How to create a dedicated writing space

It’s that time of year — we begin to hibernate with warm drinks, firelight, and cozy everything. The long, dark nights and the winter chill can make it challenging for some to tap into their creative voice, and so it’s more important than ever to have a writing space that makes you feel your best.

But, you might be thinking, I don’t have a glamorous in-home library complete with upholstered armchair and guard dragon! Not to worry; you can create a dedicated writing space anywhere, with any budget. Here are some essential tips.

Things every writing space should have

Creative spaces can vary wildly from one writer to another. What one writer finds “stimulating” another writer might find “intrusive”. Some may favour militant mimilism, while others like to have imaginative accoutrements that get their creative wheels turning. However, there are a few important elements that you should try to incorporate.

A comfortable chair
Because writing your magnum opus is less fun if you’re concurrently developing spinal problems. You’re going to be spending a lot of time in this seat, and the wrong equipment can cause debilitating long-term damage. You need to choose a comfortable, supportive chair to write the way you would choose a mattress to sleep on.

If you have the budget for it and a private space, you can get ergonomic chairs that are specially designed to support the body and prevent spinal pain. If you’re bringing your writing to a public place, try to avoid harsh wooden chairs, or worse, bar stools. Instead, look for welcoming armchairs that you can lounge in.

Privacy
This doesn’t necessarily mean being alone in the room; some writers enjoy the ambient background sounds of other espresso sippers or readers nearby. It means ensuring that you can occupy your own mental sphere without intrusion.

If you have a larger home, it’s a good idea to set aside a room that you use exclusively for writing. If you’re going into the world with your writing, avoid overly crowded places with elbow-to-elbow seating or hoards of tourists. Make sure that you’re not going to be interrupted by well-meaning family members, or overattentive servers, or frisbees.

Clear and conducive light
Just like finding the right chair, making sure you have enough light is about taking care of your body. There may be a certain romanticism in writing by candlelight, but will it feel as romantic when you’re spending all your money on higher and higher prescription glasses and painkillers for your migraines?

Your ideal writing space should have a strong lamp or wide windows that let in a lot of natural light. For artificial light, favour natural to warm tones, which are easier on the eyes than harsh blue-toned LEDs. If you’re working in a darkened area, you can get clip-on lamps that unobtrusively attach to your notebook or laptop.

~Vibes~
What does being a “Writer” look like to you? Your writing space should be somewhere you feel your creative best — where you can get into character, so to speak. For some, this might be a personal home library with blankets and a roaring fire. For others, this might be a café with industrial lighting and wall-to-wall windows where you can watch the world go by.

Consider the sort of space that makes you think, This is exactly what I should be doing with my life.

How to set up your dedicated writing space

Ready to create the perfect writing space of your own? Here are the steps you’ll need to take.

Find your ideal location
From the tips above, you probably have some idea of where you want your writing space to be and what you want it to look like. Not all circumstances are created equal; some will have access to more options and opportunities than others. However, everyone should be able to find one little corner of the world where they can feel creative.

Look for somewhere that’s accessible, ideally in all weather conditions, though this may not always be possible. It should be within your budget, and conducive to immersive concentration. Most of all, it should be somewhere you enjoy spending time. After all, you’ll one day be looking back on it as the place you wrote some of your best work!

And if it looks great on the cover of your future memoir, so much the better.

Remove all distractions
Remember, a writing space isn’t just the sum of its tangible parts — desk, walls, inspiring quotes, mug. It’s also a space of dedicated time. If you aren’t able to fully embody your writing session, your perfect workspace won’t be doing much good. It might help to think of building your dedicated writing space in four dimensions instead of three.

This means silencing your notifications, staying off of social media, putting a sign on your door that says “Danger: Writer at Work. Interlopers Will Be Turned Into Fictional Characters and Fridged”. If you have demanding family members, make sure they know to support your writing time, or schedule it while they’re at work/school/yoga. If you’re at a café, make sure they don’t impose any time limits so you can sit and write as long as you need.

Choose a Pavlovian trigger
Using a tangible trigger to signal that it’s time to write can be a useful tool for getting into the right headspace. This is something you only do while you’re writing — nowhen else.

For example, it could be a drink you only order during your writing time, or a special “writing mug”, or a leather jacket that makes you feel like you can take on the world. If this is a place you only ever go to do your writing, that may be enough of a trigger to your brain that you’ve shifted into writing mode.

Make the space yours
The most important element of any writing space is that you make it your own. This means colours and motifs that make you feel most comfortable and creative.

Some writers like to change up their writing space to fit the project that they’re working on. For example, if you’re writing a work of high fantasy, you might have statues of knights and dragons adorning your desk. If you’re writing a work of historical fiction, you might have reproduction antiques and vintage memorabilia to get you in the mood.

You can also pin up inspiring words from other authors, or prints that match your writing aesthetic. If you’re going somewhere external like a library or coffee shop, you can bring one or two things with you to make your area feel like your own.

Create a reliable writing routine
Remember how we said a writing space is also about time? To give yourself a sense of structure, try to write at the same time every day or every week. You can finagle this around your other activities, or set aside a day that’s devoted exclusively to writing. Then, set a timer or a word count goal to work towards as you write.

Don’t be afraid to experiment
It can take time to get a writing space just right, or find the perfect café, bookshop, or outdoor workspace. Allow yourself room to try things out. How do different environments make you feel? How do they influence your writing style? What you discover may surprise you.