Where Do You Write?

Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) wrote about having a writer’s space in A Room of One’s Own. In this book, she spoke of women writing fiction and the need to have both a place and the finances to write. When she write this book, women had specific roles and writing wasn’t one of them. Times have changed.

What hasn’t changed is the need for writers to have a dedicated space for writing. This space is physical and emotional space. How many of us have this space? How many of us make this space for our writing? It is difficult to find and to make this sacred. 

I have worked for the past year to carve out space for my writing, and I believe it shows. I still get up early most mornings to write though that is evolving. I have a desk at which to write while being surrounded by my large collection of books. I am grateful for this.

But I long for more.

I long for a space separate from the normal workings of my life. A place where interruptions require effort and social media doesn’t intrude. I would like a place where I can read without the sounds of television or phone.

I’m not the only one.

This is E.B. White’s writing space.

I find it fascinating to see other writer’s spaces.  I can’t help but compare my own though that is probably not a good idea. This is my space and it works for me, most of the time.

Each of these spaces is dedicated for writing and attending to the muse. I’ve read of others who have small spaces separate from their homes to write in. Think Thoreau’s cabin. 

I am incredibly lucky to have a supportive partner in this endeavor and we have been speaking about a separate writing area.  We have even gone so far as to purchase the materials to build a writing hut use in this manner. We’ve enjoyed this planning process, deciding on which design and what furnishings to use, which ones do we already have and do we need to buy anything. The plan is to begin building in the next month with the completion of this cabin space evolving over time as things like these often do. I will keep you updated on our progress as soon as we begin.

Carving out time and space for writing has been a struggle for me and, I’m sure, many others. I believe it is worth it.

Where do you write?