It is important to create a writing space for your book. Although it is possible to do any mental activity in the same room at home, it is not recommended.
Have you ever tried studying on the bed? If yes, you will certainly have noticed that instead of reading you get sleepy and are easy prey for distractions. It also ruins your sleep.
If the kitchen table is the place to eat and the bed in the room is for sleeping, studying or in this case writing, a dedicated space is needed.
Often even a desk is enough, the important thing is that you make it clear to yourself that that place is dedicated to just that. In this case to ‘mental activities’.
This, according to many psychologists, will help you not to waste time and to be more productive.
Having a space dedicated to writing will greatly increase your creativity, especially if you follow the advice in this article.
I will explain how to create a writing space that inspires you and helps you complete your manuscripts.
Writing a book is an arduous task even though writers tackle it with courage, which is why new ways to incite creative productivity are always welcome.
* This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a commission from purchases made through links, there will be no extra cost for you. Learn more on my private policy page. *
No mess
Let us start with a very important part that should not be underestimated. Writers, and artists in general, on average, are a very messy lot.
S t may be that a lot of our energies are devoted more to our inner space than to our outer space, but nevertheless we often find ourselves buried in a sea of papers, books, pens and whatever else we have around.
I too cannot exactly call myself tidy (especially if you look at my desk) but I still cannot close my eyes to the evidence.
In fact, the few times I have sat at my desk after tidying it up, I have noticed a surge of productivity.
They say that the space you live in reflects the space in your mind and vice versa. And I cannot deny how true that is. When I find myself in a neat and tidy writing space, I am also able to tidy up my thoughts and pour them onto the paper more easily.
I have never seen anyone say that an uncluttered space has been detrimental to their work, instead the opposite is seen all the time.
I therefore advise you to try it out, tidy up and with intention avoid making a mess right away.
See if this has any effect on you, if it does not change anything, you can always go back to your comfort system. But try it out!
Light, light, light!
Another thing I have noticed that helps me so much to chase away laziness is sunlight.
Although I love the peace of the night, having a well-lit workplace improves my day and fills me with positive thoughts.
This has a lot of scientific basis, as you well know the sun has extraordinary effects on our bodies and our hormones.
Even just a daily walk can improve our lives and chase away bad thoughts.
This cannot be underestimated in the business field. Whether you have an office or just a desk in your room, open the windows wide and allow the fresh air to fill your lungs.
It will make you more productive and you will have a more positive outlook on life that will be reflected in your writing.
Find phrases that inspires you
I have already mentioned this in a few articles but I will mention it again here, one of the things that inspires me to write every day are the encouragements I read.
Above my desk I have attached to a cork board phrases and pictures that inspire me to write my book.
Some are phrases from writers, others simple statements found on the web, but they help a lot.
For example I have this sentence by Neil Gaiman:
“If you give nothing, then when the day is over, nothing is all you will have gained”.
It helps me a lot every day because it reminds me that my life is in my hands and nobody else’s. My achievements and losses are mine, I decide what to do with them.
And the only way to build something with the time I have been given is to take action.
Especially for us writers, there is always some phrase, some quote that can stir our souls and remind us what we want. Putting your favourite phrases in front of you in your workplace will help you enormously to find the courage to go on, beyond all the difficulties
Using pins is the most comfortable way I have found to keep both sheets and pictures in front of me.
The other option would be scotch tape and it doesn’t look so good.
If you want to do as I do, you can find the pins here and the cork board here.
If you don’t have any phrases that inspire you Pinterest is a gold mine, find the perfect thing for you, print it out and use it for your creative writing space.
No distractions
There is one annoying thing that keeps stopping new stories from being born. That nags our days by taking up all our time and leaves us tired, sad and without energy.
That’s right, the internet.
The internet is a joy and a doom for many reasons. It has enabled the emergence of new jobs, made information much more accessible than it used to be and allows us to communicate with every part of the world.
The list of benefits is very long, but like everything, these positives also bring with them negatives. In fact, the web has now taken over our lives.
Since the pandemic and the Tiktok boom, our attention span has dropped considerably and with it our productivity. It is easy and quick to get on the phone and watch a few videos, but it is very difficult to get away from them.
All of this is common knowledge but it is only right to remember it.
Even when I definitely have things to do, for example I absolutely have to publish an article for the blog, or take care of Pinterest, work or write for the book. Whatever I have on my to-do list disappears from my mind the moment I open a social media outlet.
And the fact that it happens to everyone is no coincidence, social media, their composition, is designed with the aim of keeping us on the platform as long as possible. Psychologists and graphic designers have sat down and looked for ways to lure us into a cage from which we don’t want to escape.
So if you really want to know how to finish your book in a short time, you have to follow what I am about to tell you.
In this century we are now with our phones constantly in our hands and it will probably get worse. I am not going to tell you to stop using your phone and social media, you would laugh in my face and I with you.
But while you are working get any distractions out of the way. Look for what distracts you and remove it from your field of vision
Turn up the volume on your phone (you need to hear it in case of emergencies) and put it away from you, or rather, in another room.
If you work on the computer, only open the tab you need to write and nothing else.
If you need a background while writing your book, choose before opening youtube what video you want to put on and put it immediately without reading anything on the home page.
I assure you that if your brain has no stimulus other than a blank sheet of paper to fill in, it will focus on that.
Start the day with 5 things you like about yourself
This last point does not refer to creating a physically stimulating writing space but relates more to the mental aspect.
You can decorate your writing space with plants, candles, flowers and phrases.
But in the end, to be really productive in your writing, you have to feel good enough to give space for your creativity.
One of the things that will really help you a lot in your literary journey is self-love.
Writing a book is not even the most complicated part, after you have done it you have to see if a possible publisher or simple reader likes it. Rejections are very normal in publishing and you have to believe in yourself enough not to let a ‘no’ stop you.
You cannot write a book if you are constantly nagged by doubts, before becoming a writer you must be the first to believe in your work.
Now that we understand how important it is to be ampre towards yourself, in all areas of your life, let’s get to the point. Affirmations have depopulated in recent years as a method to reprogram your brain and improve your life.
In our heads we constantly bombard ourselves with judgements and reproaches.
We treat ourselves as our own worst enemy. If you had the reins of your life in your hands would you leave them to someone who hates you?
Do you think something positive would come out of it? I don’t think so.
In order to build the life you want, in order to become a best-selling writer, you have to believe in your success even before it happens.
Affirmations, even five said every day, can change your life. Say out loud why you love yourself and why you love your art. Why you love writing and why you know your writing is valuable. Treat yourself well and life will smile on you.
Now my friends, I bid you farewell because although I follow the advice I give you on productivity, after hours of work it is right to disconnect a little. Never self-exploit, a break is always beneficial.
If you liked this article follow the blog on Pinterest so you don’t miss out on new articles and subscribe to the newsletter to have a nice writer constantly reminding you to write. Now get off google and go be a productive artist, happy writing!
Related articles
If you liked this article, you may also find the following articles helpful:
5 Unique Websites To Improve Your Writing Now
How to make money writing online + Red Flags To Watch For
How To Write More interesting scenes that capture the reader (5 things you are doing wrong)
