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Rabia Gale

alchemical fantasy

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a space of my own

In this house, I have a desk. My own desk, to fill with my stuff and my stuff only–coupons and catalogs, cardboard rectangles for a school art project, grocery fliers, writing notes, recipes, and cards of all kinds (index cards, postcards, thank- you cards).

In our old house, this used to be our desk. I did a massive revision of Quartz at this desk, manuscript pages and index cards all over the place. Then my husband got a different job and ended up working from home for six months and it became his desk. I don’t begrudge him that at all, because the alternative would’ve been him working and living in Virginia while the kids and I stayed in Vermont. But it did mean that my laptop and I were floaters, sometimes curling up together on the couch or rocking in the glider or working on my bed. None of those places were conducive to work, though. I fear I procrastinated more than I produced.

Then we moved, and this desk–this lovely heavy cherry-and-ash beauty–couldn’t make the trip upstairs into the hideaway room my husband’s chosen for his home office. So he has another desk, and I have this one all to myself. It’s in a great location, off the kitchen, near the school room, in a place from which I can keep an eye on my kidlings when they’re outside, and nowhere near my bedroom. When I sit down at it, my brain thinks “WORK.” I still procrastinate, but it doesn’t happen here quite as much.

So, I’ve been organizing and planning, thinking and writing, adjusting my attitude and breathing fresh air into stale ideas.

Links:

Liana Mir introduced me to M. C. A. Hogarth’s work, especially her Three Micahs articles about being an artist-entrepreneur.

Through M. C. A. Hogarth’s LJ, I found Elizabeth McCoy’s Herb-Witch/Herb-Wife duology, which I’m enjoying a great deal. It’s the kind of fantasy I don’t often see: small-scale, tightly-focused on a few (okay, two) characters, with intense and yet slow-growing relationships.

Joel Friedlander on Seth Godin’s Poke the Box: A great article on doubt and fear, on committing to a project and then sending it out into the world.

On a more practical note, The Notebooking Fairy has some great tips on what to put in a homeschooling mom’s notebook. Ooooh, I so want one now!

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Filed Under: inspiration, personal, writing process

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Comments

  1. Megan says

    March 20, 2012 at 10:04 am

    It means so much to have the right desk and workspace. I find that just having that space that’s mine helps SO much in putting me in the right mental space to get writing done.

    Reply
    • Rabia says

      March 22, 2012 at 3:38 pm

      I’m happy to just have *one*, whether it’s quite right or not. πŸ˜€ I’m sure I’ll settle into it and change it to suit me.

      Reply
  2. dkoren says

    March 20, 2012 at 10:53 am

    That sounds perfect, in just the right location in the house. I need to revisit my own home’s productive spaces, as my work desk/home desk are one and the same and I think I need a separate space to write at. The work desk has too many 8-5 connotations, not creative.

    Reply
    • Rabia says

      March 22, 2012 at 3:38 pm

      I agree.

      Reply
  3. Alina Sayre says

    March 22, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    Sounds like a lovely place! When you’re working from home, sometimes it’s so difficult to distinguish between procrastination and production spaces, and that desk sure sounds like productivity to me. Keep up the writing!

    Reply
    • Rabia says

      March 22, 2012 at 3:39 pm

      Thanks, Alina. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  4. Prue says

    March 23, 2012 at 12:52 pm

    Your desk sounds lovely – cherry and ash is an unusual combination. It’s in a great place too. It’s good to have your own desk space! I hope you write many wonderful words there πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Rabia says

      March 23, 2012 at 3:40 pm

      Thanks, Prue! I’m revising a lot, at least, anyway. πŸ™‚

      Reply

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