pictures of professional writers work spaces

pictures of professional writers work spaces

The Importance of Professional Writers’ Work Spaces

1. Introduction

In this day and age, it is becoming more and more accepted that the work of an individual need not be tied to an office, and the same should extend to the writer. What is generally lacking from such discussions is the importance of creating a work environment that isolates and promotes productivity in the endeavor of producing high-quality work. This is not surprising given the focus of most telecommuting articles is to highlight the benefits to employers, not employees. But a writer, whether he is working from home, a café, or a library, is in essence self-employed and can benefit by being treated like an employee looking to maximize his output. Given the high incidence of mental health problems in writers and the latest findings relating heightened productivity to a reduced workload of surrounding administrative tasks, the delimitation of work and leisure at work is especially important for the writer. It is the separation of workspace from leisure space that is the first essential step in creating a workspace for a writer. This has long been recognized by academics who often stress that it is important to keep study separate from leisure, and with the blurring of the line between work and home caused by the internet, this advice is now just as pertinent for the writer working from home.

Professional authors require an effective workspace that ensures they produce their best work. Coordination should be the focus when designing such a space. None of this will be surprising, but what may be news is that creating a successful work environment for a writer is not as obvious as it may seem. The importance of professional authors’ workspaces. An area that is often overlooked when discussing work and writing is the physical environment in which we work. Several articles discuss the move away from tradition to electronic and mobile modes of work, Mayer and Pullis’ article on telecommuting highlights the increasingly popular option of working from home.

2. Benefits of a Well-Designed Work Space

Working in a space designed by and for you is crucial. J.K. Rowling’s favourite writing space may differ magnificently from yours, but it will have the same benefit. A professional writer who ensures that he has his own space – a room more often than not – is doing so to ensure his writing is the best it can be. A well-designed work space will help you to write and concentrate to the best of your ability. As easy as it is to say, think of your mind as the room you work in; cluttered, untidy and disorganised. You want it to be clear, precise and have the ability to store information. This is a lot harder to achieve when your work space is the former. No writer slogs through writing an essay, article, story or book he does not wish to see published and no scribbler of words wishes for his work to be less than his best. With a suitable writing space, you will be able to work efficiently, free from distraction. This will allow you to finish the job in a quicker time span, leaving you more time for editing and rewriting. The end result will show a great difference in both quality and quantity. The beauty of writing is finding yourself underway. You start somewhere expected and finish in a place you yourself did not know existed. How you got there is a question even more complex. To a writer, the writing method is often just as enlightening as the final piece – sometimes more. With a well-designed writing space you can map your progress.

3. Setting Up an Inspiring Writing Environment

Setting up an inspiring writing environment is important for increasing the likelihood that real writing progresses. If one has a dedicated writing space, the simple act of going there tells your unconscious that it’s time to write. It’s similar to the power of setting a morning alarm: you’re more likely to wake up at a specific time if you set the alarm. Likewise, you’re more likely to write on a regular basis if you decide upon a regular time and have a place to do it. Another advantage to having a dedicated writing space is that it can help you keep all of your writing projects in one place. If you only write in random places when the mood strikes, your writing tools (e.g., notebooks, pens, laptops) can get scattered, and you can lose track of works in progress. A writing space that contains or is near storage space for writing tools will help keep everything organized. An organized workspace can also serve as a source of momentum and inspiration, since energy that would otherwise be spent looking for lost items can be put directly into writing.

4. Organizational Tips for Writers’ Work Spaces

When choosing an area, it’s important to do what you can to minimize distractions. Choose a room with a door, away from the general flow of traffic in your house. Consider hanging a “do not disturb” sign on the door to let others know that you are working. If you are the type that enjoys or needs music to work, consider using instrumental music. It’s less distracting than music with words and less likely to pull you out of “the zone.”

It’s important to take your work seriously and to designate a specific area of your house that will be used only for work. It’s difficult to be organized when your work is sprawled out on the dining room table, the couch, and your bed. If you don’t have a specific room that you can use, think about getting an inexpensive room divider or hang curtains to cordon off your working area.

An organized work space is crucial for all writers. Without it, time is often wasted and little is accomplished. Writers who are able to retreat to a private work space also find it easier to “get into the flow” and stay there. Here are some tips to help you get your space up to the writer’s professional level.

5. Conclusion

Professional writers require time, effort, and a conducive environment to be able to produce quality outputs. As they approach their respective tasks, their work environment should be able to provide the necessary stimulus to maintain a progressive flow to their literate outputs. As reflected in this paper, there are a multitude of reasons as to why a tranquil, organized, and stimulating work environment is crucial for professional writers to follow through on. A work environment of this nature will enable them to perform at their best through the duration of their task. If the surroundings are in disarray, distracting, or simply not conducive to the task at hand, it will decrement the quality of their work, consume them more time, and expend more energy to come to a result of equal to lesser value. Considering the goal of efficient, quality work output, first and foremost, the work environment must be in line with such intentions.