Your Writing Spaces: Give Me Pen, Paper and a Creek

This week, writer and prolific FYW commenter Deanna Schrayer shares her Writing Spaces with us, indoors and out.

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Working full time as an IT Administrative Assistant, and caring for my husband and two active, teenage sons, leaves me little time to write, but writing, and reading, is nearly all I do with that cherished time. For it is writing that glides me through this hectic life, it is writing that keeps me grounded.

In addition to writing essays, parenting articles, and more creative non-fiction, I contribute nostalgic pieces to a local newspaper. But I enjoy penning literary short fiction the most, for then I can become anyone I want.

Although I do have an office at home, which I use partially for the day job, and partially for creative release, (not only writing but also painting, sketching, scrapbooking… all sorts of crafting), I prefer to do the “real” writing outside.

‘Real’ Writing vs ‘Not-real’ Writing:

“Real” writing involves pen and paper, a relaxing atmosphere, and the discipline to prevent myself from editing; in other words, I don’t think, I just write. “Not-real” writing is nothing more than transcribing that which I produced during my “real” writing time. Editing is also done here, in my office, but I wouldn’t call editing “not-real” writing, for we all know it’s anything but!

That said, here is what my “not-real” writing space looks like:

This photo was taken shortly after I redecorated my office, which means it was before I unpacked the boxes and loaded said office down with books, magazines, notebooks, paper, and the odd inspirational, (some say eccentric), “stuff” such as a tambourine, a dream-catcher, a ribbon board filled with concert tickets and various photos, the symbol from a V-6 engine, (found in a creek), and more – even a Christmas tree decoration! Yes, I am a pack-rat, one of those who knows where everything is even if no one else could possibly understand how I could find something “in all that mess”.

Venturing Outdoors

When I want to “real”-write, I always head outdoors. I don’t care if the snow is blowing and it’s below freezing out, (in fact, I wrote a poem in the middle of a snowstorm, wrapped in a blanket sitting on my screened porch; that poem was published a couple of months later). That screened porch is my quick go-to writing space. My husband built it for me a few years ago when I made it known I needed my own space specifically for writing. When I’m on my porch with pen and notebook my family knows to leave me alone, (though of course that knowledge doesn’t always equal obedience, especially where my pets are concerned).

I don’t necessarily have to be on my porch for the “real” writing though; as long as I’m outside I’m happy. Some of my best work was developed at a few of my writing spaces away from home. My favorite is by the creek in the town I grew up in, about a half hour from where I live now. Obviously if we’re already in a relaxing atmosphere and don’t have to work so hard to block out the horrific racket of everyday life, our minds have more room to breathe, to create, to revel in the joy of transcribing our characters’ thoughts. I suppose it’s the peacefulness of the environment that relaxes me enough to allow that channel to open.

Here’s my favorite writing place at the creek:

See that big rock on the right? That’s where I perch (on a lap blanket my mom made for me), with pen and notebook. And here’s what I see from that rock:

Is that not gorgeous? The sound of that cold mountain water rushing over the rocks relaxes me to the point of a near-trance, allowing me to clearly hear what my characters are telling me. That trance is the feeling that gets me out of bed each day, and I look forward to many more.

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Are you lucky like Deanna to have a beautiful spot of nature to write in? Or do you hate writing outdoors? Please share your thoughts in the comments below. And please – write about your own Writing Spaces and send it our way!

Images courtesy of the author.