My Writing Space
I recently came across an article describing the perfect writing space. In summary: “Sit in a giant fluffy bean bag with pen in hand.” Lying in a cozy spot only makes me want to fall asleep, so I thought it would be fun to describe my writing space and schedule.
Writing is a right-brain (creative) activity. These mental tools focus on social situations, nuance, and bringing imagination to words. I have learned the hard way that forcing myself to write only leads to disaster. Yet, I have seen people writing in Starbucks. So, there is room for alternative approaches.
At the beginning of my writing adventure, I had a plan regarding my writing place. It begins with a plain particle board desk from Ikea. It is clean and faces a window with closed blinds. On my desk are a few pens, Post-its, and only one trinket, a silly air quality detector. Yes, I am a geek. On the left side is a paper scanner, and on the right is my computer. In front are three identical monitors. The left is positioned portrait, center landscape, and right portrait. I write on the left, do automated (Grammarly) editing on the center, and copy/paste on the right. When I purchased the monitors, they had the highest contrast, which would reduce eye strain.
My computer is eight years old, but it was a powerhouse when I purchased it. Today, it still runs the latest operating system with the latest updates. When it becomes too bogged down, unreliable, or will not run the latest OS, I will upgrade. From a writing perspective, the keyboard is the most crucial part of my computer. It is a Unicomp that uses the same buckling-spring technology that IBM invented for their keyboards in the early 70s. Each key makes a loud ping/click noise when I type, which provides audio feedback. As a result, I type fewer errors. My mouse is a Logitech Trackman Marble, and they stopped producing them in the 2000s, so I must purchase them on eBay. This pointing device reduces hand strain and provides good finger feedback. I have mapped the center button to paste.
I only installed the essential programs and kept them updated. This includes Word, Excel, Visio, Corel Draw, Outlook, Firefox (my primary browser), Edge (for one website that will not work on Firefox), Rocketcake (my website developer program), and Acrobat Professional. I do not install free programs or shareware because I do not want to risk stability or data loss. When I need to run something nonstandard, I use an old computer. Overall, I would describe my computer as 100% utility. My computer is not a gamer, workstation, or business desktop.
Since I began writing, I have had three office chairs. The first one was free from a company going out of business. It was comfortable, but it fell apart after two years. I paid $$$ for the second one, and while comfortable, it only lasted for a year and left hundreds of black fake leather bits everywhere. I am still finding them four years later. True Innovations made my present office chair; I purchased it at Costco. It has grey vinyl and adjusts well to my posture. I find it solid, and it does not squeak. I anticipate it will last a few years, but there was a mistake. I should have purchased three.
To me, writing is all business, but where is the joy? The joy comes from creating the words; the space supports this activity, so my space does not have clutter or frills. But where is the inspiration? When I turn to my right, I have a bookshelf loaded with personal memories, including family pictures and random stuff. This junk includes old test equipment, a professional video camera, ceramics made by my father, and a few record albums. I sometimes turn to this shelf for a distraction when I get stuck.
Writing is my third priority, the first being my family and the second being my full-time job. Still, I treat writing as a profession and try to reserve at least three hours per day on weekdays and two on weekends. My best writing is in the morning and early afternoon, but my job makes this problematic, so I write late.
The biggest disrupter of my creativity is YouTube. Yet, it is the perfect distraction to free my mind when I get stuck—a strange double-edged sword. What I need to do is set a distraction time limit. Yeah, I will work on that.
What do I watch? Politics, tractor repair (I have no idea why this fascinates me. My yard is 5x10 feet, and I will never own a tractor.), old computers, China, Ukraine, machining, and electronics. I do not watch videos about writing, entertainment, or other creative outlets.
That is how my bonkers mind creates what you have been reading. What advice do I have for other writers? Writing is like any other activity. To be good at it, one must take a high-level view with a goal in mind. This means asking questions, recording data, doing experiments, changing bad behavior, listening, researching, trying new things, and being dedicated. It has taken a long time to figure out what works for me, and it should be no surprise that other writers have come to different conclusions. A good example is George R. R. Martin, author of Game of Thrones, who uses a DOS computer with WordStar 4.0. Yikes! Yet, he created an outstanding work.
