Making a Writing Room or Space for Yourself
How to Personalise Your Writing Space to Create a Place Where You Can't Wait to Be!
Make a writing room where you simply can't wait to be. Even when you're tired or pushed for time. Your writing deserves at least one special location, so you simply can't wait to sit down and finally pen that novel, create short articles or work on this year's Nanowrimo entry. Creating a writing space is something you can do even if you have to make use of your bedroom or a public venue like a cafe or library.
If you're lucky enough to have your very own writing room, personalizing it is much easier for you to do. Here's how to make whatever space you use so attractive that you can't resist the urge to get on and write. Create a fantastic and inspiring room, whatever that may be, of your own! Because of extensive work we've endured in our own home, I've had to learn to work in the tiniest of areas and that's why I feel qualified to help you out.
1. A Mobile Writing Room
Investing in a decent laptop or messenger bag to hold all your writing equipment is pretty essential when on the move.
How to Make a Writing Room with Almost No Space
Creating a writing space is possible even when you have no actual room that you can use. You need to get used to writing in public areas like a cafe or library and even, perhaps, while you're on the move. Here's some tips to help you:
1) Off peak. If you're going to a public place such as the library or a cafe, avoid peak periods which could mean you don't get exactly the space you want and you end up waiting in queues to use resources. Try going either first thing or later on in the evening.
2) Portable bag. 
3) Best seat. Find a suitable spot where you can work. Is it near natural light which won't strain your eyes too quickly? Is the air circulation good so that you don't tire too fast? Is the space large enough for you to work at and is it separate enough from other people so you won't be easily distracted? Is there enough leg room to stretch your legs out?
4) Tone it down. If you enjoy working to music, check whether you are permitted to use a personal stereo with headphones while you work. A library may have a strict policy on noise levels and it may be considered downright rude to turn your music up loud in a cafe - it's surprising what you can hear even through some tiny earphones. Adjust the volume levels in a middle of a track while you hold the earphones in your hand. If you can hear anything, it is too loud.
5) Suitable padding. To make hard and uninviting seating more comfortable, take a padded coat or sweater to sit on. This will keep you sitting down and writing for longer.
6) Lose the shoes. If your space will hide it, slip off your shoes and flex those tootsies. Just airing your feet can sometimes help to revive you when you're starting to flag a little.
Making a space inviting is possible wherever that space may be. An uninviting or uninspiring writing area could seriously let your writing down, assuming you can even make the effort to get there first!
2. A Shared Writing Room or Space
Tips on Working in a Writing Room or Office Space that you have to Share
How do you create a fantastic writing place in a shared location? Here's some tips for creating a writing room that can be in an existing bedroom, dining room, family room or some other shared location. Just make the most of what you do have. Here's how:
1) Divide and conquer. If possible, section off part of the room so it feels like your own. Make a space for your desk in front of a bay window, in a recess or in a corner - somewhere where it stands apart from the rest of the room. It's all about defining a space within a space.
2) Privacy laws. Shroud your section of the room with a curtain or a movable screen such as a 
3) Listen up. If you work well to music, consider playing it through headphones attached to your PC or to a portable music box. That way, you won't disturb other people and they also become less of a distraction to you.
4) Bookworm. Have a selection of reference books close by on your very own shelf. Some desks have in-built shelving which will hold even heavy encyclopedias. If not, install some shelving on the wall nearest to you.
5) Make it your own. Personalize what you do have. I've a gorgeous ivory writing desk and chair which I painted and varnished myself to match. I swapped the plain wooden drawer handle for an ornate silver piece and made a luxury suede chair pad to help me out in long periods of use. My desk looks so inviting and is so comfortable, I simply love to sit at it and write.
6) Blank looks. Don't stare ahead at a blank wall or a depressing view. Invest in a piece or artwork or print that you find inspiring and place it in your line of sight. Having something nice to look at will help the inspiration and the ideas to flow.
Trying to divide the room in a practical way is the key to a harmonious shared writing space.
3. Your Own Writing Office
Creating Your Own Writing Room or Space
Lucky enough to have your own writing space or office? Discover how to turn your spare room into a writing room. Think about everything you'll need in your room to make each writing session pleasant and comfortable. Creating a room for writing can be fun. As well as the usual ensemble, you may also want:
1) Music. Do you work well to it? If so, how about placing a hi-fi or beat-box in the room? Keep a remote for it on your desk so you don't even need to move to control it. Space saver tip: plug in some mini speakers or some headphones into your PC and play music through this instead.
