The Perfect Writing Space

My work space on any given day.

What does the perfect writing space have to be? Whatever will allow you to sit comfortably, take a deep breath then explore humanity in all of its beauty and ugliness.

It can be simple and inexpensive, a coffee shop or library, and it can be the first floor of a turn-of-the-century mansion. What matters is that it is quiet and allows the writer to ease into a meditative writing state.

All too often, I think, writers use their work space as an excuse to not actually work. The color is wrong, not enough art, organized all wrong, too this and too that and the work never seems to get done and the absolutely perfect space never materializes.

I spend quite a bit of time talking about the environment within which a person writes. I do believe it has to be conducive to writing and also that music, art, photos and other odds and ends can help us write just a little bit better. However, the worlds we need to focus on creating exist on the page and if we do not do that work we are not writers. Writing is the act of creation and production, not a statement of style, bohemianism, or hip culture. We can have style and be hip, but these desires shouldn't get in the way of the work or our ability to tell large, as yet unheard truths.

That said, it can be fun to create and evolve the space where we create. My wife gave me a wonderful painting for Christmas and it's fun thinking where it will go in order to have just the right effect.

The photos below show some simple, but nice work environments. Perhaps some inspiration can be found here.