Atmosphere
Writing space is important to creativity. You can read many articles on how to find your perfect place and what that should look like. All hints and tricks aside, it comes down to what helps you be creative. Did you know Kurt Vonnegut used his hardwood floor with notes and papers spread around him? Virginia Wolfe said, “Every writer must have a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” With small apartments or busy families living in the same house, not everyone has that luxury, Mrs. Wolfe.
Do you have a special place where you write? Your favorite chair just might bring out that elusive phrase you’ve been looking for to complete a chapter. I sit in my recliner with laptop carefully balanced. My LASIK surgeon even set the ‘suitable spot for my best vision’ 12 to 18 inches from me, knowing this is how I would most often work.
What are your surroundings? Is it a business-like office? Maybe your desk is cluttered with research papers and books yet to be read. Are there plants on window sills? Does your dog sit beside you or your cat in your lap as you write? I would like to work outside the cabin more with nature all around. The calm and beauty of water gently moving or birds fluttering past opens my mind and takes me on word journeys. Alas, I’m not a cold weather advocate, as I’ve stated before. Therefore, this time of year, I more often than not find myself inside. At least I can position myself to enjoy the view from my window.
Do you have a specific time of day that works best for you? I’m most productive in the early morning hours before my headsets off on to do lists and other distractions. If you are more of a late-night person, you may create after a day of work and activity. More power to you.
Must you have silence around you, or can you deal with the noise of a coffee shop? Music playing softly in the background fills my soul and guides my fingers across the keyboard. No matter my location, I have music with me. Today, I am at a new bookstore here in Albuquerque. I will talk more about it in an upcoming blog when local independent bookstores are the topic. Back in one corner, they provide a record player, headphones, and an ample stash of old vinyl. Everything from Beethoven to Pink Floyd. As I write this, I am enjoying Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.
Possibly the most important piece to remember is that your mind is the first space to settle. Deep breathing exercises and meditation set me up for success. Hot tea may do it for you. Again, we’re different, all with the goal of creativity.
The point is, find the space, time, and atmosphere that works for you. Enjoy your space until we meet again here at the Little Brown Cabin on January 26, 2023.
