From garage to library but not in one easy lesson.

A few years ago when my creaking knees were making such a noise that my children  thought I should move downstairs and have my study there. The only problem was where it could be. It’s a problem a lot of writers face at some time or other, when we find we need more space or a different venue. We solved my problem by nicking half the double garage and the rather useless space that had been left between the garage and the house and building a brand new room there. Total bedlam whilst it was being built of course, but we’ll gloss over that. Once it was done and the books were all on their shelves it became the workplace I knew I’d always needed.

I had book shelves built on both sides of the room and a desk running the length of the room with plenty of space, as you can see, for such necessities as tea, coffee, tins of chocolates, phones, ipads and such like and two large windows one at either end of the room so that I got plenty of light. The cats were all for it. They had a sunlit window each and I had all my books warming the walls.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It needed all my machines to furnish it completely and a picture of my three children above my computer where I could see them all every day, after all they were the ones who dreamed it up and planned it and carried all the books downstairs and arranged them neatly and in order, where they stayed for at least 24 hours.

I can’t say it’s tidy but then work rooms very rarely are, it’s against their nature – and mine! Books have a life of their own and it isn’t just a shelf life. They have a tendency to wander when I’m not looking and pile themselves up in any other space they can find. I think they like being cosy together.

I start work at around 5 in the morning, I’m fully awake by then and it seems pointless to stay in bed when the current novel is roaring in my head and my library is waiting is patiently for me, in its organised, dis-organised way. As Mr Punch used to say, “That’s the way to do it.”

Good luck to any of my writing friends who are building themselves a work room. You’ll love it when it’s done. I can guarantee.