There's no one "right" place to write ... but the physical space you have for your writing can make a huge difference to how easy it is (or not) to sit down and write.

Most of my freelance work is done from my home office. This space works really well for me. It's only a little room, but I can fit in a good-sized desk with two monitors. That lets me have research tabs open on one screen while writing on another ... and it not only speeds me up, it means I'm less likely to get distracted clicking between things.

But my fiction writing happens in a completely different space: downstairs at the kitchen table. When I'm writing fiction, I work on my laptop. And I have one specific spot at the table: at the far end, by the window, with the curtain drawn behind me. I can see the whole room (we have an open plan kitchen/diner/living room) but no one can see my screen ... which is how I like it when I'm writing.

In both my workspaces, I have plenty of room for a mug of tea within reach. I also have two sets of identical headphones, one upstairs, one downstairs. At first, that seemed a little wasteful ... but I quickly realised that having to go up/down for my headphones made it harder to settle to writing.

What about you? Is your writing space working for you?

If it isn't, what could you change?

You might not have much space, or much control over your space, but these may be some things you can tweak:

• The amount of clutter in your space. I don't really notice clutter once I'm actually writing, but it can distract me when I'm getting started.
• How your chair is positioned. If, like me, you don't like to write if someone might catch a glimpse of your screen, can you reposition your chair and computer?
• How comfortable your chair is. You might not be able to afford a high-end desk chair, but how about adding a small cushion to your chair for better lumbar support? I sit on an exercise ball (Swiss ball) for a few hours each day while freelancing. It's far more comfortable than you might think! I bought it for about £15 eight years ago and it's still going strong, with just an occasional re-inflation.
• Any items that encourage or inspire you when you're writing. Some writers like to light a candle, or have a little plushy or mascot. You might have a special notebook, a pen, a favorite mug, or even something practical like a fiddle toy that helps you focus.
• The lighting in your space. Could you use a lamp for better lighting, or even simply tweak the brightness setting on your monitor?
• How warm you are in your space. That might mean turning on the heating ... or putting on a fan. Alternatively, add/remove a layer: I usually keep my dressing gown (robe) to hand, along with my fuzzy socks. Being too cold (or too hot) can really interfere with your concentration.
• The sound levels in your space. Turn off the TV or anything distracting you. If there's a lot of background noise (or you can't turn off / turn down the noise ... I wish my kids had a volume control!) then try headphones so you can at least be in control of the sounds you're hearing.

None of these are big things. Most of them would take less than a minute to address. But being comfortable in your writing space, both physically and emotionally, can make a big difference to how long you write for.

If you'd like more help designing or improving your writing space, check out the Supercharge Your Writing Environment guide. It's packed with tips to help, including tips on tricky circumstances like having very little space available at home.

Happy writing,

Ali

P.S. If you missed this week's blog post, you can find it here:

How to Write When ... You Feel Discouraged