Where do you write?

Where do you write?

I’m wondering because I’ve wanted a writing room in my house for years. I do have a room we call “the office” at home, but it really is more of a glorified closet now than a room where work could get done. Especially creative work.

If you opened the door on “my office” at home right now, you’d find stacks and stacks of junk mail waiting to be sorted, a kitty litter box needed to be cleaned, and general stashes of kids’ school assignments, packages of batteries and maybe a few old socks. The chair and work surface of the desk are completely covered with stuff. Not a good place to retreat for writing.

Sigh.

(Of course, most of the stuff is stuff I put there…so I have no one to blame but myself!)

Sometimes I write on the couch in the living room. It is generally quiet there, especially in the evenings, and there is room for the dog and one cat to curl up next to me. But there isn’t a good place to set a cup of tea or coffee.

Sometimes it is the kitchen table. Excellent on beautiful days when the windows are open and I can turn on the family room stereo. Not so excellent when kids are tromping in and out, tapping me on the shoulder asking for snacks, or when my husband is in one of his “MUST SMOKE MEAT” moods when smoke streams steadily through those open windows and just makes my eyes water. But…there is certainly space on that big kitchen table for my coffee!

I have a big easy chair in my bedroom, and that has been a great site for writing a chapter here or there. It is nap-worthy, though…that chair.

See? Every place I try to write, there are distractions a-plenty! Even today. I’m sitting in my local Panera with a pecan twist and a cup o’joe. Instead of pounding out this great scene in my head – one that involves a cross-dressing warlock who sings showtunes – I find myself entirely distracted by the three little old ladies sitting at the next table. They’re arguing about whether or not it was Hitler who started the tradition of the flaming torch for the Olympics.

I mean really? Google it, people!

And just let me write!

So…where do you write? Leave me a comment, suggestion or other thought and I’ll throw your name in the drawing for a “travelling copy” of The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner. (As always, the Carpe Keyboard rules apply – I’ll announce the winner here on CK on Sunday, June 26, 2011. If the winner doesn’t reply to me with their snail mail address within one week of the drawing, I’ll put the book back in my give away stack for a different drawing.)