What would be your ideal writing space? Is it somewhere quiet and private where you can observe the world without being disturbed, or is it somewhere bustling with activity where the people around you can inspire your work?

I’ve revisited the Start Writing Fiction modules on future learn and one of the tasks is to write about what your ideal writing space would be. It got me thinking about where other writers may prefer to work and what quirks we might all have.

• What time of day suits best?
• Do you work better with music or in a quiet area?
• Do you need a beveridge while you write?
• Would you prefer to sit at your own desk or a public space such as a cafe or library?

For me, I can write in several places. I like to write at my desk where I have amassed a large collection of stationery although, this provides far too many distractions and at times I find myself spending more time working on making my planners colourful and pretty instead of actually working on my writing. I often meet with some writer friends at local cafes or libraries. These sessions can be highly productive, especially if we all have a goal or target in mind such as NaNoWriMo. Meeting up also gives us the opportunity to discuss areas that we may be stuck on or share ideas. Below is my two writing situations. Both can be distracting but also provide inspiration for my work.

She pulled her hair up into a messy bun before sinking down into the plush leather chair. Her laptop sat open and ready on the desk before her, piles of notebooks and sticky notes sat on either side of the wide desk. A steaming cup of coffee rested just beside the laptop. The shelves around the top of the desk containing an array of writing supplies from pens of every colour and style to notepads and creative writing books to pretty knicknacks.

She glanced up expectantly as the door opened, looking for a familiar face. The delicious aroma of coffee swirled around her as her friend joined her at the long table. She would no longer have to endure the annoyance of those searching for a larger table. The noise of the other patrons was soothing in the open space – providing a momentary distraction when organising one’s thoughts. The friends exchanged small talk about what their respective goals were for the day before ducking their heads into their work. It was a pleasant mutual quiet which they were able to break at any time to talk through thoughts and ideas as they struck.

What would be your ideal writing space? Do you work best in just one specific setting or are there multiple places that suit you?

Happy writing. Gx