2) Somewhere to relax. When you need a quick break between writing sessions, how about lounging on a small sofa-bed? This way you don't need far to go to wind down a little between sessions and you can also make use of the room when guests come to stay. This can easily be dressed to your own taste with a simple throw and some comfy cushions. Space saver tip: invest in an ultra comfortable writing chair which tilts back so you can grab a few winks.
3) Book storage. A bookcase or shelving will hold all your reference guides and reading material which you can browse through for pleasure and idea gathering sessions. Space saver tip: you can buy desks with built-in shelving which will be enough to hold the essential books.
4) Artwork. Use it to personalize your room and provide an instant source of inspiration. You can easily buy and frame prints to suit your taste. Space saver tip: save your favorite artwork on your PC as wallpaper or a screensaver so you don't need to look far to get inspired.
5) A large mirror opposite your window. This will help to reflect natural light around the room. It's easier on your eyes to work with natural light (you may need to move your PC to reduce glare) so maximize on what you have. Throw the curtains back, pull up the blinds and let light work for you. If you only have a tiny room, paint it in a very light color throughout and use reflective surfaces where you can to give the illusion of space.
6) A little luxury. How about a foot spa underneath your desk. Slip your tootsies in while you write for the ultimate in pleasure. A bit extravagant but you'll look forward to each and every writing session - guaranteed. You can also buy a back massager to sling over your chair. Get pampered while you write. Money saver tip: fill a bowl with warm water and your favorite bath foam to slip your feet into instead.
You can only write for the length of time that your chair is comfortable. So invest in a comfy seat!
Here is my Current Writing Room. It isn't big or pretty but this is my current Writing Den!
I've worked all over the house: in the dining room, in our lounge, bedroom and even outside with a laptop and a tray. But I finally have my own writing space!
My husband got tired of being kept awake in the wee hours of the night while I typed away on a desk in our bedroom, so we made a space in the wee boxroom. I have to share the room with a tumble dryer that isn't in use - this gets used as a handy shelf and I store things inside it too. My cat kept stealing my chair so I made her a cushioned space on the floor so she sits with me while I write.
The most useful items in the room aside from my laptop (and the cat of course) are the 
Vote for your best Writing Room
What kind of room would you love to have just for writing?
© 2011 Marie
Your Comments: What's Your Writing Space Like?
This is helpful and inspiring advice! I'm currently experimenting with writing in different places in hopes of establishing a space that I can utilize just for writing. I've been told so many times that having a spot set aside for creative work can be beneficial when it comes to getting the juices flowing. I shall definitely use some of your tips!
One must always have an appropriate place for the cat ;-> . In our last house, I had a part of the garage set up to work with stained glass; for the cat, I set up a spot with a sideways box on top of an upside down one, with a soft blanket inside the top box. She would wander out to the driveway to sit for a while before settling on the blankets in the box for a nice nap. In the room where I had my easels set up, I had a perch for her by the window. Cassie was great company whilst painting or playing with glass. My current kitties always seem to want to walk or sit on the keyboard or sketch pad - then *maybe* settle on one of the perches I have for them nearby!
I'm trying to squeeze out a small space for me in our guest bedroom. Still working on this. :)
Really informative lense. I think it will help me a lot with creating a writing space, which I have actually been trying to do lately.
Lovely post! I always dream of having my own writing den. A tiny cottage somewhere in the woods may be? Thanks for the useful tips!
That was awesome advice.
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@rikaoke2010: Yes, it works for me. Thank you.
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@eccles1: Thank you :)
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@kayla_harris: It is wonderful to have :)
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@grahamcox lm: Thank you, Graham :)
My home PC, in the living area of the house. Love it there, can jump between cooking dinner and writing, have music playing, and is close to our outdoor living area.
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@Mambley: Yes, even though it is tiny and a wee bit messy, it's so nice to have your own space.
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@Allison Whitehead: Allison, my cat has now taken to sitting on my desk and covering my laptop! Eek!
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@JerseyJames: I hope you manage to sort out a space for yourself :)
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@rawwwwwws lm: Thanks Rawssssss :)
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@anonymous: Thank you Donna. Yes a divider might work well for you.
Nice lens. I have a half a room so I like the idea of the dividers.
Great lens!
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@GeorgeneMBramlage: Yes my cat is sitting on her plumped up cushions as I type. She loves having her own space very close to me and somewhere that she's not being moved all the time. It's comforting to write with a feline companion :)
Great lens, I need to work on making a writing room
My writing room has a cat in it too! And yes, he's usually on my chair :)
A room of one's own... Must have.
Great lens! This is really helpful, there is nothing that helps writing more than a suitable writing space :) many thanks
Maybe I need to make a beautiful writing room.
