Let George be George and you be you. But since I always have an opinion, I'll say this: you seem to know what you like, and what you like is that kitchen table. Productivity is a result of mindset and motivation, not location. I have a home office to write in, but 90 percent of the time you'll find me in the living room or elsewhere. I like to move around. If I had to heat a shed and traipse outside in the cold to use it, I wouldn't. So I guess be realistic about your habits and you'll have your answer. And think of all the writing time you'd lose while building the thing!
All that said, I understand the appeal of that perfect little private place; I've salivated over plenty of them. But if I had one, I bet I'd still bounce around the house.
Sage advice, Cheryl. Thank you. This is precisely the kind of assurance I needed. And. I love this:
"Productivity is a result of mindset and motivation, not location."
True true true. It's about feeling good when you sit down to write. Getting bundled up for a short and cold walk through the snow in the dead of winter might leave me feeling less than good, especially when I realize I left the coffee inside.
Your anecdote is helpful and fun to imagine. I'm seeing timelapse footage of you writing. Suddenly she's there, then there, then there. I like that.
Thank you for your wisdom! I think it's true that writing sheds are perhaps more fun to think about than to actually have and use. So far, I've no complaints to report regarding my sturdy kitchen table.
Don’t know how I could forget to mention it, but I built a backyard shed at my house in California. With too many people crowded into a small house, it made sense. Loved the idea; had fun fixing it up. Never used it. 🙂
I have always wanted a shed, but realistically unless it was of good construction, and warm in winter it would probably be counter productive. It’s probably just a romantic notion, unless there is nowhere else to write that allows concentration.
I think you're right, Roland. Romantic notion indeed. Maybe better as a thought than a reality. Something to write about, but not write in. And you're right about construction. It would need to be, basically, a tiny house. Which is a lot. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. You've given me a lot to think about!
Current favourite place to get any writing done is in a classroom where I work, as soon as I kick the students out I close that door and take advantage of the place. Also get stuff done in the school library, but have to listen to music through earphones because the sound of whispering drives me fucking insane. I could kill.
Ah, the empty classroom seems great for writing. Classrooms, made for many minds thinking at once. When those minds are gone, yours fills the empty space. Love it.
Thanks, Kris. Still considering it. But started to think, if it ain't broke. Kitchen table has been a sturdy companion thus far.
Love that, Steve. No they do not! The story is inspiring for me too. Mostly, I wonder: if there was a running meter on my Google Docs, would I be more prolific? Or just poorer? Or both?
If you were still living in California, I'd say give it a try (the weather would be warmer year round). Maybe a prefab plastic SheShed that Grace can use for crafts if it doesn't work out for you. I also like using a room that feels very Zen, filled with things that relax you and encourages your creativity. OR, just stick with the kitchen table! Maybe put another table in there to eat at!
I love this. You're right. In the midwest, things will be a bit more difficult. For sure I will need a heater. And in the summer, I will at least need a fan and some big windows.
I'll have to look into prefabs. That's a good idea. And, that's true, if it doesn't work out, grace could use it, or it might serve as a little bunk for adventurous guests.
I like the Zen idea. I need to do something with that three-windowed room, even if it's not used much. Right now, I use to listen to music and play with my turntables. I have a few moody lights in there. But it needs more sprucing up. Maybe then I'll want to spend more time in there.
For now, I'm happy at my kitchen table :)
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I hope all is well!
I have a shed in the back garden but I wouldn't want to write in there. It's full of spiders for one thing and I think that would put me off. Also, there are various garden tools and unwanted bits of furniture and so it has a certain atmosphere ... I like to write by hand first, in a notebook and as that is portable I can write anywhere in the house. But not in the shed!
Thanks, E. Yeah, that does not sound particularly pleasant at all. This is one of the challenges. Were I to do this, I'd basically need to erect a tiny house. For now, my kitchen table is doing the job. Thanks to advice like yours and others, I think I'll stay right here. Have a great day :) :)
Kitchen table for me every time - and the flavour of your post, Matt, tells me that deep-down you might even feel the same!
