No matter the writer, a foolproof way to stay creative and productive is to create your own inspiring writing space. Whether you have a room dedicated as a home office or just a small corner in your house to work with, making yourself an inspiring writing place will help you get in the flow whether you are writing books or blog posts. Use your creativity and these 9 must-have items to design your dream writing space.
1. Comfortable chair
You’re likely to spend a substantial amount of time sitting in your desk chair while writing. (There’s a reason why so many writing coaches and mentors swear that putting your “butt in the chair” is the best way to get writing done.) That means you’ll want to make an investment in a comfortable and supportive ergonomic office chair. chair. If you have special back issues to attend to like me—or just want to prevent them—adding a pillow for extra lumbar support is a must. Be creative and choose a pillow that not only adds cushion but also creativity like a fun fandom pillow from Society6 or something from the HARRY POTTER Williams Sonoma collection (pictured below).
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2. Standing desk accessory
If you’re going to write the next great novel, you should be comfortable while doing it. Aside from a comfy chair, consider a standing desk accessory for your laptop. Standing desks are popular for a host of good reasons: they can be great for your posture and back issues, reduce heart disease, lower the risk of developing blood sugar, and improve productivity. Of course, if you’re able to afford a fancy sit stand desk you can go that route but for a tiny fraction of the price you can make any desk into a standing desk using a standing desk laptop accessory. The one I got at Bed, Bath, and Beyond is no longer available but I found almost the exact the same one on Amazon HERE.
3. Candles
Candles are a great way to set the mood for creative writing and get those juices flowing. Scent can stimulate the mind and the memory and take you to a place where you are able to access the deep recesses of your imagination. Also, they look really pretty on your desk and are a fun way to display your favorite stories and fandoms. I like to light candles that invoke the spirit of whatever setting I am writing about. For example, for my Young Adult thriller SKI WEEKEND takes place in the mountains in winter so I would light candles with Christmas or wintery pine or rainy scents when I was writing it. My most recent Young Adult urban fantasy tentatively titled the SECOND KINGDOM takes place in the Underworld so I’ve been burning candles from the fantasy series A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES (which takes place in an imaginary faery town) and also spooky Halloween candles like my NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS candle.
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4. Blue tooth speaker or noise cancelling headphones
Sound or no sound, that is the question. Personally, I’m a writer who likes to write to music and I even make playlists that evoke the feeling of whatever I’m writing while I’m working on a book. I pick songs without lyrics and play them using my Amazon Alexa speaker, which I also use to track my writing sprints and set off alarms to let me know how long I’ve been writing for. Right now I’m really loving the TWILIGHT soundtrack– #TeamEdward—and you can listen to my current writing playlist HERE. But for those times when the house is too noisy or I decide to take a break from my home office and write outside or at the library or Starbucks, I use noise-cancelling headphones. This pair of rose gold headphones is my absolute favorite.
5. Coasters for coffee or tea
I like to alternate different teas while I’m writing depending on time of day (detox in the am, green tea when I need an extra kick, ginger if I’m feeling under the weather). Whether you drink coffee or tea, a fun way to take the creative inspiration up a notch and to also keep your desk clean and spill free is to invest in a cute coaster. I mix mine up depending on mood. A HARRY POTTER slytherin coaster for when I’m feeling feisty. My THE VAMPIRE DIARIES COASTER during Halloween. You get the picture.
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6. Pin/Cork Board
You want to go all out and make this space your own with positive vibes and inspirational reminders to keep you writing even when it’s tough to keep going. An inspiration board doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective; you can grab a plain old corkboard on Amazon or a more decorative one at Target. What’s important is to pin items that bring you joy. You can collect ideas for your novel, beautiful photos of places or people you love (including famous authors you look up to), or quotes that inspire you to write. I keep a mini version of my dream board on mine to keep me mindful of my goals for the year. Having an inspiration board does wonders in terms of reminding you of your greater purpose.
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7. Resources
A great way to stay inspired is to surround yourself with great works of literature. Reading a few passages from a favorite book can serve as inspiration so make sure to keep your favorite classics handy. You’ll also want to keep essential reference and guidebooks nearby like dictionaries, thesauruses, and writing guides. I picked up a special edition antique pink dictionary and thesaurus set at one of my favorite bookstores in New York called The Strand (pictured below) and it’s one of my favorite items in my office. A few of my top writing resources I highly recommend for your inspiring writing space are:
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8. Blue light blockers
Since you’ll be staring at the screen for hours, you’ll want to avoid blue light because it can interfere with your sleep, and good REM sleep is necessary to sustain creativity over time. If you wear prescription glasses, I highly recommend getting them fitted with blue light blocker lenses; if not, you can get a super cute and cheap pair of nonprescription glasses on Amazon. I have THESE GLASSES and love them!
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9. Multiple screens
This last trick I learned while practicing law for over a decade at a big New York law firm. Although not a necessity, having multiple screens can really boost productivity in so many ways. You can use one screen for your writing and the second screen can be dedicated to your outline and research. I like to create a storyboard for each of my manuscripts on Pinterest with photos of characters and settings for inspiration and then I keep this open on my second screen while writing for easy reference. With two monitors you don’t ever have to flip through screens or go back and forth on the monitoring, losing your place and your train of thought. Plus, having a second, bigger screen is great for the eyes!
Do you have any tips on creating an inspiring writing space? Post your comments below and let me know! For more writing tips, check out my post QUERY TIPS AND INTERVIEW WITH BOOK EDITOR AMY TIPTON.
