Writer's Office Tour

I decided it might be time to let my readers and friends who haven't visited in a while checkout my office and my organization of it (or lack thereof).  So come on along and I'll give you the two penny tour. 

First there's the actual place where I do actual writing - my computer and it's on a Veridesk.  What's that you say?  Well, it's an adjustable surface I can easily raise up or down.  I stand when I write about half the day and sit about half. Lots of ups and downs in a writer's life!

Yep, there's the chair, I do sit down on occasion. There's also a nice window behind me, a better shot of that, and the dog bed later. 

 

And of course the resident dog, actually one of three. This little guy is Hans and he frequently occupies the little dog bed under the window.  You can kind of get a dog-eyed view up toward my desk.

Here's that nice window, and a bit of the view at the mountains beyond. Hey, I have a great view and that picture was taken when there was still some snow on the ground.

Moving on - this is the back of my office.  That door you see leads to...well, not part of my office so I'll leave it to your imagination. That antler-topped staff in the corner was a gift from a screenwriter friend and of course you can see the beginning of the books.

Lots and Lots of books... research, binders I've put together with info I need, fun books, fiction, still have shelves loaded with books - in addition to my kindle.  Ah the life of the writer in this age...

 

Then there are the filing cabinets. Yep, need lots of space for those contracts, printed articles and old manuscripts and screenplays, copyrights, script registrations, general business, emails and, well you get the gist - lots of paper. 




Oh, look! It's the small dog bed. It's empty in the photo, but Hans is lying in it right now. Good dog!

 

Look! It's the exit!  The doorway to the outside world which I don't see very much of. And the bulletin board directly across from my desk. Lots of stuff on it. A calendar so I can keep track of what the heck day it is and any meetings or appointments, family pics, clippings and reference bits and pieces. There's a stairway down just to the left of the bulletin board so watch your step.

 

Oh, and if you couldn't see it clearly earlier, here's a nice shot of some books I've had published all lined up on that shelf. Go ahead, check out my Amazon author page.

And because they don't show everything there, take a minute and visit the Planet Of The Eggs facebook page for the latest on a comic series I've been working on and my webpage for more info.  

I have a great work space - worked for years to get it this way. Might not suit others well, but it's great for me. Come back and visit often. Tell me if you have any suggestions for making it even better.

Developing Good Writer’s Habits

Writers write, right?

Sounds easy. But not so fast.

It takes dedication, discipline and some good habits to see any writer thorough.  From writer to writer they differ, but there are many writers have in common.

And there are just some things that need to be said, a reminder of sorts for those of us who get wrapped up in our every day work and find ourselves eating away at time that we’d really much rather have spent writing.

So, a few ideas.

Here’s one: Write on ugly paper because it tricks the brain to really believe that it doesn’t have to be perfect.  Really, it does work. And, besides, who wants to write that first draft on nice, clean, expensive final draft paper? And yes, you should print it out; makes for easier and more thorough editing.

Another: Write when you’re tired, write when you’re not, write when you have hours ahead of you, write when you can only steal a few minutes. Just write!

Here’s yet another one. Stop following links and write! Right now. Really. Stop. Do your research, then get off the web, close your browser window. You can’t browse, surf, whatever, and write at the same time. It just doesn’t work.

And related to that take some time to turn off all electronic devices. Cell Phones, tablets, web access on your computer. Everything. Set a time to dedicate to writing and eliminate all distractions and disconnect. You won’t die, really. And with no distractions like text messages, cell phones or games at your fingertips you’ll be able to really focus. It’s one of the best bits of advice I can give. Gads, unhook already.

When you’re writing always remember to repeatedly ask the question “what if…”  What if a meteor fell from the sky? What if it’s large enough to flatten a small city? What if a bunch of people in a large building have enough notice to dive into the basement and are trapped there by the explosion? What if one of them is a psychotic murderer? What if, what if, what if.  One of the best questions a writer can ask himself, if not the BEST question.

Another great habit to develop is to give yourself a break between writing bouts and be sure to stretch or exercise. Run up and down stairs if you have them. Take a short brisk walk outside. Get yourself an inexpensive stationary bicycle. Do stretches. Physical activity will keep the mind active and sharp. Writers simply sit too much. Think about getting a new standing desk. I have one and move from standing to sitting to standing several times during a work day. Standing keeps the brain moving too.

How about setting a timer? Force yourself to write a story within a set amount of time. The shorter the better, as long as you can create in that amount of time. It doesn’t have to be good, probably won’t be, but get that writing spewed out. You’ll feel better for it and it will almost definitely create something that can be revised later.

Don’t forget to make notes on ideas for where you’re going with a story for tomorrow before you quit for today.

Read great writing. Read bad writing. Read, read, read. Then write, write, write. 

Yes, writers write.

        .

Sitting Or Standing – A Writer’s Dilemma

You’ve been hearing all about it I’m sure. The Pros and the Cons of sitting vs. standing while you work, and there are a lot of them. 

Generally one side says you have more energy, your brain functions better and you feel better if you stand while working. The other side says, but the heart has to pump harder, you’re asking for more varicose veins and other downers.  But, in general the more I read, the more it seemed to me that a combination of sitting and standing would be the best solution.

When my husband got a ‘motorized’ adjustable desk at work and began standing for periods during the day I asked him how he liked it and he declared he was loving  the ability to change positions; to stand for a while, then sit, then stand.

So I decided to check on what was out there.

Lots, apparently.

Some insanely expensive, others not so much. I settled on the Varidesk to be placed on the desktop and it works just great for me. Just unpacked it, put it on top of my desk (it's very heavy by the way so it's not going to slide around or be unstable) and away I went. Very easy to lift the work top up to enable standing for a while and then to lower when I’m going to sit. Just squeeze the handles on the side and adjust. 

Had to adjust my work style and how I keep my papers arranged on my desk, but it was definitely worth it for me. Call it a fad if you want, but I’m spending a good amount of time now standing as well as sitting. Just plain moving. And, it makes me feel much better physically to vary things. I certainly wouldn’t recommend standing all day as I can image how hard that might be, in fact I know how hard that is as I've done it. But, as a writer I spend a heckuva lot of time at a desk, always have. This is definitely an improvement

There are other alternatives out there as well, both less expensive and more expensive. Fit Desk is one of them and seems pretty popular. It’s also very economical at about $99.00. There’s also the full size stand up work station which  is a free standing work station instead of a desktop add on. I see the star rating, but that’s about all I know about that particular one. No doubt you can locate a lot more online and locally.

They all have different ways of adjusting and as I said, I’m happy with the choice I made.

If you’re thinking about taking the jump, you might want to read The Dangers of Sitting At Work - And Standing 

or Proof Standing Desks Make You More Productive (article posted Sept. 26, 2013)  and maybe do a google search on your own to do some more investigating. 

If it seems right for you, go for it, but be sure to do your research. Fad? Maybe, but did you know Thomas Jefferson and Winston Churchill used standing desks? I really wouldn’t want to go back to sitting the whole day now that I've tried this. Sitting with legs crossed Indian style on my task chair as I've done in the past isn't easy! I like being able to stand occasionally much better. So, fad or not, I'm in.