Organizing Your Writing Space

 Image by Eric Heupel via Flickr

At home, my writing space is in my bedroom. It's an old desk where I also tend to stack papers and books. I pay bills there and file stuff. It faces a window and has a little lamp on it.

Does a little clutter bug me? Not really. Usually, I move the paper pile and books off the desk when I sit down to write or edit, and move them back when I'm done.

Is this ideal? Probably not.

 So I decided to hunt down some ideas via Google on how to create a productive writing space. Here are some of the most helpful hints I found.

1. Free your space of clutter!
2. Some inspirational notes, pictures, verses, etc are acceptable, but trinkets galore can be distracting.
3. Have a door you can close.
4. Sometimes we write in a cafe or coffee shop, bookstore, or library. So, yeah, no doors. But also no distractions like laundry, bills, pets, kids, spouses, etc...
5. If working without a door, bring some excellent earphones/headphones.
6. Make sure you have the supplies you need. Examples: stapler, paper, pens, pencils, computer, your brain! :)
7. Write once you get there!

And that's the gist of it. These are quick and easy tips, but aren't always easy to follow.

Will I always have a clean, organized writing space? Probably not. With three kids at home during the summer, it's easier for me to leave when the husband gets home and chill out at Starbucks. Ahem, I mean write.

Sometimes away from home helps me focus, especially if the coffee shop closes at 10pm and I get there at 7pm. I work my butt off for three hours without getting distracted.

How about you? What does your writing space look like? Does it change from day to day? Are you a clutter bug or a minimalist? I love hearing from you!