Almost two years ago I moved my residence from Northern Illinois to Middle Tennessee.
NOW
I have moved my website.
Come visit me at KARNA TECLA
http://www.karnatecla.com/
YOUR WRITING SPACE
When I used to teach high school creative writing, one of the first things we talked about was your writing space: where is it, what is in it, and why should you care?
LESSON 2: YOUR WRITING SPACE
Where is your writing space?
When I was a kid, my writing space was either sitting on my bed in my room or lying on the living room floor. I had no brothers or sisters so I didn’t have to worry about anyone bothering me where ever I was, and my dad was either in the basement working in his shop or working in the yard, and my mother, who was a teacher, was either grading papers, writing lesson plans, or developing teaching materials.
In college, my writing space was on my bed or at my desk in my dorm room, or I would take my things to the common space or the roof deck if it was warm enough.
My writing space became weird when I got married. My husband didn’t understand my writing, thinking it was always reality and straight forward. (His finding and reading one of my notebooks was on of the reasons we got divorced. He had read some stuff, and instead of discussing it, took it to heart and held it against me.) Then, when I had kids, there were times I needed to write in more of a personally coded language. I knew what I actually meant, but no one else would. I would write at the kitchen table when my kids did their homework.
When my oldest son graduated from college and moved into a place of his own, I took over his room as my office and writing studio. I inherited my grandfather’s work desk and squeezed it into the room. I loaded the drawers with my papers and my notebooks and resource book. But instead of keeping it just for writing, I graded papers at the desk and paid bills and wrote letters and Christmas cards and everything else.
Now, in Tennessee, I have a writing studio that is for NOTHING other than my writing. It took me a long time to realize that I needed a place where if I sat down it was TO WRITE. I have learned that if it is a shared space, I lose my focus. If it is a shared space, I could procrastinate the inevitable by just trying to get the necessary done.
So, what about your writing space? Where will it be? Where can you write and keep your pages safe and secure? Can you use the space for multiple tasks?
CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR SPACE
*LIGHTING: You want to make sure that there is adequate lighting both day and night. When I first set up my writing studio, I had my desk facing the window. I had faced the window in my previous home and had enjoyed looking out the window. This house is different. The sun coming in the windows during the late spring, summer, and early fall is too intense to face. I turned the desk and now enjoy the sun beaming down on my back when I am writing.
*WRITER TOOLS: True, the only writer tools you need are something to write with and something to write on. I have notebooks and a wide variety of types of paper and several kinds of index cards. I have a wide variety of colored pens, pencils, markers, and the like. I also use a laptop and have several flash drives. Another writer tool that I am working on learning how to use is Scrivener.
*WRITER RESOURCES: Although there is a wealth of resource material available on line, I still like the tangible aspect of the paper in my hands. Many times I can focus better on the book in my hand than on the screen of my computer.
*WRITER TOYS: I have several writer toys at my fingertips: Chinese meditation balls, a levitation ball, kaleidoscope for the world, fly eye kaleidoscope, and brain teaser manipulative puzzles. Why? Sometimes I do better thinking when my hands are doing something.
Now that I’m finished writing for today, I think I have written this, or some form of it, before. Hopefully, this rendition is better than the previous one.
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