You’re seen the photos on Instagram. Cute desk spaces in neutrals with just a pop of color, an author’s laptop next to a latte in an indie coffee shop, an antique roll-top covered in flickering candles. You know, all those spaces where writing comes naturally, where the novelists and bloggers and bullet journalers sip hot mugs of inspiration while beautiful words flow from their fingertips.

Confession time:

I used to roll my eyes at those photos and pride myself on my ability to write anywhere, anytime, with any level of noise in the background. Busy university library? No problem. Neighbors having a party upstairs? Totally fine. And did I mention my desk looked like this:

Yeahhhhh. Could I write? Sure. But it was not great. In that environment, with my workspace being divided between writing, grad school, and online teaching, I did manage to keep up a busy freelance writing schedule and write my master’s dissertation. But I realized I was also opting to write on my bed a lot, which studies have shown is disruptive to sleep. Or, I’d set up at the kitchen table.

After a while, I realized that there was a connection between my desk looking scattered and my brain feeling scattered. Is that just me? Anyone else?

So then I started trying to set the mood. My writing time started with tea, a snack, and a Youtube music playlist.

But you know what? All that took time, which meant I had to spend effort and precious minutes to get going every time I wanted to write. Because I’m pretty sure my headphones were on an escape mission, and I spent too much time trying to find music I liked, and snack prep is a hobby all on its own.

Then I realized something: if I wanted to write, I needed to put myself in a chair and start typing words.

Environment does matter. But how much did it matter for me? And how much does it matter for you?

Finding a balance

Like everything in life, I think finding a writing environment– or any creating environment– is a balance. I think that atmosphere does matter to an extent. For example, I have a really hard time writing if I can see unfolded laundry from where I am sitting. My brain just jumps into that laundry pile and doesn’t want to come out until all the towels are all lined up in the hall closet. And when I can’t move my mouse very well because I keep bumping up against random piles of clutter, that’s not great, either.

But maybe don’t make a hobby out of curating a writing space. Unless you’re an interior designer. Or that’s what you really enjoy doing in your free time. But definitely don’t fixate on it as a way to procrastinate your writing work.

What works for me is a reasonably tidy desk and a glass of water. (Or a can of Bubly. Give me all the Bubly.) I also prefer to work when other people in the house are either gone or sleeping.

What works for me might not work for you. But here are some ways you can figure out your ideal, productive writing environment:

Declutter Your Desk

Do you need a dedicated writing space? I don’t, even though I have one, but maybe you do. Do you like the background noise of a coffee shop or the mall? Or do you prefer the quiet of your own home?

I think it’s helpful to learn to write in both kinds of spaces, but let’s talk about your own desk. Or table. Or coffee table. Or wherever you have space to write.

The most important part of a desk is that you can fit a laptop on it and sit at it and type. That’s all you need from a desk.

But it’s helpful if clutter isn’t driving you nuts.

One of my favorite bloggers, Rachel Norman from A Mother Far From Home, gave this tip in one of her newsletters: When you see something that needs to be done, just do it. Clean it up. Put it in the sink. File it. And keep a basket in every room where random stuff can go until you have time to put it where it belongs. Then, your space will always feel clean.

So I tried it. Wow. Ok. Mind blown. Maybe my mom was right all those years?

The result? A desk that is always reasonably tidy. At least, it never looks like a file cabinet exploded on top of it anymore. And even better, I no longer have to spend dedicated cleaning sessions for out-of-control pile-ups. Thus, more writing time!

Here’s what my desk looked like this morning, without any prepping for this photo. Not perfect, but definitely clean enough to focus well.

So here’s a question for you: How much clutter is too much for your brain? And how can you make some small lifestyle shifts to keep it at a manageable level?

Design Your Space

Unless you’re doing a lot of Zoom meetings and you need a nice background, this probably a nonessential. I mean, as far as putting pen to paper (metaphorically, of course, unless you’re one of those cool people who still handwrite their stuff), you don’t need your work area to look pretty.

I don’t need my area to be pretty. But I do like my area to look pretty. I didn’t care for a long time, but I think I shot myself in the foot by reading up on color theory and all that. So I added a snake plant, which makes me happy, and a vintage doily from my great-grandma and a couple of candles we had, and voila. Pretty desk.

If you’re really looking for productivity, if you want to finish that novel or write all your wedding thank-you notes or sketch out your memoirs for your kids, then this space is probably not something you should create for the sake of Instagram. You don’t want to spend all your time snapping photos and making reels when you should be writing.

If you like to do those things, don’t do it during your writing time. Block out your writing time and forbid yourself to so much as open your camera app or social media. Don’t water the plants or arrange the accent pieces at all during that time.

