Where Do You Write?

I love the article that they do every Saturday in The Guardian’s Review, it’s called ‘Writers Rooms’ (I’m not plagiarising I just like the idea) and published writers tell you all about the space they use to write and create new worlds, scenario’s and characters. So I decided to do a tongue in cheek version as I don’t have a writing room, more a writing desk in my flat! So what items do I have there that inspire me and make me work!?

Laptop – yep really obvious but I don’t use a typewriter (my mum used to have one and I never liked it much) and I generally have two other methods for notes – see below, all my stuff gets put on the laptop as I find it easier basically.

Blank A4 Pad & Notebooks – I like to have a blank A4 notepad in front of me not for the reasons you might think. Once I start writing I normally find myself in full flow. I do however have a habit of thinking of new characters or situations etc that could be used in another book or much later on, so I store them on there. The two pads I have are for when I am out and about. The checked one is solely for ‘Miriam Perry’ works and the black on is for Columns or any other idea’s that pop into my head!

Black Creative Zen – I like to listen to music when I am writing, if it’s a really crucial part then I will turn it off. However if my other half is about then the headphones come in really handy as while they are watching TV I am in my own little writing bubble, some music can help your mood of writing too. My Zen is awesome as it’s got about 9,000 songs on it, so I have songs for every occasion.

Magazines – I like to get the latest magazines to see if there is anything missing, or something I think I could contribute to them. It’s good to keep up to date with the publications that you would like to write for. They maybe advertising positions or looking for new talent. That is how I got my column in Bent, so if you keep looking you can find new work.

Colourful Folders – They are kind of hidden under books, but these are files for various things. ‘Things to do’ is full of articles I need to chase or contacts I would like to make. ‘Ideas’ is all the stuff I write on the blank pad and store. The list could go one.

Books – I have three piles of books. From left to right… books I have to review for various sites/magazines like ‘The Raw Shark Diaries’ and ‘The End of Mr Y’. Next books that are research for future projects at the moment I am fascinated by The Pendle Witch Trials so I have quite a few on them. Finally a pile of books I want to read in my spare time, reading books by people whose style you like or is the same genre as you wish to write is always a good thing, its not plagiarism, its research.

Scented candles and Incense Sticks – I like all my senses working so as am looking at my work, listening to Kylie and stuffing my self with chocolates I also have some aroma’s going on, sounds a bit pretentious that doesn’t it?

Pens – I seem to collect them and I use different colours for different projects.
Chocolates – I treat myself for every thousand words I manage with a chocolate or if am having a bad day every hundred words I type.

A Mug of Tea – Always good, I think I am made of 90% Tea. This mug is really special as it’s got a picture of Michelle and me on it, I am writing a novel with her so it helps keep me focused! It’s also a very silly picture so when I am feeling down I look at it and laugh lots.

Hope you enjoyed that? Please ignore the pink blow up sofa and the pile of laundry – that’s kust me being busy writing and not tidying! I would love to see what other peoples ‘creative space’ looks like and why – go on have a go!