A key aspect of setting up a writing routine is determining a time and, as importantly, a writing space. From personal experience, I had to write at the same time every day in the same place to set up my routine. Unbeknownst to me, Cal Newport covers this concept in his book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.
Utilizing what Newport coins as deep work helped me make significant progress in my goal of finishing a novel. Deep work is a term Newport uses to describe working for defined periods on only one task. Multiple examples of writers use these methods from Neal Gaiman to Neal Stephenson. Mark Twain would retire to a separate cabin on his estate when writing novels. It was secluded enough from the house that his family could only reach him by ringing a dinner bell. And this was before the internet!
This brings me to the first part of this two-part series: the writing space. Even Virginia Woolf, back in 1929, pontificated that what women needed for success was money and a room of their own. This brings to light the need for a space wholly ours as authors. As amateur writers, most of us may not have the money to afford a whole writing room. If you can, do it! But going on the assumption that a whole room dedicated to the pursuit of wiring is a reach goal there are ways of setting aside space. Any room in your house or apartment can be a writing room, as long as you designate it as such when you’re using it.
A writing space can be the kitchen table or a library cubicle or a conference room at work. The only real requirement is to be as free from personal distractions as possible. I say personal distractions because these are different for everyone. Some people find coffee shops are great places to write as they love the liveliness and buzz of chatter. For me cafes are too noisy and full of other distractions. So, when choosing a space, focus on your personal needs to avoid distractions. Libraries can be great because they have to be quiet, and for parents, there are usually reading times to entertain children.
Regardless of where the space is try to find ways of making it yours. Whether it’s listening to the same songs to drive out noise. Or lighting a candle in the living room to give it a special smell. Or only drinking that special coffee or tea when you are writing. Find what works for you. This is something that Newport describes as the Grand Gesture or doing something that separates a space as special to help entrench in the mind that it is for writing (or deep work).
I developed some tools to create a “writing space” for myself wherever I am. First, I started listening to a rain app. Combined with a pair of noise-canceling headphones the effect is engrossing. When in a nosy coffee shop I pair these with ear plugs and pump the rain. Very effective. Additionally, the rain app goes on forever so there isn’t any temptation to look at my phone. More on the distraction portion of deep work in part II.
Carving out space is so important for me that if the space is at home I inform people I’m diving into my writing. There is a writer who puts a sticky note on his headphones while at work that says “currently writing, please come back later”. Whatever it is you need to do to define the space with your loved ones or roommates let them know that this is where your writing happens and when it happens. Then own that space and time. Take the space seriously because you ARE a writer. You owe it to yourself and your writing to be serious about the space.
Next time we will dive into part II of Deep Work: distractions.