Work Space

Everyone needs a space to work.  A chef needs a kitchen, a mechanic needs a garage, a photographer needs a dark room, etc.  Writers are no different.  They need space where they can get alone with their thoughts and create.  Here’s a glimpse into our places of work!

A work in progress:

When we moved into our house a few years back, we decided that we would designate one room as a guest room and Dave would get a man cave.  He did such a cool job decorating with awesome framed posters, his game system, and a nice comfy couch.  As for our guest room, that became “the catch all room”.  You know, that one room when company is coming over, you throw stuff in there and then close the door so no one can see how you really live.

When Kendra brought up starting a blog together, I was super excited but knew if I was going to really try to stick with this, then I needed my own little “work space”.  I worked at the dining room table for the first two posts and realized it wasn’t exactly the best spot in the house to get that creative vibe going.  It was uncomfortable, and having a 20 pound cat lying all over your keyboard is a bit of a distraction with the writing process. 

  I decided it was time to clear out the spare room and have my own little “cave” where I could go and escape.   After getting everything cleared out (It really wasn’t that bad) I had the help of my brother Mike, who came over and painted the room for me.  My sissies donated most of the furniture and I added some odds and ends here and there.  It still needs a few little tweaks but so far, I absolutely love my space.  It is my happy place.  

Just like Misty, our spare room served its purpose as the man cave and I kept my desk in an attempt to share the space. Unfortunately, no matter how quiet Donnie was when playing his video games, I could not get the creative juices flowing. One day, I decided to move my desk into our bedroom. It cramped the room a little but the space felt intimate and perfect.

I added specific things to make the space feel like a little writer’s retreat. I have several inspirational quotes and I gave my Laura Ingalls Wilder collection its own special spot. Most of my writing is now at my desk because my husband and kiddo know that when I am at my desk, I am doing something just for me.

     

When I set the mood for writing, I usually play a soundtrack station on Pandora, light my favorite candles, pour myself a mug of coffee, and get to work. Most of my inspiration comes from my favorite authors and I like to surround myself with their books. I also like to add a few of my indie favorites to the collection to remind myself that if you work hard, you can accomplish anything.

I do have a “To-Be-Read/Am-Reading” area at my desk to make sure that I keep myself from getting behind in my reading because reading is very much a part of the writing process. When I finish a book, I immediately replace it with a new one to read. 

And the days we are working together, you can find us at the dining room table. We put our headphones on, listen to some tunes, and get to writing.