A Room of One’s Own

Shoshana Kobrin
2 min readAug 9, 2021
Samantha Gades Unsplash

In an essay first published on October 24, 1929, Virginia Woolf states, “A woman must have money and a room of her own…”

I agree with her about a space for writing. Whether you are writing a novel, a memoir, short stories, or non-fiction, you need a dedicated place to work from. One where you can be productive, creative, and work without distractions.

Perhaps you have a dedicated room to convert into your home office. If you don’t have that luxury, a corner of a living room or bedroom, or even a kitchen table will do. When you turn your nook into your unique writing space, your work will feel more like play

Add a plant. Adding a plant to your writing space can increase your ability to relax and be creative. Many studies show that simply looking at a plant reduces stress.

Leave your space in “ready mode” each day. Nothing induces procrastination more than a messy area requiring cleaning before you can get to work. Prime yourself for the task ahead by creating a ritual. Light a candle, do some stretching, prepare your mind and body.

Be sure to make yourself comfortable. Since I’m always cold, I wrap myself in my wooly throw and place a hot water bottle at my feet!

Protect your time. Unplug. Don’t succumb to the blandishments of web surfing. No texting, no email, no Facebook or Twittering, no Instagram. Turn off the iPhone until your writing stint is over.

Sitting for a long time increases pain and stiffness. Writers spend a lot of their time sitting. It’s up to you to decide how long to sit and when to take your breaks. Set the alarm for 25 minutes or so. Stand up, stretch, flex your fingers, and hold your palms over your eyes to relax them. Try a cup of ginger or chamomile tea. (I like plain hot water!)

You’ll be amazed how having your own space increases your fulfillment and productivity. You’ll get into the flow of your words and produce inspiring work.

Go to www.shoshanakobrin.net for writing help, editing, and online writing workshops.

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Shoshana Kobrin
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Shoshana Kobrin is a writing coach, editing consultant, and author. She gives writing workshops, individual consultations and is available for presentations.