Sometimes your desk just doesn’t love you. All relationships have rocky periods, and the key to reconciliation is probably a break. Your desk needs some time to itself, and it may be time you see other venues. It’s okay. Your desk will forgive you. You can escape the desk and write:
At the Dinner Table
The table gives you structure with a different view. If you live with small children, you may have to adjust your writing schedule to fit around school and nap time to enjoy the table as a quiet space. Alternatively, distracted writing sometimes shuts up the inner editor, who is as distracted as you are, and a few scattered lines at a time eventually add up to a whole book.
On the Floor
Changing your perspective gives you new insights. Those revelations may be about the dust bunnies under the couch, or the Secret of the Lost Cat Toys, but you’ll literally see something from a new angle. This perception shift jostles writing habits out of ruts and into open, carpet-covered fields.
In Bed
Bed is safe and warm. It’s the dreaming space where you indulge in all the stories you aren’t ready to expose to the light of day. Writing in bed lowers the pressure and boosts the comfort. It also makes writing feel less like work and more like play.
At a Coworking Desk
Coworking venues are the opposite of cozy bedrooms. They make writing feel official, and lots of professionals rent a coworking space – an office or desk – to tackle goals in a dedicated environment. If you only work on fiction when you go to that venue, you’ll train your brain to go into writing mode as you step through the doors.
In the Library
The library loves books, and something in the air fosters the growth of new novels. Even libraries without dedicated work rooms have desks, chairs, and quiet niches where aspiring authors can dream in the company of the greats. All you need is a notebook and a pencil or a laptop and a plug. Librarians are happy to help with research, too!
At the Park
When possible – escape to the outdoors. Even if the warm sun and screaming blue jays only inspire a single paragraph, it’s sure to stand out. Nature is both unpredictable and refreshing. Soft breezes sweep the dust from your thoughts as your creative mind sucks up a world full of inspiration.
In a Coffee Shop
A little clatter goes a long way to relax the mind. Many of us use white noise as a sleep aid, and sometimes a perfectly silent study is the worst place to unwind. A coffeeshop or café has background noise aplenty without any direct demands on your time or attention. No one is going to talk to you, and the only interruption should be a trip to the counter for another latte, and we all know coffee is novel fuel.
At Your Friend’s Place
Do you visit school friends? Maybe you spend the weekend with a sibling from time to time. Perhaps your work buddy shares an open-door policy with their inner circle. If you have a trusted friend in your life who wouldn’t mind your presence, their home may be an ideal escape. Familiar but not routine, a friend’s abode elicits good memories and peace of mind. You can pay for your time by bringing dinner, pet-sitting, or just returning the favor – after all, your friend may be a writer, too.
Where do you write when your desk rebels? Do you find your scene in the great outdoors, or do you prefer the quiet of the library? What’s the strangest place you’ve ever chosen as your study?