I see how you won the purple star!
It's a very simple personal room. I like it !
The information on public writing rooms are very pertinent to me. Thank you!
Cool lens! I like to work on my lappy in a cafe - to rent a lil space for a short while to make myself to be productive :)
I wish I had my own writing shed. A place to go to without going far from the how. But I can't complain. My current writing room has a great view. d
PS: Congrats on your Purple Star and Front Page feature!
I finally have a small extra (bed)room with lots of windows with a view of trees that I can use for my computer, desk, and reference materials. After years of working in a corner of a bedroom, this is very nice and feels downright luxurious!
I can write almost anywhere but it would be lovely to have my own space to retreat to.
These are great ideas. In less than a month, I will be home all of the time and doing much more writing so these will be helpful.
As an interesting read.
Some great ideas here, thank you
Great lens. Anytime you can personalize a project space more of you is evident in the space result.
What a beautiful lens.
I like a secure and secluded space where I can concentrate full on my writings. Thanks for sharing!
SquidAngel blessings.
That's a really good tip about taking off your shoes. I can see how it could help you get comfortable, and turn inwards, and feel like you can be relaxed and private even in an open space. Sitting down with shoes on is business, social, other-oriented. Sitting down with shoes off is free time, private, and relaxed. I don't like to listen to music while writing - I find it distracting - but I can see how it can have the same function kind of function for other people.
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@WritingForChange: Yes I traveled a lot in my younger days, up and down the country on trains. Having some kind of portable writing space is essential if you really want/need to write while being on the move a lot. If you have a writing bag with everything you need always packed in it, you'll find it a lot easier. Thanks for coming by.
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@KathyMcGraw2: Your writing room sounds very nice apart from not being heated. My little box room gets very hot when the sun is out - I have to keep the blinds down and the window wide open. It is tiny with no views or plants - but it is mine and I do have the cat to keep me company :)
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@evannecarter: Thank you, Evanne :)
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@hartworks lm: A recliner is very nice. I like to use the iPad for making notes and doing research - it can be very useful for that. I have used it to update lenses on Squidoo but you can't move modules around. Be nice if it was fully functional.
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@rahuls66: Thanks for stopping by :)
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@TheFalconPress: I definitely write more since I've got my own room - just good to escape in there away from everything else. Thanks.
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@VspaBotanicals: That's great to hear - thank you for your visit.
Great lens. As an artist, I can see where many of these ideas also apply to creating a quiet space for a small art studio.
Wonderful article with some great ideas. I really liked the ideas for mobile writing. Writing in coffee shops, restaurants, or libraries is a great way to find inspiration.
Congratulations on LOTD! This warrants more looks from everywhere.
I had a great office in the spare bedroom, but then my mother-in-law moved in. I'm now relegated to the corner of the dining room. Oh well!
Great lens, congrats on your LOTD. Thumbs Up!
Great lens, congrats on your LOTD. Thumbs Up!
Great lens and congrats on LOTD! I WISH I had a place of my own. Things are changing, so maybe, someday.
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@sunny saib: Thank you. I really do get a lot more writing done now I just have my own space where I can shut out all the other distractions. But we all have to make the best of things with what we do have to work with.
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@jarajelissa: Thank you for visiting, make a writing room.
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@WriterJanis2: Thanks for stopping by :)
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@victoriahaneveer: I'm dreaming of the day when I can have a writing hut in the garden - then I can comfortably write inside and out. A koi fish pond would be very relaxing to look at too. Thanks for the visit.
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@SoniaCarew: Yes, I used to work in our bedroom but that didn't work very well for hubby! If you have a bedroom to yourself then it can be great and relaxing space to write in. Thanks for stopping by.
This is something very interesting for me. Writing is my hobby too. I always love to have a writing room in my home where you can have that kind of peace of mind which is required for quality writing...nice!
I love writing in a den... quiet and peaceful.. but I also do some good writing in a coffee shop.. :) Blessed!
PS I like the way you've included a special place for your feline friend. I never gave that a thought, but I bet mine would appreciate having a place with me that's more than my lap :+)
First of all congrats on this lens being LTD :+) You are to be commended for have putting forth so many great and practical ideas. You also have used graphics and modules in an organized and appealing manner. I do have my own writing space in our new "home" that is the closest thing to a glass conservatory that I'll ever come. I have wonderful views of local wildlife through a shallow bay-window which are not distracting, but very restful to eyes, mind, imagination and spirit. Again, congrats!
