The kitchen table allows me to mimic still being social. It gives the illusion I am participating in the real world even when I am far away in either one of my historical romances or my paranormal realm. The upside to writing here is I can multitask. I write awhile and wash some dishes. Write some more fold a load of laundry or straighten up a room. This area is not really ideal for serious “can’t be interrupted” writing, because my OCD kicks in and if I can see it needs done, it bugs the hell out of me. This area has also been ideal for housebreaking the new addition to our household, Bear. He’s so used to me sitting in my chair at the table; he learned rather quickly how to inform me he needed to go out the backdoor behind me J
Now my office is my happy place. I could hide away in there for days and never come out. I painted it pink and garnet for the sole reason no one else would want to use this room J Okay so it is peaceful colors for me, also.
The dressers I use as file cabinets, sort of the camouflage of the room. It gives me a lot of storage space for all those papers that would otherwise be cluttering up my writing space and kicking my OCD in the ass.
As you can see from the pics my exercise equipment is also a part of my office area. This is part of my new ‘me’ routine and something to help keep me energized and my mind sharp (this is what I tell myself anyway, LOL).
I love working in my office because it gives me that escape from all else in life. I can hide away from any clutter remaining downstairs when I slack on housework to work on my novels. Out of sight out of mind, right?!?
Everything in my office is easy access, such as a dry erase calendar to help me keep track of what happens on what days. My datebook is my mobile tracker, going from downstairs to upstairs with my laptop J Corkboards for posting little notes on scenes, characters, reminders, anything that I don’t want to lose.
I keep my vision board on the wall directly across from my desk, so when I look up I am reminded of what I need to accomplish for the year and therefore get back to work. The posters of my book covers line the walls, in hopes one day I will have so many book covers there will NOT be enough space to hold them all J This also helps keep me pounding away at the keyboard. The memory of where this all began and where it has lead me.
In the file drawer of my desk I keep a blue binder with the very first copy of The Cheyenne Bride (It was called Valley of Love in those days). On those self-doubt days I pull it out, open it up, and read the horrifying writing that once made up my world. When I see how far I’ve come since that very first day, I realize I can do this.
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