What’s Over YOUR Writing Spot?

My writing spot happens to be a desk.

Oh, I might open my laptop while sitting at the kitchen table, or outside on the deck, or even in my HUGE comfy chair when the Braves are on TV. But serious creative thinking and/or writing goes on at my desk (despite what the Beneficent Mr. Hall may say). So, it’s there, above and around my desk, where I’ve posted stuff to inspire, amuse, prod or cajole me into writing brilliance.

As I just posted my latest calendar sheet of the month, I thought I’d share. Because this simple tool (courtesy of The Verb ezine, from the genius of ReadingWriters) has made me even more brilliant (again, despite what the Beneficent Mr. Hall may say).

What I love about the calendar is that I can see, at a glance, the entire month. I can map out projects I want to tackle, making a workable time table. I check off a goal as I go-or circle a project I didn’t get to and add it to the next month. By the end of the month, my pretty little calendar sheet might be a mess. But I’m always surprised at how much I’ve accomplished. What can I say? There’s just something about goals staring me in the face every day that motivates and/or guilts me .

Plus, I always get a kick out of those monthly quotes. So, if you’re having trouble organizing your writing goals, you might want to try this simple (and did I mention totally free?) calendar, still available here for download.

I’ll share more “stuff over my writing spot” soon, and I’d love to hear about something over YOUR writing spot. Hahahaha! (Sorry-I just noticed one of my comic strips up there. Those Pearls Before Swine guys always make me laugh.)

14 thoughts on “What’s Over YOUR Writing Spot?”

Hey Miss Cathy C! Love this post, because it shows, once again, how similar we are!! I, too, pin a plain, B&W, free, calendar page right up over "my spot" and that's where I attempt to keep track of things!! The one I have doesn't have the cool quotes on it, though, so I may have to get yours. But, I also have inspirational quotes, photos, notes to myself as in: BREATHE-WRITE-HAVE FUN!…etc!!

My workstation is in the corner of my kitchen. Surrounding me is family art: my late dad's photographs and drawings, my mom's needlepoint, a painting my sister did. And at just above eye level (to my left) is a small cartoon that I clipped from The New Yorker years ago. The artist, BEK – uses thick lines to render fairly primitive figures and in this cartoon there's a guru type sitting atop a flat mesa (I guess that's what I should call it). At his feet and at the edge of the mesa is a businessman in an office chair. The businessman has a look of needful curiosity, and the guru is saying this: "You do the hokeypokey and you turn yourself around — that's what it's all about."

Maybe it's one of those "separated at birth" things for us!? 🙂 (BTW, I always love the quotes you put on your blog posts!)Katie, I used the New Yorker desk calendar for five years, so I know exactly who BEK is. I used to cut out my fave cartoons at the end of the year-hmmm. I may even have one over my writing spot. Your spot sounds very conducive to writing brilliance! (P.S. Thanks for the laugh 🙂

Directly above my spot is…nothing. A blank blue wall faces me over my laptop. I find it easier to focus and fall into my story without things to distract me. However, I do have lots of things around me – cartoons, cards and notes from my husband, photos, books, etc. I love my cozy, little office! :)By the way, Cathy, I did a blog post where I mention your Smories contest!

It's so interesting to me, how writers get in the zone. I suppose the junk around me become like white space, and I don't even see it half the time!(But music? I don't understand those writers who write with music on-I can't help singing (loudly) along!)P.S. You are a PEACH for mentioning my smorie! And I've already hopped over there to tell you so! 🙂

I can't stand to see a verb being so disagreeable! That should be BECOMES. The excitement of your plug, Madeline, must have scared off the "s."

My laptop is on a stand next to my desk and printer in our guest room. I have a bulletin board above my laptop with ooh-gobs of things stuck on it–mostly family pics, but also writerly stuff I don't want to lose, and a cut out cartoon here and there. Next to the bb is a 60 day planner, the plastic kind that works with dry erase markers. That way I can see submission deadlines for a month ahead. Music while I'm writing? No can do. When I was a kid I needed quiet to do my homework, too.

Oooh, I love those dry erase boards, too! I had one when I moved my office to Juniorette's room-then she kicked me out. Hey. What the heck happened to that dry erase board?

Mine is exactly the same as yours! I love how organized you are with the calendar.

Hey Cathy! Thanks for letting me know you like my blog quotes! (I really like 'em, too!)Also, as far as the music goes….I have the play list on my blog, but I have to mute it whenever I write…anything!! It's just there for anyone to listen to, including myself, when I'm NOT writing!! 🙂

Where would we be without our calendars? Everything goes on mine along with specifics such as e-mails, contact names. Makes for a great place to keep information. Where and when did I do that event? It's all there! I have quotes scattered all around my computer and also good fortune from those cookies.

Oh, Clara! I save fortunes, too! (The good ones. :-)I have a notebook where I save the holepunched calendars. The next year, I check the previous year's calendar-it's REALLY handy for contests!

Unfortunately, my writing space is in a room where my husband has all his athletic High School and College trophies from THIRTY years ago! So his accomplishments stare me in the face as I'm writing. But I use them to spur me on. One day, I'll put my Pulitzer over there. Ahem. Is the Pulitzer an actual trophy?Arlene Walker