My writing hut is made from old wood pallets held together with bailing twine, and a couple c-clamps in the really weak spots. : ) The roof is a tatty piece of plywood covered with scrap metal. I keep a roof ladder leaned up against it so the cats have a play place. : )
What a great idea to have a "writing room" in which we can concentrate on just writing.. I have in my place a small room as office room and yes is isolated... very small and messy... but I know each object/book/notebook where it is... LOL
Blessings!
Great tips. I REALLY need to clean my office. It's so cluttered, I can't concentrate to write. Lovely lens!
I really to write when there's music, these are really great ideas to make writing more enjoyable.
Glad to see I am not the only one who makes a point of creating a cat space in the office. LOL
I love my space right now on the 20th floor of a residence. Am alone during the day as my husband is at work and am looking at the whole city. I always keep my things in a big bag so I have them handy beside me, neat as well as I can transport this easily to another room.
Super lens. I just use a spare bedroom that I turned into an office. Congratulations on getting LoTD!
Love this lens!! Great idea and I am going to give the mobile writng room a try.
My husband and I have an office, so I get half for my writing. Unfortunately, the file space is devoted to the family finances and I really need some space for my research.
Great ideas. I work at the kitchen table and have to compete for space, but in the 11pm-2am time slot it's all mine.... Congratulations on LOTD!
I was beginning to despair over the beautiful writing room photos until you posted your space! Thanks for great ideas! For now, I'll take what I can get for my space, which is a niche in a common area.
These are great ideas. Congratulations on making Popular Pages - Featured Lenses, getting the Purple Star, AND Lens of the Day!
Oh and I forgot: Congrats on the Purple Star and LOTD, well deserved
I have my own 'office' space where nobody else is coming but me. That is because I keep the national herd book of our rare sheep breed Drenthen Heathsheep and that includes a big paper archive.
I haven't had a dedicated writing space for quite some time. This lens has reminded me that I need to do something about that pretty soon
I enjoyed your lens. As I looked at the title, I was thinking, "I need something that can move with me." Then I saw your first section was about a mobile writing room! Blessings!
I would love to own an antique writing desk and set it up in a traditional snug room
I like everything you said - especially about the light. AND I love your writing room. It's gorgeous. Blessed!
These are great ideas to think about. I think I need a better workspace.
Excellent Lens, Kinworm!
I love your Lens and you've given me some great ideas - so thank you. Congrats on a well deserved LOTD
Fabulous lens!!!! Very informative and well done. I picked up a couple of great ideas in securing my own writing space. Peace :)
I see your writing room also includes a feline companion. I can certainly relate to that. Congratulations on LOTD!
Good article, good tips! I have one little corner of a room specifically for writing my novels. And a window to look out, for inspiration or to be refreshed after spending hours at the keyboard. Maybe you should add "all of the above" to your voting list! It was tough to make a decision!
Great lens, what i would give for a writing room !
This is a great Lens full of awesome ideas. I wish that I had a more inviting environment to relax and write in. I am currently set up in my garage where I run my business from. My desk is backed up to the wall and I am staring at mountains of boxes all around me. I can however see out the roller door into the quiet country lane that we live in so I have some trees to look at for peace. Congrats on being awarded LOTD. :-)
Great lens!! personally, i go almost anywhere with my writing pad. That feels like a mobile writing room. So, anywhere i can sit down and write, I make my writing room...thanks!!
A very inspirational lens. My writing room is currently the dining room table, not ideal and far from perfect, but it will do. One day, I will have my own study and library ahhhh!
Great lens full of daydreams and possibilities!
It's a mess! I have a corner of our bedroom where my printer and laptop (looks like we have the same one!) live. However, as most of my writing is art-related, I also have all my art stuff around me too. Not good. I am often creating art with one arm resting on my laptop. Then taking photos, then more art, then uploading, then writing, and on and on it goes! I long for a real studio.
Great lens and very original idea, well done! As for me, like writing in my room because it's spacious, quiet, but I really liked the idea of the whiteboard for brainstorming and the inspirational posters! Thanks for sharing your tips. Cheers!
added to my Creative writing 101 lens
P.s. adding to my Creative writing 101
I usually write in my room unless there is no one else around the house then i'll write while on the couch in the living room. (I write in mybinder first then copy to computer) However I need a different desk. My parents purchased the desk (they went w/o me) and chose it & I HATE it always have where my legs should be under it is a rolling shelf for a scanner, printer or something else. I wanted soemthing that was one part rolling desk (my dream writing desk) and another part 'office' desk.
Congratulations on your LOTD! My writing space is my bed or sofa, I would love a little hut in middle of nowhere, that would be my dream! I loved reading this lens, you have wonderful and practical suggestions here.
thanx for inspiring me to evolve my current writing space!
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