Thursday

What Is Your Ideal Writing Space Like?



I was so jealous of my husband the other day. He was out of town on business and called me saying he was sitting on his hotel balcony (beer in hand of course), looking out at the ocean and at Celine Dion’s mansion. I could care less about Celine Dion’s house (although I do love her) but it was the ocean part that I was so envious of. The first thing that popped into my head was… how that kind of setting would be so perfect for writing. Wouldn’t looking out at the peaceful ocean waves just bring me all kinds of inspiration?


I believe I could look at water forever. My hopes and dreams for retirement someday are to have water outside my back patio whether it’s a beautiful sparkling pool with a waterfall, a lake or even a river. I don’t care, I just want water to look at. And a glass of wine would help too.

So you would think that water would really give me inspiration to write, however in reality, when I think about the settings where I do my best writing, they don’t involve any kind of scenery at all. Although I love looking at beautiful scenery, I tend to get distracted if it’s in person. I must admit though sometimes when I feel “writers block” I have found a picture of something mystical/beautiful for inspiration ideas. But in person, although the setting may give me some good inspiration for a new story, I have a hard time actually sitting and writing the story down. My mind just drifts off into la-la land without writing any of it down. I actually do my very best writing when I have complete silence and nothing but my computer in front of me.

It’s the same with reading for me. There can be no noise whatsoever or I lose my focus. What a pain.

So what about other writers? What kind of setting gives you the best inspiration? What is your ideal or dream writing space like?

24 comments:

  1. Love the photo Allyn. I definitely think that the ocean is my inspiration, but like you, my home office is where I write my best. I don't mind getting away to the coast to get inspired once in a while! Lol! ; )

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  2. I can't write in any vacation-like place. I'm most productive
    a) on a New York City subway
    b) at a few neighborhood coffee shops (not at all of them, only three in particular) and
    c) at my computer at home, if I really feel a deadline

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  3. I was so attracted to that picture of the sea, Allyn. I hope to live by the sea one day, too (like Miss Rumphius). =)

    Nowadays, I'm pretty productive at the library's cafe.

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  4. I write in my living room. I don't need views because I sort of go into tunnel vision, only seeing my laptop and the scene playing out in my head. Though I love tropic islands when I'm not writing!

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  5. Sherri,

    I agree, I love the photo too and wouldn't mind going there to get some inspiration and ideas!

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  6. Anne,

    You can really concentrate on a new york city subway? I'm afraid I'd be too distracted watching all the weird people. But on second thought, it probably lends itself to lots of story ideas and characters!

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  7. Claudine,

    Me too. That would be the life having that picture out your front or back door, huh.

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  8. Kelly,

    You are really lucky that you can just tune everything out around you. I guess I'm just too nosey and get distracted so easily.

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  9. Hi Allyn - I am a fellow campaigner, picture book writer and dog lover here to say hi and follow. Nice to meet you! Looking forward to getting to know you better through the campaign :)

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  10. Welcome, Susanna and thanks for joining! Nice to meet you too. I'd love to follow you as well if you will give me your blog address. You can hit my contact button if you like and send it to me by email if you prefer that way.

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  11. I dont know that I would get all that much writing done at the beach/ocean. I think I would want to read or splash around in the water, or anything but work. I don't need quiet but I do need peace. Anywhere will do as long as I dont have anyone needing anything from me.

    ctny

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  12. I've worked quite hard to create a Writing Room that I love from my spare bedroom, and it is just about perfect. When I look up from my computer I see my bookcases filled with kids books with a space designated for books by friends in my writers group, and topped with some of my favorite kids' books for inspiration. I also have a huge poster (from the publisher) of the cover art of a book by my writing coach/mentor and her Mum. Those things give me encouragement and inspiration -- but silence gives me the freedom to think and create, so I'm grateful that my space is a quiet space, with things that inspire near at hand.

    To introduce myself, I'm from the campaign as well, a picture book, middle grade novel, and adult novel writer, looking forward to getting to know you through the campaign.

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  13. Hi Allyn, the thought of sea view is very nice and living where I do it is never far from me. But I guess the best place for me is at my dinning table with laptop and some music going. Often late nights and early mornings are the best times for me. Noone or anything to distract me.
    I am a very new campaigner, and love your "The Pea in Peanut Butter story"...( I grew up on crunchy peanut butter..lol). I look forward to getting to know you during the campaign.

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  14. Courtney,

    You are so right about the beach/ocean. I'd want to be in the water too! I like your analogy of you can get writing done as long as no one is needing something from you. Good point.

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  15. Thanks Elisabethanne for joining my blog and commenting. It sounds like you have a really perfect spot set up for your writing and definitely need it since you are busy writing just about all genre's of books. Good for you! I look forward to seeing you here. I'd love to join your blog as well. Just send me your address and I'll follow.

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  16. the patientdreamer,

    Thanks for commenting! And double thanks for your remark about my book The Pea In Peanut Butter. As you can guess, I've always love peanut butter too and eat it almost everyday on my breakfast toast. I look forward to seeing you here and if you'll give me your blog address, I'll follow you as well.

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  17. In my imagination, I have a lovely room with a great big window that looks out onto a quiet green forest with a stream running nearby. In the room I have an enormous desk filled with books in the shelf, and in the corner I have an artist's slanting table that also doubles as a storyboard.

    The room is done in greens and crimson-y brown, and there's a cushy reading couch in an opposite corner. *sigh*

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  18. Oh and Cat, don't forget the gorgeous built-in book shelves aligning the walls, filled with all kinds of books.

    I'm sighing right along with ya, girl. Dreaming is what keeps us going! Maybe someday they'll come true!

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  19. My dream space...A quiet cottage in the woods with a window overlooking the forest full of tweeting birds, a bubbling brook and flowers...Nice to meet you, fellow campaigner!

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  20. Hi. Fellow campaigner. Sorry it took me so long to stop by and say "Howdy." For now, my space is an office that also serves as my son's playroom. It keeps us both on our toes.

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  21. Candy,

    Nice to meet you too. Thanks for stopping by. Your dream space sounds awesome, so quiet and peaceful. I hope you get it someday!

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  22. Stacy,

    Howdy right back at ya. Wow your space sounds... well busy! But I bet you get plenty of inspiration just by watching your son play. Thanks for stopping by!

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  23. Hi Allyn,
    Just rereading your post. Wow so your hubby was that close to Celine Dion... I so love her songs.
    Here is a link to my latest blog post that Jessica asked some of us to do to get us mingling http://thepatientdreamer.wordpress.com/2011/09/04/first-post-or-favourite-post/..... enjoy and hope to see you often. I was also at the 40th SCBWI Conference in LA this year first time EVER and thoroughly enjoyed it. you might be interested in my post on that also.
    I am finding some of your links very interesting. Hope we I see more of you.

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  24. When I went to Puerto Vallarta, I got so inspired from people watching and the sun and the ocean that I wrote a pretty good blog post, one of my better ones. Then when I was in Prague my blogging got really good, and after I'd visited Italy and Paris I wrote my best blog post ever. In a pretty little restaurant.

    I'm not sure if I could write any better if I just had water to stare at, but new experiences coupled with nice ambiance seem to put me in a better place, where better writing just comes out of me.

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