As soon as I started writing, I had to write more. It was in my blood. But I’m a busy person, so the question became when and where do I write?

Do you have a local coffee shop or maybe even a home office to write in? When I hear writers (and readers), talking about chilling at their favorite coffee shop, I’ll admit, I get jealous. For one, that they have the option to. As a busy mom in a small town, I have two things working against me. There are very few places to go (there isn’t even a Starbucks in my county!), and it’s hard to get away. So, I spent months in search of a place that fit!

After attempting to write in local coffee shops (Too many people!), almost every room of my house (too much noise), and outside (too much weather), I found my classroom office to be just right. But only if no one is around. There is almost nothing worse than being in the zone while writing, immersed in a world that only exists in my head, and getting interrupted. At home, my husband will watch the kids so I can tuck in bed and write for hours, worry free. At my classroom office in the summer, the same applies, plus I can blast my music and eat junk food. I try to do a balance of these two locations.

Have you found places you just can’t function? For me that is around my kids. All I can do it watch them. I even attempted a writer retreat, by taking my kids to an in-laws house where they would be cared for while I wrote. Except, I worried about them and checked on them constantly because I could hear them. I ended up doing more reading than writing because it was easier to pause! If there is a place or situation where you can’t write, don’t try to write there. You’ll just be frustrated and it will not work creatively.

Can you write on anything and add it later? I can’t. I have never written a single word from my books  or plots on paper. I type it all. That means I need my laptop. Another limitation. The only exception is that I sometimes record ideas with a voice recorder app.  Sometimes I don’t even need to listen to it back, just the act of recording it helps cement the idea. The weirdest part is listening to my ideas from weeks or months before! I can hear how excited or tired I was. Whether it is post-its or a voice recorder, find a way to get ideas down when they come!

Do you have a “just right” place for writing (or reading, drawing, plotting, etc.)? Finding that space may not be the most important part of your creative process, but it is highly influential on your output. Wherever your time or place, do what works for you!