A Room of One's Own

I believe I’ve made a discovery! Writing is not only about the habit, but also about the space a writer exists in when she writes. And I’m sure many writers out there would agree with me. I’m not entirely sure why it took me so long to come to the realization that the space really does matter.

Now, I don’t claim to be an expert on Virginia Woolf. In fact, I didn’t even make it all the way through To the Lighthouse, but surely having a room of one’s own is a nice notion. Unfortunately, for the time being, it’s just a fantasy, a dream that comes true in a far away land where all people have money for not only everything they need but for everything they desire. Me, I desire a two-bedroom apartment of my own, an extra bedroom to transform into a library/writing space. It would be home to my (four) bookshelves, all my books (Prized possessions. I’ll take my Nerd Award now please!), a desk, a comfy chair, and plenty of natural light. Really, though, I’d be quite happy even to just have a little separate space off to the side of the main living area to put these things…I could create a library/reading/writing room. No really, I could do it!

I think that I crave the consistency. Similar to the way that always I do my homework on the couch rather than in my bedroom, something about having a separate, dedicated space sounds so delightful! It may make me more dedicated to this writing project I’ve taken on. It may spark the imagination. It may be the place I write 30 pages in one sitting. Or, it may be the place I take a nap with various drafts and scene cards spread all around me.

Writers in New York City have a place that’s all their own—the Writer’s Rooms, Chicago has The Writer’s WorkSpace and Uptown Writers’ Centre, and Santa Monica has The Office. What are the odds Salt Lake City will ever be an artsy enough place for something like this? Seriously! Not that I’d want to pay an additional rent for a space that I’d have to travel to in order to write, but it’s a cool idea!

If I had any spare space in my current apartment I’d make this a reality! But alas, I have too much crap that I’m not willing to get rid of! And I definitely have too much furniture.

What does your dream creative space look like? Do you already have it? What do you use as a substitute space until that dream can be a reality?