Where the Stuff Happens

I bought a new desk! Here it is. (Forgive the low quality image.)

You’ll notice that it isn’t cluttered. This will change, I assure you.

While shopping for this desk, it occurred to me that the one that I left back in Massachusetts was the original “Cluttered Desk” which is the header image on this site. I’m sure my writing won’t be impaired by the change, though there is some sentimentality attached. *sniff*

While the desk itself isn’t terribly important to writing, location is. I’ve set this one up in my bedroom, the only place in the house that I can isolate myself from unnecessary distractions. I find that I’m much more picky about this than I used to be. In fact, the only time that I’ll write in a public place (coffee shop) now is when I’m posting here on the blog.

I’ve read a lot of advice over the past few years regarding the space in which one should write, or as I shall call it, where the stuff happens. Most of this advice I’ve ignored, not because I think that these successful writers had no idea what they were talking about, in fact I believe most of the advice I’ve seen on this topic is great, but because I think where you write has a lot to do with how you write. It’s important to the individuality of a writer. You’ll notice that many of the notable writers who have offered writing advice have similar things to say on the topic, but they all vary slightly. Of course you should avoid distraction, but maybe you don’t need to be in a soundproof room with blank white walls. There’s no single perfect formula for a place to write. Write where you feel most comfortable putting words down (making the stuff happen).

Thoughts? comment about where you like to make the stuff happen.