Since
we moved in October, quite a few things have kept me from getting my office set
up. Unpacking, Christmas, deadlines, Covid… Also, our rental house had lots of
built-in shelves and drawers. Our new house doesn’t, so we had to buy shelves, put
them together, and try to find a way to utilize a slightly smaller space
effectively. I’m getting close. I expect to start working in my office sometime
next week.
So,
what does an author need in his or her office?
A
place for everything. Files, manuscripts…whatever…sitting in piles are distracting.
Messy office…messy mind. I’ve certainly dealt with this when I had an upcoming
deadline. Sometimes you just work and have to let everything else go. But walking
into a mess of papers and other things certainly didn’t help me feel relaxed. And
it made it hard to find things! My goal for this new office is to make sure I
either have a place for something – or I get rid of it. I have no intentions of
ever moving again, so there’s no reason to store things up for that elusive someday.
Comfort. Authors should
be comfortable. Hard chairs, tables or desks the wrong height, need to go. If we’re
not comfortable, we’re not as likely to keep our sitters sitting in our chairs.
And that’s vital to every author!
Inspiration.
Since
this is my house, I feel comfortable putting nail holes in the wall. For the
first time, I intend to frame some of my books and put them on my wall. I’ll also
find a place for my awards. This isn’t an ego thing. Authors sometimes feel unauthorly.
(Not a real word, but you get it.) A stinky review or seeing lists of
someone’s favorite authors and your name isn’t there… I could go on and on, but
I don’t know any author that doesn’t deal with insecurity. Who doesn’t
look at something they just wrote and think I’m a total fraud!!!! Walking
into your office and seeing awards and honors can inspire you – can prove that
at some time there were people who thought you were pretty good!
Books.
Why
do I add that an author’s office should have books? First of all, our own books
need to be there. I bought a smaller set of shelves just for my books. This
actually is part of the inspiration idea, but I’m also including books
by other authors, and most importantly, books about writing. Just like a surgeon
must update his skills from time to time, authors need to do the same. I have lots
of books about writing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve picked one up and found
exactly the advice I needed to help me with my WIP. (Work in progress.)
A
good view. I
think a window or windows with a great view is really helpful. I’ve always had
this, thankfully. Our last rental house had a bird feeder right outside my
window. And…there was an elevated train track that ran behind our house. The
trains going by inspired the villain in NIGHT FALL – the Train Man.
Our
new house has a wonderful view. Lots of trees and nature, including a large family
of deer that come by for the food we put out in our yard for them.
Those
are some of the things I think are important in an author’s office.
Do
you have an office? What inspires you? What do you need in your space to feel
inspired and productive?
Leave
a comment for your chance to win a $20.00 Amazon gift card!
I usually write in my bedroom. I don't have a separate office. I do have a small desk. I might need another bookshelf though, because I have been accumulating more reference books.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I need a quiet and comfortable space. I have six pets. Sometimes, I'll also go to the library to write because there are less distractions.
I understand the need for quiet. My husband works during the afternoon, and I only have one dog. So, I do have some time during the day when it's quiet.
DeleteI do not have an office but when I write it is at the kitchen table. I like to listen to instrumental soundtracks (The Witcher at present time) when I write. A note of encouragement The Quantico Files is the best of your series so far. I think your books get better with each new one.
ReplyDeleteArrrrgh. I forgot to mention music! I always have it on when I write. And thank you for your comment about the Quantico Files. :)
DeleteI do not have an office. My desk is in my bedroom! (Actually, it was my mom’s desk and inherited it.) I love the view you have outside your window!
ReplyDeleteduellonlysisataolfotcom
It's wonderful!
DeleteI do have an office--a converted bedroom-- with a window and a bird feeder attached to that window that attracts Cardinals. It is never neat and tidy when I'm on deadline. lol
ReplyDeleteYeah, I get that. Sometimes I think setting a match to everything might be the easiest solution. I do try though.
DeleteI am not an author of books, but I love to write poetry. I find that a room of books is inspiring. Having a personal bookshelf for the author’s personal books with awards would be amazing! Other than an office, I think various reading/writing areas throughout the house with good lighting and comfortable seating is a must! Varied locations and comfortable chairs are inspiring changes.
ReplyDeleteI really need a new office chair. It's old and not as comfortable as it used to be.
DeleteI am not an author (unless blogging counts, LOL), but I do have a work space. I need pretty pens, a comfy love seat, a comfy blanket, a book cart, post-it notes, and of course, BOOKS!!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. Post-it notes! Couldn't get along without them!!! LOL!
Deletenot an author, nature
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Outrageous imagination, brave determination and childlike faith...oh and paper/pen/computer.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a book about living out a Christian life as a single person. (I haven't sought a publisher or anything yet.) But I didn't have an office and couldn't write at home; I was too distracted by all the things I could/should do there. So I wrote the vast majority of it in the lobbies of several McDonald's around OKC (where I lived at the time). I would get a coffee and plug in earphones and listen to music to drown out the noise of the fellow patrons while I wrote.
ReplyDeleteI am a reader, not a writer, but for my crafts I find inspiration all around me.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
I am a reader who works in an office. Your office sounds lovely. I have large windows that let in bright sunlight, which is very motivating and helps me see things more clearly. I also have framed pictures of my grandparents on the wall, which offer me comfort in times of stress. Thank you for the opportunity to enter a contest. Have a blessed day!
