Today I find myself in my little writing nook. It’s a modest writing area in the corner of my bedroom, but it’s a great place to be alone with my thoughts. I have a window I can gaze through while my mind is working. There are a couple of shelves to house other visuals that I might look to for inspiration or to put whatever I decide to use for music if I don’t feel like using my headphones or computer. My back is to the rest of the room so as not to see anything that might distract me. Although that does leave me prone to sneak attacks as my son is so fond of doing. Strangely my grandmother does also every once in a while. All in all I really love my writing nook. I can disappear into my little world, put my headphones on and drown out everything else going on in the house and just write.Trying to write elsewhere in the house tends to be unproductive because there are so many things going on that just beg for my attention. Watching my son play his games or watching movies with him, watching the puppies play with their toys or cuddling with me, watching my grandmothers television shows with her which she loves, and just talking with the family or friends. Too many things vie for attention to be able to be as productive as one would like.
Here’s where I’m going with this. I enjoy playing video games, RPG’s, watching movies, reading books, crocheting, wood-working, metal working, board games, and just all around spending time doing something fun either alone or with family, but in today’s society spare time is a rare thing. Most people work nine hours out of the day with an hour off for lunch. I take about thirty minutes for my lunch so I usually get a little overtime by the end of the week if I’m able to get to work on time or a little early and don’t leave until 5pm. I have a thirty minute commute one way so that’s an extra hour out of my day just driving. So in the evening I get about 4 hours to do what needs to be done and to do what I would like to do before its off to bed and start over the next day. Weekends are usually spent getting things done that couldn’t get done over the week, like mowing and other yard work, deep house cleaning, and major family time. I try to get everything done on Saturday so that by that evening I’m free to play my RPG with my cousins, son, and friends. We don’t game every Saturday usually two on, one off, unless there are dire circumstances that keep us from it. Like this October we’re only going to get one Saturday of play as the DM is extremely busy with work and other things that take precedence. It’s sometimes frustrating when you’re unable to do the things you love and can cause stress and major issues with health and mentality, which does not bode well for writing.
My advice on this? Slow down! Make time for the things you love. When I was in college I made exceptional grades, had time for writing, time for family, and the things I love. when I started working, I spent time with family, lazed about and watched tv, and just lost complete focus because going to school was not an 8 to 9 hour gig every day of the week. I was a full-time student but some days I didn’t have to be at school until 10am, which meant I could sleep in, and a lot of times my classes would end by 3pm or so giving me much more time at home. In between classes, sometimes an hour or so wait I had time to write a lot before class, especially when that was all I had to do. It was a lot easier back then. But now it takes a bit of effort, thus began the Writing Nook.
I had heard so many writers talk about there offices, their writing areas, and places that they go to focus and just write. Being a single mother that takes care of my elderly grandmother it’s hard to get out and find a quiet place to write, and I don’t have the room to have an office, but an area, hmmm now that was an idea I could work with. My grandfather had just a writing desk that he used to use for his leather working and such before he decided he wanted a bigger desk with shelves. It was out in his old metal building, not being used after he passed. His bigger desk is in the kitchen where my son does his school work under mine and my grandmother’s watchful eyes, so I couldn’t really use that, besides the area it’s in doesn’t work well with focus as there is a large picture window and and open walkway from it to the living room where there is a television just hollering for me to watch it. So after mentioning I needed a quiet place to focus and write my grandmother reminded me of my grandfathers desk, we cleaned it off, put it together, and voila my writing nook was born!
If you’re finding yourself distracted and unfocused I’m going to give you the advice I have had from many of my author friends. Find yourself a writing nook. In my modest setting my nook is in the corner of my bedroom. One author friend of mine goes to bars to sip beer and write. Not sure I could do that one as I don’t like beer and it would be too loud and distracting for me, but she finds it inspiring and makes some pretty awesome works that way. Another bunch of author friends have their own offices where they can close the door to the outside world and focus on nothing else. I would love that! Haha, maybe one day. Another friend has an area kind of like mine where they can look through a window and draw inspiration from the outside world. And many more just have areas in their house where they can put headphones in and be whisked away into their own worlds. The point of this story is mainly this, if you want to write, find your nook, make the time, get your focus on, and just write. I know easier said then done, but if you don’t make it a priority then it will fall by the wayside and your dreams will never come true, at least until you make that decision to write no matter what and put yourself out there like I did. Take the risks! If you don’t ask the answer is always no.
God Bless you my Jumpin Jillhosophet Journeyers!
Jill Ranney-Campbell