So here’s a question for you: Does the aesthetic of your writing space matter to you? What are some ways you can make it a happy place to be? Do you need to set boundaries for yourself so the visual appeal of your desk doesn’t take precedence over your writing?

Decide on Smells and Sounds

Smells and sounds seem to be an important part of the sensory experience of writing. At least if you take Instagram seriously. Come on– who really needs that many candles, Fancy Bookish Writer Lady With An Awesome Antique Inkwell? (Can you read the envy dripping from my laptop?)

But for real. I do find it intimidating when I see pictures of people writing by the light of candles with wax scented like the pages of antique books; in the background, I imagine a tuxedoed violinist drawing forth baroque masterpieces from the strings of his instrument…

And then there’s my house. Which smells like dog and old bananas. Unless the dishwasher is running, under which circumstances the kitchen smells strongly of Drain.

Actually, I have been doing better in the smell department, thanks to my oils diffuser. But I never really pay attention to the smell of my house when I’m writing.

The sounds, now… that used to take up a lot of my time. Searching for headphones, adjusting the volume. Skipping Youtube ads, searching for the right sound on my Amazon playlist. And boy, I can’t stand lyrics when I’m writing! Too distracting… skip that song.

At this point, I’ve just cut out music entirely. I might try again if I am writing an epic scene someday and need some video game music to inspire me. Because seriously. Video game music is amazing.

So here’s a question for you: Do you like to enhance your writing atmosphere with scents and/or music? Is it helpful to you, or is it distracting you from your real purpose: writing? If you want essential oils and a playlist but you find the prep cuts into your writing time, how can you streamline the process?

Plan your Food and Drink

As far as I can tell, there are two sides to problems with writing refreshments. One is getting in a bad habit of eating constantly while writing (hello, M&Ms!) and the other is forgetting to eat. Yeah, I do both.

My excuse for just not eating is that Albert Einstein forgot to eat lunch a lot and therefore it’s a sign of genius. My family would prefer my genius to be less crabby and lethargic.

At some point, I got into a bad routine of starting my work day immediately and not eating pretty much anything until the afternoon, at which point my blood sugar would plummet and I would grab some sugary snack to make it to dinner.

Please don’t tell me I’m an idiot, because I already know that.

Obviously, not eating is bad for your brain and you can’t do your best work if you’re starving. Or even if you’re munching on dry corn flakes all day to stave off hunger.

And substituting junk food is also not great, especially if you’re like me and feel like crap when you eat sugar or caffeine.

Having a child forced me to follow a better meal routine, thankfully. But I still have a lot of days when I don’t eat lunch and then snack on weird stuff in the afternoon while I write (stale marshmallows, anyone?).

What I find works for me is making myself a healthy meal and eating that while I write. Because I am going to write. I may or may not eat. So if I’m doing both at the same time, at least I won’t be a hangry monster by the time my husband gets home.

The flip side of not eating at all is snacking too much while writing. Which I also do a lot, a habit that started when I was trying to stop biting my nails (didn’t work, by the way).

I find that chewing gum helps, or having something without too much sugar to sip on, or making a air-popped popcorn to substitute for skittles. Actually, silly putty and other tactile toys can help, too, if the problem is being super kinesthetic and just needing something to fidget with in order to focus.

And then, of course, there’s the need to have a drink on hand while writing. I’m not a coffee drinker, so I don’t really get the whole coffee-lover thing.

I know, I know. Coffee is life. It flows in your veins. We can’t be friends anymore because I don’t drink coffee.

For whatever reason, I have better writing focus when I have something to drink. I like sparkling water or tea when I write. Fancy Starbucks frappes are also on my list of favorite writing companions. And obviously drinking water all day every day is good for the brain!

In my experience, the best way to eat or drink when writing is to plan what I’m going to have in advance. Then, I’m not hungry or thirsty, I’m not hopping up to go hunt through the pantry when I should be writing a scene, and I’m not sitting there thinking, “Ok, how many pieces of licorice did I just eat? I need to stop. I really need to stop.” I’m thinking about writing. Like I want to be.

So here’s a question for you: What are your food and drink habits while you write? Do they make you feel crappy? Do they distract you from writing? Do you need to create a better routine that will help you get more done and feel better in the process?

Here’s What It Comes Down To…

The point of writing is to write. Right?

I’ve found it’s good to assess what I’m doing every now and then to see if it’s working. Strip it down and see what I miss. See what is better off gone.

If you’re a writer, or a student, or a creator, or work a desk job, or whatever, why not assess this for yourself? What habits make you sharper, more productive? What makes you frustrated, slows you down, distracts you?

Everyone is different. Find what works for you, and do it. Do what helps you sit down. Open your laptop. And write.

And write.

And write.

🙂