This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
This week's Writing Room belongs to Louisa Reid, author of Black Heart Blue.
My Writing Room by Louisa Reid
My writing room is actually the front room of our house. The door to the left of my desk enters directly onto the pavement and the window in front of my computer gives me a good view of the street. I see some marvellous sights from this window. The other day it was a young man hurrying a tiny pony along to the traveller’s site up the road, goading it with a bit of plastic piping. I think I’ve become a bit of a Mrs Mangel (remember the old Neighbours busybody) since I moved the desk so that I could look out of the window. Previously I sat on the other side of the room, gazing at the wall. Fewer distractions, but finally rather too tedious a view to bear.
I have a very messy desk. I’ve tidied it up for the photo, but it’s still a pigsty. This is because I have notebooks, papers, marking for school, messages from my children, admin, bills, all piled up here. I have never been organised. I refuse to submit. Recently my husband asked me if I’d made a spreadsheet to keep a record of expenses and I wondered if he knew me at all. I do know pretty well where everything is though, I hope. Sometimes I have a bit of a sort out and that generally means throwing paper away that ought to have gone months ago. I try not to hoard but you never know when something might come in handy…
My desk has a peculiar set up. My husband, being practical and lovely, did a work station assessment (apparently they have these things in the NHS) for me some time ago as I complained of pains in my wrists. Hence the laptop perched on a box and attractive office chair. I didn’t like to tell him that as soon as I stopped manically playing the Wii with my daughters I soon recovered and the desk retains its peculiar design.
I love sitting here. It’s rarely peaceful though. People disturb me constantly but if I had a room at the top of the house I’d never go up there, I like to be near activity and action. I try and write about a thousand words a day, but it can be tricky sometimes to have the time and the discipline. I definitely work better at this desk when I have space around the keyboard, I must remind myself of that next time I get stuck and do a little tidy.