Where do I write best? The short answer is…Ohio!
Seriously, though, I am not one to work from the local
coffee shop or bookstore. I’m no good at write-in’s at friend’s houses. I like
a comfy chair or couch with a laptop, and I have done some work in hotels at
conventions, but the most work - and best work - is done in the solitude of my own
office space when everyone else is off at school or work. I put my music on
(movie scores, mostly), fire up incense or candles to infuse the air with some
nice aroma, and I’m ready to make word count.
That said, I’m the kind of person who will rearrange the living room
without warning and for no reason at all…but once my office is set, it needs to
stay. The stability of the environment, as well as the routine, is necessary and
conducive to my overall performance.
In the last ten years I have moved three
times.
House #1:
For five years, I had a desk in a living room near sliding
doors to a covered deck. I wrote Seph books 1-4 either at the desk or at the
table on the deck. I think it is worth noting that I spent a very minimal
amount of time working outside the home during these years. Able to focus on
the writing, I produced very solid work.
House #2
For the next five years, I had a desk in my bedroom, then a
small office all by itself. I wrote Seph books 5-6 in these spots. I was
working full-time, being a single parent, and spent a significant amount of
time ‘adulting’ i.e. yardwork, housework, errands/shopping, etc. though my boys
helped a lot. My productivity tanked. There was simply no time.
I do not think
books 5 & 6 reflect my best work because of this.
now for the good stuff...
House #3
 |
| yes, 3 screens...1 desktop, 2 laptops. new mac book |
I’ve been in the new house with my new husband for only a
few months now. I started with a desk in a small bedroom, but for the last two
weeks I’ve been moving into the medium sized bedroom, which now has a lovely
new laminant floor that looks like lovely aged barn-siding, fresh gray paint, new white cabinets and all my geekery on display…
Yup. I have a shit-load of Star Trek and Star Wars stuff. The kids are giving me back all the cool toys as they find/unpack them, but there are some yet to find a spot. Like the landspeeder, the TIE fighter will need hung, etc. My NCC-1701-D is missing the nacells, and I hope they show up, but the NCC-1701 is my favorite, of which I haven't been able to find one big enough to be worthy of display? I mean, the one-man X-Wing can't be bigger than the Enterprise, yanno? It's bad enough the Millennium Falcon is small... |
| whiteboards are awesome but not revealing my secrets... |
—sigh—
I want to say I’m never leaving this office…but you know
what they say about saying never. The bottom line is, I’m writing full time
again, delighted to be finding my rhythm amid the routine again.
 |
| my favorite view...needs phasers and a bat'leth, yes? |
And who wouldn’t be inspired here?
