 Space is important. It might seem like it shouldn’t be, but let’s be honest, when your space is uninspiring or worse, distracting, how much writing do you actually get done?I know some writers will say that the goal is to be able to write in any condition, that a writer should just be able to pick up a pen wherever they are and spew out eloquent prose. Although I admire that sentiment, I personally feel that is an unrealistic attitude for many writers. How many other artistic disciplines do you know that would function this same way? Do choreographers just get up in the middle of a cafe and start creating? Do painters carry around an easel and their complete set of paints wherever they go just in case inspiration hits? No. However, that’s not to say that these creators aren’t planning, taking notes, sketching ideas on the go. I believe the challenge with creating a perfect writing space is articulating the things that you need to inspire your creativity while also knowing what things distract you from it. Once you know those two things, the question becomes, how can that writing space move with you? Does it have a permanent home in the form of an office? Or does it have a more mobile quality to it? Maybe you know you need a specific journal to inspire your writing, and you need to tune out background noise. So your journal and good headphones are all you really need. Let’s start with the easy question… what distracts you from writing? For me, I am distracted by clutter. When my desk is messy, or I’m working in a space that is untidy, I cannot think straight. My mind wanders to the piles of things that are gathered and even though I’m not always compelled to clean it up, I notice that my creativity just doesn’t flow in the same way as when my space is tidy and organized. I am also easily distracted by other people. I need to feel private and alone before any words will come out. If I’m at home, that means being able to shut a door. If I’m in public, that means I need space around me. So, I rarely choose to work in public at cafes or libraries with large communal tables. Instead, I seek out places that have small tables for one or two people. I can feel alone in a crowd when I’m not sharing a table! What distracts you the most from writing? Is it the picture of your kids on your desk? Is it the sound of other people around you? Is it clutter, your phone, the internet? What is the biggest culprit and how can you remove it from your writing space? Perhaps the removal becomes part of your writing ritual that will help you clear your mind and enter into your writing practice! Now, what inspires you to write? Do you have a favourite quote, an image, or a book that makes you feel excited to write and helps you enter into your creative zone? One thing for me that makes me feel inspired creatively is plants. I love having greenery in my writing space. I’m not sure why plants inspire me, they just do! So, I make sure I have a plant on my desk. I also make sure to have images of plants in my journal, or on my worksheets that I’m using (P.S. sign up for free printable worksheets!). This helps me get into my creative headspace. What inspires your writing practice?
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AuthorHi, I'm Lia! I'm an author and the creator of Cozy Writer's Room. I believe in the power of storytelling and love helping others tell their stories using simple productivity tools like printables! Archives
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