How to create the perfect environment to encourage creativity in writing

Any writer will tell ya that the environment in which you write can have an impact on your work.

The right view can inspire you to write the most beautiful prose. Or, the quiet of a city at nights can give you the brain space necessary to decipher complex plot points.

You don’t have to have a private writing space in your house or a hideaway in the mountains to create great work. You can make your writing space more comfortable by arranging your desk and adjusting the lighting.

Writing is all about listening to your inspiration, and taking your time when it stops.

As a writer, one thing you can control is to create the right environment for your creativity to shine. We asked writers, poets, and authors about their work environment and their top tips for creating an inspiring and calm space.

Fiona Williams

Writer and Author

It was difficult for me to set up a regular writing schedule as a working parent with two school-aged kids. I have learned to make the most of my time and to keep a record of what I do on my phone. I never know when inspiration might strike.

I don’t have one place where I can write. The whole house is available for sale. I’ve been known to bring my notebook into the bathtub.

My favorite spot is at the kitchen counter, where I can hide my laptop among the chaos of family life. You can easily access the kettle and fridge, which is where you will find snacks and herbal teas. When I need absolute quiet, I retreat to my bedroom’s corner and use the small writing desk. It isn’t the most luxurious, and it can get very cold in winter. However, it’s where I’m least likely to be disturbed.

I know that many people prefer to listen to music while they write, but I prefer silence so that I can hear my thoughts clearly. I enjoy reading aloud my writing every once in a while. HearThe rhythm and fluidity of each sentence. My writing style is lyrical, and I enjoy creating sentences that read well and sound good.

I don’t have a specific time to write. Sometimes I jump out of bed with an idea burning in my head and want to get it down before anyone else wakes up. If I don’t move quickly, the idea can easily become lost forever.

Sometimes, I will find myself awake well after midnight, wrapped in my dressing gown, and tapping away on my keyboard. I can easily lose myself in the flow of it if I am really in the moment.

I believe it is important not to be limited by a particular space, or routine. Keeping it fluid and spontaneous means I can still write anywhere I want, even when the kids are demanding food, fighting underfoot, and the TVs on high volume.

However, I often fantasize about having a dedicated writing area or study with large windows, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, and tons more plants.

Araba Ofori-Acquah

Wellness expert, writer, and poet

Physical:For me, the energy of the space is more important than the physical location. I love to write by the sea or in the natural world, but most of the time I am indoors at my dining table.

It doesn’t matter where I go, I need to be able to relax. My writing ritual (meditation, then invocation) helps me relax. I also burn Sandalwood incense to help me focus. I prefer silence but I can still focus on the task at hand.

Mental: Meditation before writing is a great way to get in the right mindset. I set my phone to Do Not Disturb so that only m writing tabs are open. No email, WhatsApp, etc.

I’m not good at taking breaks, so I just use them when I need them. I use this time to go for a walk, refill my water, and reset my intention.

Spiritual:Depending on the content of what I write, I invoke my higher soul and my Ancestors to guide or pray for me.

I always have an intention. What is my reason for writing? What message do you want to send?

E.L. Johnson

I need somewhere quiet and out of the way, but where I can still turn on my music and get in the zone. I set up shop in my kitchen by setting up a small, folding table and chairs from the early 20th-century.

If I’m transcribing my notes on my tablet, I will only have my mobile, laptop, notepad, and pen. Otherwise, I’ll have a cup Ceylon tea and M&Ms to go.

To keep it safe, I will often hide my phone behind the laptop so that I don’t get distracted by games.

Sometimes, to help me get into the mindset of writing historical mysteries I’ll place my antique-style candlestick and candle on the table. If Im trying to figure out plots and what scenes should occur when, I’ll cover the table in sticky notes.

Natural light is my best option. I sit in front of a window so I can see the sky and trees. However, I do use the kitchen light when it is dark or rainy. I also sat next to a heater that I covered with magnets so that I am warm in winter.

The outdoors reminds me to include the passage of seasons and time in my novels. All the little details are important.

Music is an important part of my writing mood. It all depends on what genre I write. I use Soundcloud and Spotify to help me with short stories in fantasy or sci-fi. When the background music is beautiful and atmospheric, it’s easy to write about swordfights and witch-hunters.

Similar to this, I have at most two Spotify playlists that I listen to non-stop while writing my latest historical mystery book.

I like to open the window to hear the birds, or the vacuum cleaner or other mundane sounds in my home.

I do, however, write in my bedroom. I am surrounded by elements that inspire me.

My laptop is the only one that fits the small diskspace. But there are books everywhere. My niece and nephew have created pictures for me and I need notebooks to write down my thoughts. All of these things are important to me.

I also have an extra pencil case that must be replenished because the gremlins like to nick my pen on a regular basis (or they keep losing them).

I read somewhere that a messy workspace encourages creativity.

Bonny Brooks

If you’re not independent wealthy, writing won’t pay you enough.

It is great if your children have left home by the time you start out. Many freelance writers have to work to the blares of traffic and the local eccentric, who wanders their street screaming obscenities while their pants are drying three-feet away from their desk.

It would be amazing if you could live an uber boji lifestyle. However this would require you to be a writer in the 50s. The internet was born, so if youre looking for all the trappings, you have three options. You can either be born well, marry well or get struck by lightning. (Yes, earplugs.

Identify your most creative moment of the day and protect it. I find the morning to be a great time to do my best creative work. There is something about being awake after a night of sleep, feeling more in touch with my subconscious and less distracted by the noises of the world and the newsfeed.

To that end, I now try to not look at my phone or email more than an hour after getting up.

Neema Khan

Sometimes, it can be difficult to create the right writing conditions.

My debut novel was written while I was working full-time. I allowed myself to write whenever and wherever I wanted. My commute to work meant that I wrote the majority of my first draft while on my phone.

The only thing I didn’t need was my noise cancelling headphones.

Saima Mir