Photo Credit: S. R. Karfelt |
It is humid outside, it’s been thunderstorming today. There
is a smoky grey haze hanging over the low slung hills in the distance. I can’t
quit looking out the window at that skyline. Know why? Because I have a window!
My last novel was written sans windows. I started to write Warrior of the Ages
after it dropped into my head via migraine express, like a meteor on a sore
toe. (Hey, it’s my head I get to pick the metaphors.) Space is at premium at my
house. It was an upgrade when I went from writing with a pencil on spiral
notebooks, sitting at the edge of my bed, to writing on a dilapidated laptop, sitting on a wooden bench with a tablemate, so not ergonomic –
either of those. I do not recommend them. Eventually I scored a desk – oh happy
day – crammed into a windowless corner of my bedroom. That is all you really need,
a bit of space and a bit of time to write your novel.
Still a girl can dream about bookcases, file cabinets, table
space, and windows.
Warrior of the Ages by S. R. Karfelt |
Five and a half years later the novel is published and out in the world, and a room in my house opened up as if by plan. Just a few weeks
before my novel’s debut, with all the hype and release parties approaching,
Dear Hubby and I attacked that bedroom for a remodel. It took over a week of just
scraping carpet glue off concrete flooring before hardwood could be installed.
Soft yellow paint replaced dark man cave colors on the walls. It has been a
couple of weeks, and I still enter this room with a sense of awe. I. Have. An.
Office.
S. R. Karfelt's office Desk and Reading Couch |
Just like a real writer.
Now all I need to do is start writing in it. A blog is an
excellent place to start.
Do you dream of a room of your own? What would you do with
it if you had it? Or if you do have it, what did you do with it?
I do have a room of my own. It's called the Scriptorium, after a place of inspiration in my novels. It's all soft blues and whites with a zebra print ottoman for flair. I wrote the YA trilogy in there, but when I started the post apocalyptic dark The Glory Train, the room was too soft and pretty. I couldn't get into the swing in there. So I went to hunching over a netbook in whatever cramped and uncomfortable place I could find. That got old really fast. Now, I write from my work desk between cases in my day job. But I am in a phase of edits, rewrites and revisions so I don't need to draw much inspiration from my surroundings, the settings are all ready there. They just need tweaking. I am really looking forward to a time when I can write from imagination again. I miss it.
ReplyDeleteSo, my iMac is in a corner of my kitchen, and it's my dream spot. We have an office, with a desk, and a window, but I couldn't handle it in there because nothing happened. I thrive by working around life, so I like it when my dogs run past, my husband walks around naked (duh) and the mailman interrupts my writing.
ReplyDeleteIf it's too quiet, I will get about as much typing done as I would with my hands tied together behind my back.
So, I'm in my dream office right now :)
LaDonna - Very interesting that you needed something gloomy for Glory Train...
ReplyDeleteKatie - What is it with husbands? Mine too! Does he worry that the mailman will ring the bell while he's out there (if you know what I mean)? Nope.
ReplyDeleteI'm SO jealous! But terribly happy for you!!! It's beautiful! :D
ReplyDeleteI'm still reverent about this space, Linnette. It delights me every time I step inside. Now I never want to stop writing and go to sleep!
ReplyDelete