No two writers are alike when it comes to finding your perfect writing space.  It needs to suit you, to be individualized to create a comfortable space, be it in the garden shed, a tea shop, coffee shop, pub, cupboard or a room in your house with a good lock on the door.

I do most of my writing in an office my husband created for me in our home, but it didn’t start there.  The first ten chapters of my novel ‘Alex and the Druids’ Eclipse: A Cornish Tale’, were written at a desk in my dining room.  And it worked well for quite some time. The view from the west facing window brought glorious shades of light into the room filtered by Manitoba Maples and Evergreens; however, my beloved twenty-year-old cat, Precious, had other ideas.  When she was awake, she demanded nothing less than my full attention, eventually becoming so brattish she would sit on the keyboard of my laptop computer and refuse to move.  I didn’t want her to feel unloved yet needed to write, so it was me that had to move-hence the dedicated office, and from where she is banned!

I Love the Summer, when I can get outside and settle down under the umbrella at my picnic table, surrounded by lawn overlooking a small lake filled with wild fowl.  Sometimes even with a glass of Prosecco in hand to get those creative juices flowing. 😊 Here I write with pen in hand, paper at the ready, unwilling to referee the fight between sunlight and my computer screen.

One of my very favourite writing spaces is the secluded garden at my mother-in-law’s house, centrally located in a mid-Cornish village.  On a warm summer’s evening I can really get caught up in the moment, listening to the cries of the seagulls and the quiet pace of village life taking place on the other side of the hedge.

Although my home office is small, some would equate the size to a walk-in closet, it is cozy with far-reaching views to the east.  My filing cabinets are scattered around the house but I can live with that.  It is in this space that I have written my next novel, the second in the Cornish Tales series, the forthcoming ‘Alex and the Guardians of the Gold’.

My space is semi-shared with my cat, Paws. Another cat? I hear you ask.  Actually, Paws is my daughter’s cat who stayed with us in the country when she moved to the city.

She is much less demanding of my attention than Precious, allowing me to write unhindered; however, she is the most vocal cat I have ever known.  When she is not asleep in her bed at the window she jabbers continuously and suffers dreadfully from cabin fever all winter long.  We both breathe a sigh of relief when spring arrives and we can, for the most part, go our separate ways until the snow flies again. 

I am generally tidy, although I guess we all have our off days 😎.  Piles of papers worry me into believing my workload is far greater than it actually is.  My office leads off the vestibule, as does the kitchen so grabbing a quick cuppa is super easy.  I love using brightly coloured folders to organise my notes which keeps my mood buoyant.

Ultimately, my No. 1 requirement to get down to some serious writing is total quiet-time, with absolutely no disturbance.  In my opinion, there is no better aptitude than to be able to sink into your story, flit between worlds and totally become one of your characters.  The stumbling block for me comes when I try to drag myself away. 

Have a great week and have fun selecting and setting up your perfect writing space!