I had a shed - actually a succession of them - for a past hobby, and that was wonderful... for a bit. And then it became an effort. I find to do the thing that I love I need convenience above all things, and my shed was a barrier to allowing me the depth of enjoyment I deserved. Kitchen table, however - well, that was just THERE. Next to the kettle. And with plenty of space, without isolation.
And sheds - gosh, think of the earwigs! And woodlice! And moths! And the trip back to the house in the dark just to have a pee?
(Seriously though, sheds have their place. I'm not dissing sheds in general. But a shed, dear Reader, is not for me.)
Fantastic, an ex-shed user has entered the chat! Loved hearing your anecdote. It meshes with what I imagine might happen if I built the shed a.k.a. I would use it briefly then abandon it. And totally agree on the good vibes of the kitchen table -- there's just something about it.
Your comment about bugs? That might have sealed the deal for me. I hadn't even considered that (them?), which was a very Californian thing of me to do. I live in Illinois now. Bugs are definitely a thing, and not one that I want to have to deal with more than I already do.
It doesn't help, either, that I try not to kill bugs whenever possible. For every bug, a mission to get them back to someplace where they belong begins. Doesn't sound productive for writing, exactly.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Have a great weekend :) :)
I'm a bug-rescuer, too! It's a VERY time-consuming pursuit though when you'd prefer to be busy doing the stuff you're actually IN the shed to do.
I rest my case! ; )
I think there's a desire in all our lives for a creative space, and as I said before, I'm not against sheds! But I like that I've set aside a small place in my small home to write. That has the added bonus of allowing me to remain connected and engaged with a space that I know, where I feel secure, AND which delights in proximity to the kettle. Because tea is a creativity support system of its own, right?
Thanks, Romana!!! Appreciate the thoughtful comment. You're right. Mostly, I'm only kidding. Mostly. But it is fun to wonder about the process of other writers, then pick and choose the things that may work for you. We shall see. Again, thanks. Have a great day.
Let George be George and you be you. But since I always have an opinion, I'll say this: you seem to know what you like, and what you like is that kitchen table. Productivity is a result of mindset and motivation, not location. I have a home office to write in, but 90 percent of the time you'll find me in the living room or elsewhere. I like to move around. If I had to heat a shed and traipse outside in the cold to use it, I wouldn't. So I guess be realistic about your habits and you'll have your answer. And think of all the writing time you'd lose while building the thing!
All that said, I understand the appeal of that perfect little private place; I've salivated over plenty of them. But if I had one, I bet I'd still bounce around the house.
Sage advice, Cheryl. Thank you. This is precisely the kind of assurance I needed. And. I love this:
"Productivity is a result of mindset and motivation, not location."
True true true. It's about feeling good when you sit down to write. Getting bundled up for a short and cold walk through the snow in the dead of winter might leave me feeling less than good, especially when I realize I left the coffee inside.
Your anecdote is helpful and fun to imagine. I'm seeing timelapse footage of you writing. Suddenly she's there, then there, then there. I like that.
Thank you for your wisdom! I think it's true that writing sheds are perhaps more fun to think about than to actually have and use. So far, I've no complaints to report regarding my sturdy kitchen table.
Have a great weekend :) :)
Don’t know how I could forget to mention it, but I built a backyard shed at my house in California. With too many people crowded into a small house, it made sense. Loved the idea; had fun fixing it up. Never used it. 🙂
I have always wanted a shed, but realistically unless it was of good construction, and warm in winter it would probably be counter productive. It’s probably just a romantic notion, unless there is nowhere else to write that allows concentration.
I think you're right, Roland. Romantic notion indeed. Maybe better as a thought than a reality. Something to write about, but not write in. And you're right about construction. It would need to be, basically, a tiny house. Which is a lot. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. You've given me a lot to think about!
I'd love a writing shed!
Current favourite place to get any writing done is in a classroom where I work, as soon as I kick the students out I close that door and take advantage of the place. Also get stuff done in the school library, but have to listen to music through earphones because the sound of whispering drives me fucking insane. I could kill.
If you want a shed, go for it!
Ah, the empty classroom seems great for writing. Classrooms, made for many minds thinking at once. When those minds are gone, yours fills the empty space. Love it.
Thanks, Kris. Still considering it. But started to think, if it ain't broke. Kitchen table has been a sturdy companion thus far.
