since my husband’s friends heard it through his headset microphone and commented on how smooth and quick my typing was.
Fast forward several years to where we live today. We still share an office space, but it’s a separate bedroom rather than the living room. I had started with my workstation facing a blank wall so I could stare and imagine once more. But the cold took over and we switched spots in the room. Still, my daydreaming lives on. I can look up and stare at the wall across the room from me and imagine the words that need to come out next. The downfall though, is that this is a window wall. When the shades are open, I can see what’s going on in the back green space of our apartment building. Kids playing, dogs running, people coming in and out of their patio doors. It can be a distraction. No writing gets done.
The shared space also means my husband takes phone calls and participates in Zoom meetings within the same space. I either switch gears to another task that doesn’t require so much focus, or I put on my headset and crank some classical music up as loud as I can stand. It has to be classical, without lyrics, otherwise I won’t be able to focus on my own words. I’ll get lost in the lyrics and singing along and lose my focus once again.
What’s a task you need complete quiet to focus on? What can you do even if you’re surrounded by noise and confusion? Let’s talk about it on Facebook!