Home-Schooling Writer: Finding a Place to Write
With all of the demands of home-schooling how does someone take on the career of writing? My last two posts have dealt with this issue. I talked about how planning your writing in one way or another, depending on your process, gets you started in the right direction. Then I gave suggestions on how to carve out time in an anything-but-routine schedule.
This post deals with finding a place to do that writing.
Find a Spot
I had this wonderful office. Closeable door, desk AND a large table, story board, stereo, bookshelves. Ahhhh. Then my dear boy moved home for his senior year in college to save up as much money as possible. Well, I’m all over that, and proud of his decision to break from the fun lifestyle of having his own place to follow a more responsible course.
Unfortunately bringing my dear boy home required a fond adieu to my comfortable office. The bookshelves went to my daughters’ workspace and filled with scrap-books. The boy put the stereo to use. The story board went into storage, the desk and table as well found a home in the garage. Even had to store my foot warmer and my ergonomic chair. Wahhh!
Oh, wait. Sorry, I had my own little pity party there for a second. The point is, I lost that office back in June, but I’ve finished two new books since then.
I adjusted and found a place to write. Sweet hubby bought me a great recliner when I had back trouble a few months ago. It has become my new “office.” The table next to it has a magazine rack on the front to hold whatever books I’m using at the moment along with my Bible, an empty notebook, and my Ipad. My laptop stores well between the crack of the end-table and the chair.
The family room isn’t always convenient though. If the TV comes on or I’m in a crunch where I must have solitude, I’ve set up my bedroom with all of my craft books and a reading lamp. With the right amount of pillows, my bed becomes my “office” in a pinch. Though not ideal, I can make it work as long as it’s relatively quiet.
I have a writing friend who puts her laptop on her kitchen table and writes sitting next to her kids. Another one sits on her closed-in back porch after dinner when her hubby has kid time. As long as her sliding door is closed, they leave her alone. And yet another homeschooling mom takes a couple of hours in the morning, before her husband leaves for work, and sets up at the nearby Starbucks. She gleans even more inspiration by being surrounded by potential characters.
Truth be told, as long as you can carve out the time to write, then finding a place to write can adjusted to the needs of the moment.
Your turn: Where do you prefer to write?