Bradbury anecdote is inspiring. Lifespans don't come with a return receipt.
Love that, Steve. No they do not! The story is inspiring for me too. Mostly, I wonder: if there was a running meter on my Google Docs, would I be more prolific? Or just poorer? Or both?
I'd reply at length, but I gotta squeeze in some writing! 🙏
If you were still living in California, I'd say give it a try (the weather would be warmer year round). Maybe a prefab plastic SheShed that Grace can use for crafts if it doesn't work out for you. I also like using a room that feels very Zen, filled with things that relax you and encourages your creativity. OR, just stick with the kitchen table! Maybe put another table in there to eat at!
I love this. You're right. In the midwest, things will be a bit more difficult. For sure I will need a heater. And in the summer, I will at least need a fan and some big windows.
I'll have to look into prefabs. That's a good idea. And, that's true, if it doesn't work out, grace could use it, or it might serve as a little bunk for adventurous guests.
I like the Zen idea. I need to do something with that three-windowed room, even if it's not used much. Right now, I use to listen to music and play with my turntables. I have a few moody lights in there. But it needs more sprucing up. Maybe then I'll want to spend more time in there.
For now, I'm happy at my kitchen table :)
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I hope all is well!
I have a shed in the back garden but I wouldn't want to write in there. It's full of spiders for one thing and I think that would put me off. Also, there are various garden tools and unwanted bits of furniture and so it has a certain atmosphere ... I like to write by hand first, in a notebook and as that is portable I can write anywhere in the house. But not in the shed!
Thanks, E. Yeah, that does not sound particularly pleasant at all. This is one of the challenges. Were I to do this, I'd basically need to erect a tiny house. For now, my kitchen table is doing the job. Thanks to advice like yours and others, I think I'll stay right here. Have a great day :) :)
Kitchen table for me every time - and the flavour of your post, Matt, tells me that deep-down you might even feel the same!
I had a shed - actually a succession of them - for a past hobby, and that was wonderful... for a bit. And then it became an effort. I find to do the thing that I love I need convenience above all things, and my shed was a barrier to allowing me the depth of enjoyment I deserved. Kitchen table, however - well, that was just THERE. Next to the kettle. And with plenty of space, without isolation.
And sheds - gosh, think of the earwigs! And woodlice! And moths! And the trip back to the house in the dark just to have a pee?
(Seriously though, sheds have their place. I'm not dissing sheds in general. But a shed, dear Reader, is not for me.)
Fantastic, an ex-shed user has entered the chat! Loved hearing your anecdote. It meshes with what I imagine might happen if I built the shed a.k.a. I would use it briefly then abandon it. And totally agree on the good vibes of the kitchen table -- there's just something about it.
Your comment about bugs? That might have sealed the deal for me. I hadn't even considered that (them?), which was a very Californian thing of me to do. I live in Illinois now. Bugs are definitely a thing, and not one that I want to have to deal with more than I already do.
It doesn't help, either, that I try not to kill bugs whenever possible. For every bug, a mission to get them back to someplace where they belong begins. Doesn't sound productive for writing, exactly.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Have a great weekend :) :)
I'm a bug-rescuer, too! It's a VERY time-consuming pursuit though when you'd prefer to be busy doing the stuff you're actually IN the shed to do.
I rest my case! ; )
I think there's a desire in all our lives for a creative space, and as I said before, I'm not against sheds! But I like that I've set aside a small place in my small home to write. That has the added bonus of allowing me to remain connected and engaged with a space that I know, where I feel secure, AND which delights in proximity to the kettle. Because tea is a creativity support system of its own, right?
Love it, Rebecca. Thank you.
The tea thing? Agreed. Except for me it's black coffee. Probably not as healthy, but hey.
You are your own person. Don’t be a copycat or next you would be copying their writing style too. Matt, stay Matt.
Thanks, Romana!!! Appreciate the thoughtful comment. You're right. Mostly, I'm only kidding. Mostly. But it is fun to wonder about the process of other writers, then pick and choose the things that may work for you. We shall see. Again, thanks. Have a great day.
I enjoy your sarcasm and was thinking of copycat serial killers and they all have sheds too.