I should preface this post by saying the title is misleading. To explain, let’s take a look at my former life.
When I needed to get any writing done, I usually worked here…
Or here…
Or here…
Not a desk to be found, right? Let’s just talk about the challenges with this arrangement. Yes, it allowed me to multi-task. But it also meant that any time the TV was on, food was cooking, or people were present (um, which is like all the time), I couldn’t focus.
So I went to Target, bought a relatively cheap, compact desk that fits in a corner of my bedroom, and voila.
Now I can lock myself away and crank out the word count. Amazing what a little silence will do for productivity, isn’t it?
Do you have an office space in your home? How often do you hide away there? Do you need absolute silence to get any work done, or can you work with chaos in the background?
OOOH I love that desk! Classy! I have a small wooden desk in the bedroom that serves as my office. For reasons I’m sure you understand, I don’t have a lot of writing time right now, but I do love to go in there on for long hours on a Saturday and just write and write and write….with the floor to ceiling bookshelves over to the side. (That’s my inspiration.)
Oohhh, Floor to ceiling bookshelves? That’s some major inspiration, Bekah!
We kind of have a house rule that all computers must be in a high traffic area. That way we can monitor what’s on them. It also means that escaping to write is not possible. (We don’t use laptops, just desktop computers.)
Your new space looks so great! I hope it helps you get in a lot more writing.
Oh man, Nisa, so you totally understand the craziness of writing with lots of background noise. Maybe we should invest in earplugs?
Hi Sarah -
Great set-up!
I have an office. Writing is an activity that demands a lot of concentration for me, so I must have quiet.
Blessings,
Susan
I’m with you, Susan. Especially for certain aspects of writing. Basic edits (punctuation, etc.) I can do with noise, but when I’m really diving into my story, I have to concentrate.
Congrats on creating your own workspace. It’s so necessary and also sets a priority on what you do. I definitely need quiet to concentrate on my writing, and have a large computer hutch that holds my desktop and assorted books and supplies.
Happy writing at your new writing digs
Hi Joanne! The one thing I’m missing in my workspace is a bookshelf with all my craft books. They’re currently on the opposite end of the house (on a different floor altogether). I need to rectify that soon!
Sarah,
Since we don’t have kids yet, I have my own office right now (speaking of that, I really need to go clean/organize it!). I need quiet to work so it’s a nice little retreat. However, once we have kids, I’ll lose my office, so I’m not quite sure what I’ll do at that point…
Hi Lindsay! Oops, didn’t mean to add cleaning/organizing to your day. Hope it’s spic-and-span now!
Nice desk!
I have an office (my son’s old bedroom, I inherited it when he moved to his own place). I share this room with my husband and daughter – the desktop they use is here too. Most of the time during the day I have the office to myself, but occasionally someone is home and sharing the room. Sometimes I have to go find another quiet space to concentrate if they are doing something distracting.
I’ll admit I’m kind of jealous of having the office to yourself, Karen. Okay, a lot jealous.
We have a built in desk in our former playroom/den. I sit there, but when I recently visited a friend she kept hers elevated and it felt good to stand when I checked online.
~ Wendy
Hi Wendy! Now add some squats to the mix and you’ve got yourself a bona fide workout.
Sarah, it’s amazing how we writers have a knack to create! Congratulations on your newly-created workspace!
I’m very blessed to have a home office, but it wasn’t so for many years! (I worked with little ones beside me for a lonnnnng time, so I CAN work under chaotic conditions–I just prefer not to. My preference now is peace and quiet and a closed office door every now and then with a little light jazz or some mood-enhancing music playing in the background.)
Hi Cynthia! Peace and quiet seems soooo far away from my reality right now, but I know it’s coming!
When our son moved out in the fall of 2000, I spoke up for his old room. He was gone from home for 18 months (the company closed-statewide,) My desk-top computer etc, shared space with his stuff. Until this past February when he relocated out of state to the best job he has ever had. I had dreams of what I wanted to do in here but I really need to complete that project,soon. A few years ago, I purchased a portable word processor so I could write when I couldn’t use my computer.
I know what you mean, Cecelia. I had this desk project on my want-to-do list for a long time…not sure what took me so long to just do it!
