Everyone, especially writers it seems, needs a challenge once in a while. Something to stir the creative juices so to speak. The weekly challenges I vow to post are meant to do just that. I hope the challenges will not only lead to inspired writing but to joyful writing.
Let's take a trip to your favorite writing space. Stand back, look at your space with a critical eye. Is it conducive to productivity? Is it comfortable? Are there things that help open your heart and mind? Are there things that put a screeching halt to your creativity? What defines the space as yours?
My desk faces a half wall. I can see over the ledge down the hall and into the den. My writing space sits in what is supposed to be the living area of what is meant to be a formal living/dining area. To the left of my chair is my printer and bulletin board. Favorite quotes, short articles from writing journals, a couple of poems, and a small oil painting of a young woman looking over a hill to the west are on the bulletin board . This girl represents my main character, Rebecca, from my work in progress. A palm sized labryinth hangs at eye level over my desk. It is my spiritual reminder.
I have a comfortable sofa to retreat to when I need to think or review research. It sits in front of a bay window. The window coverings are sheers so I can see the squirrels, watch the neighborhood, and daydream.
I don't do most of my true writing at my desk. It is done in my recliner with my laptop. When I need to simply answer e-mails, use the printer, or organize notebooks I sit at my desk. It is my space. It is, sometimes, my refuge.
This first promised challenge is to look at your own writing space. Remove distractions. If necessary organize your bulletin board. Make your space your space. Then, write.
Tell me about your writing space. What inspires you? What distracts you?