Where do you work? Do you have an office space? Or a favorite spot on the couch? Is is quiet or in the middle of the chaos? I think it’s interesting to see where people work. So, I’m sharing my space with you today. Here’s where I work, what’s on my desk, and the books I keep handy when editing and writing.

I used to just sit on the bed and work, since my main work time is 7:00-10:00 at night when my boys go to bed. I like to be close to them in case they need me. But, I was having trouble turning off my mind when it was time to go to sleep. We decided I needed a desk. We put it in our bedroom since I still wanted to be near the boys. Now I have a nice corner office. I think Stephen King would approve.

“It starts with this: put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn’t in the middle of the room. Life isn’t a support system for art. It’s the other way around.” – Stephen King

This is what my desk looks like today. I took the laptop off so you could see everything around it. In the left corner, I have my phone, a prescription for my son James that’s on my to-do list today, and notes for the upcoming book Lee and I are writing. Then there’s a picture of Lee and me from ten years ago! I have pieces by Red Letter Words (“She knew who she was in Christ and she dared to dream BIG”) and Be Small Studios (a fall leaf that says “be loved’). I have two candles (honeysuckle and lavender vanilla).

The piece of wood has my university’s abbreviation and the picture next to it is of my best friend and me at her wedding (behind the flowers). I cut the irises that bloomed yesterday and brought them inside because they grow on the side of my house and I can’t enjoy them there as much as I can inside. My grandma grew lots of irises so they remind me of her.

On the desk this morning I also have a glass of water because I just took my medicine. I was diagnosed with pleurisy last week and apparently it can take three weeks to get over. The necklace I wore yesterday and my rings are also there, where I put them last night.

Behind those items, I have a picture of my sisters and me from my wedding, a mug with my favorite pens and pencils, and my calendar and writer’s notebook. I also have the questions from the Scene It Harry Potter board game (not sure why they are on my desk and not in the game box). On the bulletin board are pictures of friends, my boys, and my Compassion child. On the wall I also have my college and seminary diplomas and a bigger calendar.

These are the books I like to keep close so they are right there when I need them. (Amazon affiliate links used.) I use The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style and The Chicago Manual of Style most often. I also have a book of C. S. Lewis quotes, a book of poems, The Christian Writer’s Marker Guide, Wordsmithy by Douglas Wilson, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, Self Publishing by Erin Ulrich and Teri Lynne Underwood, the Usage Dictionary, a text book on editing, On Writing by Stephen King, the AP Stylebook, and Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon.

That’s my space! In the time it took me to write this post, I also added James’s cup, my camera, and the cord that connects the camera to the computer. The windows are open and I can hear Lee mowing the yard. James is hanging out on the bed with the iPad and David comes in to tell me a story every few minutes. My desk is in the corner of all the life going on around me, and it’s the perfect spot to write and edit.

Where do you write or create? What books to you keep close? Share in the comments!

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