Yay!!! I thought about doing this although I work relatively well with noise, as long as it’s not crying and fighting. lol But for now I just have a spot on my couch.
Oh wow, Jessica, I’m in awe. You can work with noise?! Tips, please!
It looks great! I have entire office with a desk just for my writing, but where do I end up writing – the couch, the kitchen table, my bed, the kitchen counter. Sometimes I write with my wip on one side of the computer screen and Thomas and Train or Curious George on the other side of the computer screen.
LOL, Julie, I soooo know what you mean about the Thomas and George thing. My son is now good enough with the computer mouse, though, that I get booted from our family computer.
I need silence when I write too, and I do have an office in my basement, but to be honest, since the first year that I set it up, I don’t use it anymore. I write in the comfort of my living room now. But I have the advantage of being home alone all day with kids away at school and hubby off to work.
Your space looks wonderful, Sarah! Write to your hearts content now!
Hi Eileen! I could see how it’d be hard to work in the basement unless it had lots of light streaming in. How nice that you have a quiet house so you can work where you want!
Ok I think we have the same ideas! I did the same thing. A friend gave me a desk and I painted it and put it in a corner of my room and for my birthday, my son (7) bought me a nice office chair. Actually, he said, “Mama, I’m gonna take you to buy a new chair for your birthday, but you’ll have to drive.”
So cute.
I love your desk and new space!
Ha, Jessica! Let me guess…In addition to driving, you also paid for your gift too?
Love the new writing nook! I do most of my writing at the desk in our family room. It’s sort of in the middle of things when the kids are home, but when the older two are at school, it’s a quiet place.
Hi Stacy! Quiet until summertime, right?
We bought that exact desk for my daughter!
We do have a home office. I have a desk of my own. Lately, I write more sitting up in bed, or on the couch.
Oh how funny, Loree! The desk is the perfect size for the space I had, and I like how the glass makes it sort of disappear rather than dominating the room.
Great spot, Sarah!
I do have a desk, but I never write at it. I always end up in the dining room…and yes, I need absolute quiet, which is why I only write when the kids are at school!
Isn’t that funny, Heidi, how we end up not working where we intended? I’m sure that’ll be me in a few years. For now, I started to get wrist pain from working in weird places. So this setup helps me have a quiet place but also to have a more ergonomic space.
A makeover is what you make of it … oh, so sorry about that puny pun.
Love the desk. Jerry Jenkins, of Left Behind fame, said he started out writing on a chair set in front of his couch after the kiddos went to bed at night.
Just this year I purchased a new, BIG desk–which somehow still disappears under the clutter. I am fortunate to have my own office, which my daughter invades, because the family computer is in there too. However, the family knows the space is mostly mine. And if the door is closed–they know not to come in.
Oohhh, That is a punny pun, Beth.
And very cool to know about Mr. Jenkins. My current writing time is the same as his early days, which is, like, right now. Which means I need to get myself off of here and get to work. Now to follow in his footsteps and write those bestsellers…. 
How cool that you have such a cool writing niche now, Sarah, and are able to get away from time to time and hang out with your characters.
I have a small home office with a big corner desk. I used to spend countless hours there in front of my iMac desktop computer. However, I’m now the owner of a shiny new MacBook Pro and am learning about the laptop lifestyle. No longer tied to my desk, I’m exploring different places to work. So far my favorite is nestled in my comfy armchair in front of the pellet stove with Minnie in my lap. Unlike you, I’m an Empty Nester who doesn’t have as many distractions as a mom with young kids.
I’ve yet to figure out how to balance my tasks between the two computers, but I will. Some tasks are easier on the large scree, so Maxie, my desktop, will still see me from time to time. =)
Every writing space has its purpose, doesn’t it, Keli? And in case you didn’t notice, those cards and little trinkets on my bulletin board are from a special thoughtful encourager.
i like spreading out on my bed. i leave a sound machine on to mask all sounds of little feet and clanking toys. now that i’m writing a non-fiction, i find that there’s no table bigger than the bed to lay out all my references, too. ah, to have my own office room…..and to think! i used to, but didn’t know what i had until it was gone. *sigh*
I know what you mean, Jeannie. I totally took silence for granted before kids came into the picture.