Clearing a Space for Writing

Sometimes writing takes very little preparation. When a writing prompt for a piece of flash fiction pops up in my inbox from Figment, I open Word or Google Docs, type the first thing that pops into my head, save and submit or post. When I'm working my freelance content writing pieces I have to do a little research, check the style guides and make sure I'm meeting my deadlines. For things like National Novel Writing Month, sometimes even more prep work is needed.

This year for NaNoWriMo I am attempting to follow the Better Novel Project's master outline. I discussed in an earlier blog about some of the prep work to make sure my Scrivener document is ready for November but there is some other prep work I have yet to do.

Clearing actual space for writing. And no, I'm not talking about in my hard drive. I live in a small, 2 bedroom apartment. Most of the time I write while sitting on my recliner couch seat, my laptop on my lap and music or the TV on in the background. Typically my TV is tuned in to the Cleveland Indians or Netflix. The second bedroom in my home is full of stuff we don't actually have room for. I have zero storage in my home and the one car garage isn't attached so boxes of decorations or season things tend to wind up in this second room. Kind of like limbo. This year for NaNoWriMo I want to be able to sit at my actual desk with my actual books in an actual computer chair.

So I have 61 days to clear the extra junk out of that room and make the space for great, creative writing. Heck, maybe I will use the vintage typewriter hanging out back there to type a chapter or two just because.

Maybe if I'm brave enough I will post photos of my progress in the back bedroom, but only if you promise to NOT judge me for my horribly cluttered and messy spare room.