Alas, poor study…

~ Annalisa Crawford

I live in a three-bedroom house – or as I like to call it, a two-bedroom house with study. Sometimes it’s my study, sometimes it’s a bedroom. With the imminent return of my eldest from university, today it’s a study, tomorrow it will be a bedroom again.

  • Old Study
  • The Place Where My New Desk Will Be

These four walls have seen two novel contracts signed, several short stories published, and a lot of Facebook procrastination. I knew it was temporary – I didn’t even hang my pictures on the wall properly, I just stuck them wherever there were already hooks – but it’s surprising how quickly two years fly by, isn’t it? I hate to think how quickly another two will slide past me.

Last time I had to vacate my study, back in 2011, I sat on the sofa in my living room and wrote in front of the TV, which – to be honest – isn’t the most productive way to work. I did, however, write my story collection You. I. Us. there, as well as a few other short stories, and… Actually, yeah, not so productive.

Which is why this time, I’m setting up in my bedroom instead. With a new book in early draft form, and another out next year, I can’t write on my lap anymore – I need space to make a lot of mess and talk to myself or read aloud. I need to pull funny faces to figure out the perfect expression for my character. I need to hide away and not be distracted by yet another episode of Death in Paradise.

Don’t get me wrong, it will be wonderful to have my son home again, and it’s a fantastic excuse to buy a new desk. I’m not really complaining. Well, just a little 🙂

If you work from home, what’s your set-up like? What would your dream work space look like?

10 thoughts on “Alas, poor study…”

  1. Hi Annalisa – you’ll enjoy having him home … yet of course there’ll be the disruption (minor – I expect) … but your bedroom sounds idea – quiet and away from the kitchen. Well done on all you do with your books and stories … take care and enjoy the welcome back tomorrow!! Enjoy buying a new desk too … take care – Hilary

    Liked by 1 person

  2. change is always tricky and then it works for the best. Especially a shuffle at home. We rearranged a lot back in Feb and I love it. I bet there are even better books and award winning stories to come from your new desk area. Enjoy! (and good luck to your son – I’m sure he’s not necessarily thrilled to be coming back home either, but he’s not alone as a boomerang youth)

    Like

    1. We always planned he’d be coming home – I just didn’t realise how quickly time would fly.

      I’m sitting at my new desk now, and I think it’ll be okay… once I figure out where to put all the stuff! There’s so much stuff 😦

      Like

  3. I tried setting up a writing space in the small bedroom but it got took over my daughter for her accountancy studies when she lived at home. She’s moved out now so I guess I could try again. Mainly I use the kitchen table at the moment! Your new space sounds good, hope it inspires you to many more stories.

    Like

    1. I think having a dedicated space really helps me get into work mode. It helps knowing I can keep my pages open at a certain spot and it’ll be waiting for me when I return. If you’ve got the room there, I say go for it!

      Like

  4. I’m fortunate to have a ‘proper’ office. I do share it with my husband, but we have our own desks and mostly it works very well (especially now he has headphones!). To be honest though, I don’t think it’s made me more productive than I was in my previous smaller home where I wrote on a corner of a table.

    Like

    1. The only thing I’m going to miss is having everything to hand – all my extra folders, reference books, etc. But, I am now able to collapse dramatically on my bed whenever my writing is going badly.

      Unfortunately I have a very clear view of the road, the people passing by, the queue at the shop, which is very distracting – especially when they catch my eye and wave! So, swings and roundabouts 🙂

      Like

  5. I’m so weird that I sit on the carpeted floor of my living room instead of my office, which doesn’t get nearly enough use. I have a desk and office chair in there too. But I like the sunlight and, somehow, sitting on the floor. We do what we do, and we keep publishing anyway.

    May your new study space see at least as much success and productivity as your last.
    Be well, Annalisa. Enjoy the new space.

    Like

    1. Thanks Robyn.

      I like sitting on the floor – it’s where I always seem to end up when I host family gatherings – but I also fidget and get uncomfortable very quickly. I’d spend far too much time fussing. It’s good you’ve got a space that’s perfect for you.

      Like

Comments are closed.