Hmm. Perhaps I should do an eBay search for WordStar 4.0.
You’re the best -Bill
December 10, 2024
Writing is a right-brain (creative) activity. These mental tools focus on social situations, nuance, and bringing imagination to words. I have learned the hard way that forcing myself to write only leads to disaster. Yet, I have seen people writing in Starbucks. So, there is room for alternative approaches.
At the beginning of my writing adventure, I had a plan regarding my writing place. It begins with a plain particle board desk from Ikea. It is clean and faces a window with closed blinds. On my desk are a few pens, Post-its, and only one trinket, a silly air quality detector. Yes, I am a geek. On the left side is a paper scanner, and on the right is my computer. In front are three identical monitors. The left is positioned portrait, center landscape, and right portrait. I write on the left, do automated (Grammarly) editing on the center, and copy/paste on the right. When I purchased the monitors, they had the highest contrast, which would reduce eye strain.
My computer is eight years old, but it was a powerhouse when I purchased it. Today, it still runs the latest operating system with the latest updates. When it becomes too bogged down, unreliable, or will not run the latest OS, I will upgrade. From a writing perspective, the keyboard is the most crucial part of my computer. It is a Unicomp that uses the same buckling-spring technology that IBM invented for their keyboards in the early 70s. Each key makes a loud ping/click noise when I type, which provides audio feedback. As a result, I type fewer errors. My mouse is a Logitech Trackman Marble, and they stopped producing them in the 2000s, so I must purchase them on eBay. This pointing device reduces hand strain and provides good finger feedback. I have mapped the center button to paste.
I only installed the essential programs and kept them updated. This includes Word, Excel, Visio, Corel Draw, Outlook, Firefox (my primary browser), Edge (for one website that will not work on Firefox), Rocketcake (my website developer program), and Acrobat Professional. I do not install free programs or shareware because I do not want to risk stability or data loss. When I need to run something nonstandard, I use an old computer. Overall, I would describe my computer as 100% utility. My computer is not a gamer, workstation, or business desktop.
Since I began writing, I have had three office chairs. The first one was free from a company going out of business. It was comfortable, but it fell apart after two years. I paid $$$ for the second one, and while comfortable, it only lasted for a year and left hundreds of black fake leather bits everywhere. I am still finding them four years later. True Innovations made my present office chair; I purchased it at Costco. It has grey vinyl and adjusts well to my posture. I find it solid, and it does not squeak. I anticipate it will last a few years, but there was a mistake. I should have purchased three.
To me, writing is all business, but where is the joy? The joy comes from creating the words; the space supports this activity, so my space does not have clutter or frills. But where is the inspiration? When I turn to my right, I have a bookshelf loaded with personal memories, including family pictures and random stuff. This junk includes old test equipment, a professional video camera, ceramics made by my father, and a few record albums. I sometimes turn to this shelf for a distraction when I get stuck.
Writing is my third priority, the first being my family and the second being my full-time job. Still, I treat writing as a profession and try to reserve at least three hours per day on weekdays and two on weekends. My best writing is in the morning and early afternoon, but my job makes this problematic, so I write late.
The biggest disrupter of my creativity is YouTube. Yet, it is the perfect distraction to free my mind when I get stuck—a strange double-edged sword. What I need to do is set a distraction time limit. Yeah, I will work on that.
What do I watch? Politics, tractor repair (I have no idea why this fascinates me. My yard is 5x10 feet, and I will never own a tractor.), old computers, China, Ukraine, machining, and electronics. I do not watch videos about writing, entertainment, or other creative outlets.
That is how my bonkers mind creates what you have been reading. What advice do I have for other writers? Writing is like any other activity. To be good at it, one must take a high-level view with a goal in mind. This means asking questions, recording data, doing experiments, changing bad behavior, listening, researching, trying new things, and being dedicated. It has taken a long time to figure out what works for me, and it should be no surprise that other writers have come to different conclusions. A good example is George R. R. Martin, author of Game of Thrones, who uses a DOS computer with WordStar 4.0. Yikes! Yet, he created an outstanding work.
Hmm. Perhaps I should do an eBay search for WordStar 4.0.
You’re the best -Bill
December 10, 2024
