by Laura Lee Winger

Created on: November 11, 2010

Your environment and workspace can influence you more than you may think.  That is why it is important to decorate accordingly.  Specifically to motivate writing, you want your room to reflect your style, inspire you and let you focus. 

An organized room is a happy room.  Conversely, if your room is messy, it can distract from the task at hand.  The key to organizing isn't just cleaning or putting things in piles or on bookshelves; it is best to design the space around how you work.  If there are things you use regularly, don't stash those things away; this will cause you to be constantly retrieving them and, most likely, leaving them out.  Instead, put the things you use the most in a nearby, open location so you can easily retrieve them and put them away without distracting from your tasks.  For example, pens, pencils, and scissors can be put in a coffee mug rather than stashed in a box or a drawer.  Examine your habits and determine how to make it easier on yourself to keep things tidy and organized, and design the space around those principles.  This will help you focus and reduce distractions while you are writing.

Your tastes and preferences should naturally come through in the way you decorate, but don't leave it to haphazard chance.  Consider what your writing style is, or what you want it to be, and decorate the room to match that.  Think about what colors represent your writing style, what textures and fabrics you would expect to see in the homes of your target readers, and what decorative objects make sense and can facilitate your writing.  A globally-minded economics professor might have clocks on his wall for major cities and time zones around the world, big leather chairs and dark wood furnishings.  A trendy, tech-savvy teenager, by contrast, might have bright, bold color choices with modern furnishings, clean lines and soft textures.  So if you want to be an edgy, trendy writer, you would probably opt for the latter design style, with bold, contrasting designs.  If you are trying to reach more mature, sophisticated audiences, you're more likely to go with the classic design and darker colors.  Just be cautious not to overdo it in either direction; remember to contrast dark colors with light neutrals, or bright colors with dark neutrals to balance the room. 

Finally, find what inspires you and incorporate that into your décor.  Inspirational quotes

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