‘Me, the Work, in a Room’ – Anthony Gormley

This morning a writer friend sent me link to writing routines.com -‘an arts and culture podcast for writers… where we chat to some of the world’s most successful authors, and find out how they work.’

I get this, there is definitely a fascination for knowing how a writer works, what their day and space may look like. It’s a question I’m often asked. It comes in various forms – Do you write every day? Where and when? How many words? etc. ‘How do you find time to do the housework?’ Yes this question was actually put to a friend, a well established writer, a woman of course…

I often feel that my answer to these questions is something of a disappointment as I really have few routines though I have no problem in getting to the page. And there is a big part of me that relishes the singular experience of writing, as Anthony Gormley puts it, ‘Me, the work, in a room.’

But listening to the podcast makes me realise that like every writer I have my own way of doing things – for instance unlike Anthony McGowan I cannot write surrounded by mess. I’m not ultra tidy either but I like some negative space on my desk and around me. How my room looks and feels is important as I spend so much time in it.

Currently it houses my online lockdown exhibition of collaged postcards, strung about the place, as well as flowers and bags and books and hats! There’s very little to indicate what I’m writing now, although there is a poem above my desk and a quote below it. My room, (‘A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction,’ Virginia Woolf) – I sometimes I call it my study, is the place where I write most, in the good weather I write in the garden too. Out of Lockdown, I love a bit of cafe writing in the city .

Anyone who knows me or who has read Going In With Flowers, will know how important windows are to me – after 25 years working in prison, windows are a must. My room has a big window which this time of year is full of trees.

The podcasts do much more than take this peek inside the writer’s space and daily life. They discuss process, where ideas come from, how characters develop, plot, structure etc. as I often do here. As such they are really valuable, great listening for aspiring writers and for the nosey among us who love to know how others do it.

More of my writing process itself, another time – for now here is my desk – new iPad Air (first ever Mac, still getting used to it) with larger screen behind for when my eyes get tired, super wifi mouse- present from my son, mouse mat from a picture of the family together in France, red timer to save my back and stop me sitting too long in one position, glass flower paperweight present from my daughter many moons ago, now faded. Notebooks, from Sainsbury’s – I’m transcribing from them onto the screen, Viginia Woolf bookmark treasured present from a friend, a box of mini notebooks from my daughter’s stationery range, an inspirational quote to keep me going – ‘Moment’s that announce themselves as your subject are rare and there’s a magic to them. ‘ Dani Shapiro – this reminds me not to give up but to believe in the subject, keep writing and see it through.