Office Space Without the Space

When I had images in my head of writers, I had elaborate fantasies of going to work for the day with a cup of coffee in hand and locking myself in a beautiful office, getting eight productive hours of quiet and penning epic novel after epic novel.

I'll wait while all the other authors out there stop laughing.

Don't worry. I'll wait.

Are you done yet?

Okay. So...yeah. I was wrong. Aside from the coffee, I don't have any of those things. A muse doesn't report for duty and punch a time card. And you don't magically have the funds and space to set aside to create an office with it's own separate room that holds all the most beautiful office supplies.

I know a few authors that have made their own personal haven to write in. Those authors have penned quite a few more novels than me. 

So with that in mind here's...

Roxy's must haves for writing when you have no office

1. Laptop Computer. 

This is an investment, and it's the only one that I find really worth it. I write in my living room on the couch, in my bedroom curled up in a chair I found for $15 at Goodwill, and at various places that won't kick me out while I hijack their WiFi. Having a portable computer, makes this possible. 

2. Ear buds. 

Drowning out the noise of my house or the priests behind me working over their next weeks' sermons is VITAL when writing double penetration. I have my favorite songs cued up and blasting in my ears to keep all the outside noise at bay. And yes. I really did write a DP scene next to some priests. I am totally going to hell.

3. A Clean House

When I work from home, those cobwebs on the ceiling never seem more vital than when I have to work through a round of rough edits. I think my husband would prefer to always have me editing because I find things that HAVE to be cleaned immediately when there's edit work in my inbox. If my house isn't clean and I know I have to work...well...that's why the laptop computer is important. (See #1)

4. An Old Kindle (Kindle Keyboard, and 1st Gen Touch work)

One of the things I've heard over and over again is that you're supposed to read your work out loud. And I agree. Having to say the words you've written on the page, lets you see where a sentence is too long, because you run out of breath before the end of it. Too many of those and you'll pass out, and nobody wants that to happen when alcohol isn't involved. 

When you don't have an office, reading about "cock" and "pussy" while kids throw french fries on the floor of a restaurant is generally frowned upon. Although to be fair, so is the throwing of food, but I'd be the one to get tossed out on my ass. I use a feature on my Kindle called TTS (Text To Speech). This device reads my story to me in a monotonous robotic voice and the missed words or improper spelling jumps out.  I swear my kindle practically moans the word "Fuck". Yes. I've corrupted my e-reader.

5. Motivation

The biggest thing I've discovered in this business...no one is going to do the work for you. Finishing that first draft, doing your edits, and doing that terrifying first submission. ALL that's on you. So I make up motivators. If I write 500 more words, I get a candy bar. If I finish these edits, I get beer. If I finish this post, I get to dance in my bedroom to Pizza Balls.

Huh. What do you know? I get my reward. :D

Yes. I have issues. No. I don't care. Bass.

Do you have any work-arounds for small space living?

~Roxy

To find Roxy's books with buy links and what she has coming up next check out her website at RoxyRocksMe.com


And if you do have an office, remember it's good for things other than work! Check out my short story that takes place in an office supply store bathroom. Lots of fun things can happen When the Lights Go Out.

 

Blurb:

Named after the date of her conception, April Prime was used to hiding away and avoiding the world on April Fools' Day. Or at the very least avoiding her parents who tended to celebrate the holiday very differently from the rest of the world.

This year would be different. This year she closed on a home, and was taking control of her life. A few hiccups had her headed to an office supply store in search of moving supplies. Crashing through a bathroom door, she stumbled on a bit more than she expected when mister tall, dark, and indisposed was already using the facilities.

Taylor James was stuck being the brunt of yet another round of April Fools' pranks. One of them being a change of the bathroom door signs. He went to work knowing he'd have to navigate a mine field. What he didn't expect was a woman bursting in on him only to send his head spinning.

Despite the scenery, April is ready to make a red-faced retreat. That's when a car crash knocks out the power to everything inside the store, including the electronic locks.

By the glow of the emergency flood light the two realize they may be stuck for a long while. April and Taylor could wait out the inconvenience in silence, or they could capture a moment together, and just maybe find something special when the lights go out.

Warning: Sex in the dark may lead to orgasms and head injury.

Buy it on Amazon HERE!