July 29, 2024 (Updated )
As journalists our worlds revolve around words; whether we write them, say them, or check them. But does where we work affect the words that come out? Entering another writer’s space can feel as personal and intimate as entering a stranger’s bedroom. They can feel ‘uninspiring’ or ‘calm, isolated, and spacious’. They can be ‘maximal and endearing’ or ‘cluttered, homely, cobbled together’.
These spaces can take many forms and also offer a glimpse of the inner world inhabited while writing. As Andreas Nyblom writes in the book Deskbound Cultures: “Spaces of writing are not only physical but also metaphysical or metaphorical spaces.”
What follows is a peek into these private spaces, taken from conversations I had with various journalists about the spaces they use to work, as well as advice from Eric Maisel, a writer, coach, and psychotherapist whose novel A Writer’s Space teaches writers how to curate and maintain their space. So, what is the stuff that makes up a writing space? And how does it impact what is written?
Writer and Journalist Chloe Williams writes “surrounded by memories of love”. Creating a comfy and homely space is central to her writing process.
“I do the changing of the guard. I switch from my nighttime pyjamas to my daytime pyjamas. All my clothes are really pyjamas that I’ve decided to wear outside so, to me, I’m dressed for the day. I require maximum comfort to even be a little productive.”
The writing spaces of Chloe Williams (L) and Clem McLeod (R)
She describes her writing space as the “rot spot”, reminiscent of other writers who never left their bed when putting pen to paper — such as Edith Wharton, Colette, James Joyce, and Mark Twain.
Chloe stresses the importance of protecting her writing space from distractions: “I also have my knitting with me which prevents me from going on my phone and getting sucked into social media. If I don’t have any ideas or am stuck I try to reach for my needles instead! I had a professor say to me to make your writing time sacred, and so that is what I do.”
For Lisa Summers, BBC Scotland’s Health and Social Care Correspondent, her writing space is transient thanks to the fast-paced and mobile nature of her work. “I write in numerous places. At my desk, as I’m walking, in the car while on location somewhere.
“I often have tight deadlines, so I am writing on the move. Technology has enabled that to happen and for me to file copy and information to our systems quickly.”
Lisa also faces a lot of distractions: “Working in a busy newsroom or out on location means that you have to be disciplined. I have trained myself to focus on what I am doing amidst the bustle of everything else going on. I do sometimes put my headphones in, just to cut out some of the background noise.”
The importance of curating a physical space that has limited distractions and allows for increased concentration cannot be understated. In his book, Eric Maisel writes: “Your goal is to canalize your energy and have your brain connect to your fingers so seamlessly that words appear on your computer screen by magic.
“For this to happen, your best bet is simplicity: a little quiet, a little organisation, and a little reverence.”
More of Lisa’s workspace. (Image Credit: Supplied)
Clem Macleod, writer, editor, and creator of Worms Magazine says she wakes up every morning and does three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing in her notepad, before getting out of bed. A ritual made popular by Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way called Morning Pages, for some, it’s an act of self-care.
“If I’m having a hard time with my mental health or coming up against any confusion in my personal life I always write,” she explains. “It’s the best way for me to organise my ideas and figure out how I feel about something.”
Writing rituals and routines can take many forms, yet they are crucial in carving out the right time and space for writing. For many, they’re deeply entwined with the physical space where they happen.
Nazia Mohammad, a filmmaker, writer, and artist, enjoys decluttering to make room for her writing work: “That can be my mind or physical space,” she explains. Often, she’ll take a walk to organise her thoughts when in the middle of writing, or talk aloud on a long car drive. “Generally stepping away when/if I can to keep the channels clear.” When returning to her physical space to write, Nazia prefers “a minimal space, with access to a hot drink nearby.”
For freelance journalist and editor Moya Lothian-McLean, space away from her writing is also vital for focus: “On the rare occasions that I am writing for myself, I usually need a long walk without my phone, or to be doing an activity that allows pondering time, such as the gym or a lengthy bus/bike ride. I work my way up to putting words to digital paper by turning over the topic in my head for a good day or two.”
When returning to her physical space, Moya likes to surround herself with “a notebook, a cup of tea, highlighters, easily accessible snacks… In an ideal world, I would have all my books on shelves around me — but I rent. So, I settle for having as many as possible on hand behind me and then store the rest around the house. A candle too.”
Rituals — such as those mentioned by Nazia, Moya, and Clem — can help to quieten the bustle of the mind and focus on the writing task at hand. Eric describes this as creating an optimal inner space for writing, making as much of the brain available as possible, somewhat akin to sleep.
His advice centres around clearing mental space for writing. Or, as he calls it, “freeing up neurons”.
This can take many forms but, during our conversation, he gives a quick example: “If, accidentally, we are pulled out of the trance of working, if a garbage truck pulls up outside and disturbs us, pull up a cup of tea beside you and start to stir it and you will settle again.
“The main objective is not to flee the encounter, not to run off.” The key isn’t the tea itself or the flicker of the candle’s flame — it’s any small act that calms you, bringing you back to the present and reminding you of the purpose you set out with.
The writing process is unique and central to all journalists, and the same can be said of the spaces where the writing process takes place. But, whether you work in a busy newsroom, bundled up in your bed, or surrounded by coffee shop chatter, there are simple and intentional changes we can all make to help the words flow more easily.
• Assess your current physical space and compare it to your dream writing space. What small changes can you make to close the gap between your physical space and your ideal space?
• Write a list of all the things you intend to do in your writing space, so that it is made clear what your writing space is for, and what it is not for.
• Take out any distractions.
• Create a primary space, and allow for secondary spaces so that you can write anywhere.
• Develop quick centering exercises — things that help pull you back into focus and into the present. This could be as simple as slow, deep breathing, or swirling a cup of tea.
• Locate your motivation for your work and harness it, to develop an enduring willingness to write and help you through tougher times.
• Protect your space by implementing boundaries — what won’t you do while working? Maybe you won’t look at your phone, for example, or will silence notifications. This could also mean planning in regular breaks from your work to take a walk to make a warm drink.