ReplyDeletetraceyboehm1@aol.com
Although not a writer, we do have what we call the computer room. When we downsized moving to our dream destination, we built our dream home for US - not for the maybe company or with thinking about what needed to be in it for resale - just for us. That meant bigger rooms, but less of them. Instead of that bedroom that sits for months unused other than a place to stash more "stuff", we only have our one big bedroom complete with fireplace. What some would say would be a second bedroom is a computer room with no closet and with a wider opening with no door. Hubby and I each have an Amish made large desk each with our own computer. There is an old end table that is used for the printer on top and supplies in the drawers. The walls of of pictures of our daughter (who went to her heavenly home at 17) and photos we have taken that we love. The only other thing in the room is a corner curio that contains a frog collection - both were my Mom's. It has a large window facing the front of our property where we have many critter visitors from bobcat to squirrels and a wide array of birds. There are no drapes but from the window hangs a custom made stain glass we had made years ago. The computer room is located down the short hall from the living area headed to our bedroom where it's conveniently located but unseen by visitors. We love it! Its' where we can tend to business, do computer work, or just come in to play a game for a few.
ReplyDeleteI think each person's area needs to be custom for that person having what they need on hand conveniently, a place where things can be organized and found readily when needed and yet be a place you enjoy being in to both relax and to accomplish the tasks at hand. For us, it means no TV for distraction, but no feeling like we are closed off.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Not being an author, I don't need an office for writing a book. However, I've been a teacher and/or administrator for the majority of my adult life. I use one of the extra bedrooms as an office. I keep my computer, teaching-related books, office supplies, files, greeting cards, stationery, etc. in my office. Currently I'm trying to remove everything from my office to change the flooring; however, since I still use my office while all this is going on, I keep many things I need in the office. Consequently I've reached a stalemate in the process. However, I do look forward to eventually having the lovely new wooden floor and maybe freshly painted walls in my office and having what I need neatly organized in my office. I wonder when that will be?
ReplyDeleteI am not an author, but I do work from home and have made the office (a spare bedroom) work for me by having a taller desk and tall chair so that when I need to stand versus sit, I can. PLUS I have my treadmill in the room so I can take regular breaks to walk. I have back issues and this has helped.
ReplyDeleteHaving a place for everything, comfort, and books are all things I enjoy having in my office. racheltirzah(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteNot a writer but I enjoy my devotional reading at the kitchen table where I can watch the birds feeding on my deck and occasionally see deer or cranes in our back yard. When our grandkids lived with us, I enjoyed the quiet of my bedroom for my reading! 😉
ReplyDeleteMy house is a mess of piles as I try to organize & downsize the accumulation of 3+ generations of stuff. The goal is to get the volume down to a movable amount so I can move closer to family. It can make me rather anxious to have so much stuff in piles, but I try to keep my bedroom uncluttered so I can have one calming spot. It does feel good to see a carful of stuff go out of the house - local charity rummage sales and thrift shops have gotten multiple visits and I try not to look at what they are selling so I don't feel tempted.
ReplyDeleteHi, no I don't really have an office, we do have our computer and a desk in our bedroom, so maybe that is also an office, I have all on the desk, pencils , pens , telephone, copier, so I guess it is part office. I love hearing our wind chimes that are on our tree right outside our bedroom window, and I love hearing the birds singing away and chattering. Early one morning when it was still very dark, our pup we have , he stays in doors and his little bed is also in our bedroom,, well he started barking and I looked out the window and there was a family of about 6 raccoons coming down our pecan tree, now that was an awesome sight to see. I love it when our grandchildren come over, 2 of our 3 grandchildren live in our same town and I homeschool them their Catechism lessons , I have been doing it for 9 yrs, while I teach one of them their lesson the other one is getting their instrument lesson from my husband(their papa) one of them plays the saxophone and one of them plays the clarinet and my husband is a musician and he plays both instruments plus the flute. Thank you for the chance . Have a Very Happy and Blessed Easter. aliciabhaney(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
ReplyDeleteI'm not an author, but I love having a space of my own to store books, read them, and spend time by myself. I can see that would be even more important for authors. I love being able to look out the window at the world around me. We live in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. We still get deer occasionally in our yard, but the area has built up quite a bit, so they're not as frequent. We used to have a lot of pheasants and quail, also.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a office but I have to have books around me all the time whether it is on my tablet or paperback
ReplyDeleteI’m not an author and I don’t have an office but I have a craft area and I love having my own space. Blessings
ReplyDeleteYes, life is easier if you have a place for everything! I get so frustrated if I can't find something I KNOW I have! Thanks for sharing your newest home challenges! Badawson16 at aol dot com
ReplyDeleteI don't have an office, but one of my favorite 'spaces' is my reading nook...cozying up on the corner of the couch where I always have a book near at hand to read. My daily inspiration is reading my devotions...digging into God's Word and growing in His truth. :)
ReplyDeleteOops! I forgot to leave my email. It is:
Deletenj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com
I don't have a home office but have a cubicle at work. I have coffee signs, little decorations with bright colors that spruce up the place a bit and some mini quilts that I hang on the wall. Thanks for the chance to win a prize. boxtopscrazy at gmail dot com.
ReplyDeleteI'm blessed to have a home office. We changed a screened-in porch to an office, and I love having the dedicated space for writing.
ReplyDeleteI have book shelves, a desk, and a comfy desk chair. I even painted an old file cabinet to keep my research in.
I am not a writer. But we do have an office with a desk top computer. I like to chill out in there and listen to music while I'm checking my email and writing my thoughts out.
ReplyDeleteMsredk at all dot com