This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Linda's latest novel is To Turn Full Circle. You can read our review here!
Over to Linda…
My Writing Room by Linda Mitchelmore
9ft x 7ft – I’ve seen bigger wardrobes. And I’m sure Victoria Beckham’s shoe cupboard is bigger than that. But I wouldn’t swap my writing room for the world. An estate agent would call it ‘bijou’ or ‘compact’ or ‘cosy’ I suppose, but I call it intimate.
And – and this is absolutely true – I have slept in a bespoke bed only an inch or two smaller than my writing room …..said bed belonging to one of my husband’s extremely tall cousins in his very high-ceilinged house. I was house-sitting with my husband in case anyone is wondering …:-)
So….the writing room. It has a small south-facing window looking out onto the road and houses opposite. So, no view to distract me from work-in-progress there. On recycling bin collection days I do get a short, sharp wake-up call when all the empties get thrown in the van with embarrassingly loud smashing sounds – ahem, my neighbours really should do something about their alcohol consumption, shouldn’t they?
My writing room used to be my daughter, Sarah’s, bedroom. The same day she left home, I dragged my husband to Focus Do-it-all (they’ve ceased trading now so maybe I should have made more than the one shopping trip?) for some bi-fold doors and some planks of wood to make shelves. And a length of kitchen counter worktop to make a desk. It was a short hop to Staples for a swivel chair and some plastic in-trays and by nightfall it was all but done. Cheapskate? Moi? It does the job…:-)
‘Blimey, Mum’ Sarah said when she came back the next day for something she’d forgotten, ‘it looks like you couldn’t get rid of me quick enough’. I laughed very nervously, but that wasn’t the case – I couldn’t bear to think my baby was out there in the world fending for herself and that I wouldn’t be able to sneak in and kiss her sleeping form goodnight. It was better, by far, that the room had a brand new function.
I’ve got photos of Sarah and her brother, James, pinned to my notice-board – my favourites from their childhood years. They share space with pictures cut from magazines which I use for inspiration. It is sooooo easy to forget if I’ve chosen blue or green or brown eye colour for my hero – which is why I’ve currently got Daniel Craig/Hugh Grant/Francesco da Mosto smouldering at me. I’m not sure about Francesco doing any smouldering but ….we all have our little weaknesses.
From time to time I have a little tidy up and get the duster out, but mostly I don’t, because I’d only lose something – I know where everything is; every little scrappy note I’ve scribbled down for a scene that will come in book three of my trilogy when I’m only on book one, and thinks of that ilk.
My grandson calls it ‘the room where Grandma keeps all the words for her books’…..aaah, if only!