Set Up a Writer's Office
Create a Work Space That Boosts Productivity and Enjoyment
A freelance writing career has many challenges, but your office doesn't have to be one of those challenges
How do you work? Not how do you get ideas, research, write, but what is the physical space in which you work? Do you have a fully-equipped desk in a fully equipped home (or outside) office? Do you crouch at a corner of the kitchen table and have to clear away your computer, books and research three times a day? Do you balance your laptop on your lap while sitting in the living room and watching television from the corner of your eye?
Where you write will go a long way towards ensuring that your freelance day is productive or frustrating. Here are some tips for creating a work space that will help to make your writing day more professional and satisfying.
The Basics
- A desk or writing table that is just for you and your writing.
- A comfortable chair. A better quality office chair, that can be adjusted for height, and has a comfortable seat and back is worth the investment.
- A good desk lamp or other source of light.
- A computer, whether desktop or laptop; in our electronic world, a computer is a must. If your computer is a laptop, consider purchasing a full-sized keyboard, plug in or wireless, and a mouse for those writing hours.
- Internet access; high speed may once have been considered an ‘extra’, but it’s such a time and stress saver that it’s now a ‘basic’ for many writers.
- A reliable email account.
- A telephone; if you send and receive a lot of faxes, consider having a separate fax line.
- A filing system for leads, article ideas, expense and payment records, receipts (for taxes).
- Basic office supplies such as pens, paper, post-it notes, paper clips, thumb tacks and a bulletin board (or markers and a white board), for quick notes or inspirational words, a stapler.
- A fax, printer, scanner, and copy machine. Get all of these in one machine that will take up much less desk space and provide you with everything you need at your fingertips.
- A reference bookcase because, although you may do a lot of research online, you will want to have a reference bookcase. Start with a good dictionary, a general reference book, and a style guide. Read about two other must have books in: A Writing Guide For Every Desk, and A Writer's Journey Through Loss. Add to your reference library gradually, as a terrific book is published and as your business growth demands particular volumes.
The Extras
Depending on your working style, here are some possible ‘extras’ to improve the quality of your writing day.
- Music - some writers require silence when they write, while others work well with music in the background.
- Nice things to look at such as family photos, art posters, a calendar, a view out the window, unless these would be a distraction, in which case you might want to position your desk to face a blank wall.
- A coffee or tea making machine, and a snack cabinet, to cut down on treks from desk to kitchen for ‘a little something.'
