Author Ruth O’Leary on how she loves having carved out a dedicated space that has become her writing corner . . .
When I started writing short stories over ten years ago, I worked at the kitchen table in between school runs and mealtimes. The front room of our house was a playroom for our three boys and their friends.
As they grew, the playroom then became the games room, home to PlayStation and Xbox machines. I managed to carve out a small space for an old, unused desk and pushed it against a bookcase. That became my writing corner; a space for notebooks, stationery, pens, and post-it notes with a single word or a sentence of an idea, written on them. Having a dedicated space for writing material meant that I had no excuse not to sit down there before the noise of Call of Duty and Halo filled the house.
Those days are gone now, and my boys have grown up, so the space in the front room could be reconfigured again.
Writers Ink
After New Year’s Eve 2019, instead of giving things up for the new year, I read an article by Marie Kondo about resolving to do more of what you love for the new year ahead. I knew I wanted to write more and learn more about the writing process and the writing industry.
A simple Google search brought me to the Writing.ie website and news of a new challenge that was starting for the online group Writers Ink. As I read about the group, I knew it was exactly what I had been looking for: a community where I could learn, be mentored, and commit to doing what brought me joy: more writing.
To support this, I reconfigured the front room and took myself to IKEA, where I bought a large office desk and a supportive chair. The room is now officially “the office,” with my desk positioned under the front window, facing out onto the street.
To my right sits a printer and a shelf holding all the stationery I need. Next to that, a bookcase contains books on writing, novels published by my fellow Writers Ink members, and, to my absolute delight, copies of my own published books.
Grateful to have the space
I’m so grateful to have the space now for a flip chart that I use to plot out stories and attach different coloured flash cards that represent the different characters in the story I am working on. On a corkboard, I have printed images of celebrities or actors who I think look like the characters I am currently writing about.
When I get an idea for a book, the characters usually come first. So, for example, for my latest book, The Last Week Of Him, I had an image in my head of three women receiving the same WhatsApp message at the same time but in three different countries.
I then imagined what they looked like and printed off those images. I chose Juliana Morre for Nora, Helene Bonham Carter for Fern, and Annette Bening for Clo. The message shocks them and has them return to their hometown of Belmullet in Northwest Mayo. So I also printed out photos of the location and what kind of house they might stay in.
For the men they encounter, I had pictures of Mark Ruffalo, Paul Mescal, Aidan Quinn, and Keanu Reeves on my wall for about six months, which made for a very temporary wallpaper!
I find having the flip chart stand with flash cards attached showing the bullet points of each chapter very useful. With one look, I get a birds-eye view of the story. The different coloured cards let me know if I have too many chapters about one character and not enough of another.
The Space to Visualise
I try to write a chapter, which is approximately one thousand words, every day when working on a first draft. The purpose of the first draft is to get the story onto the page. At this stage, you are telling yourself the story. Even if you are a plotter, something you thought would work in chapter 33, for example, may not work when you come to write it down or type it out, so things change all the time. Having the space to be able to visually see where the chapters sit is very useful when things don’t work out as you planned.
I love my writing space. Some writers love to write in cafes or public places like hotel reception areas, but I personally find that too distracting. I like to write in the quiet with just the activity of the house in the background. And if I need to pause while I work out an idea, I just stare out the window at the activity on my Dublin suburban cul-de-sac.
The playroom that once housed playpens and buggies, and later echoed with noisy teenagers and Xbox games, is now my place to daydream and to come up with new story ideas under the watchful eyes of Aidan, Paul, Mark, and Keanu!
(c) Ruth O’Leary
About A Week to Remember by Ruth O’Leary:
When Strangers Collide, Lives Are Forever Altered.
Paula
Paula has an anxiety attack at her 60th birthday party and realises that her life must change. While her friends are settling into retirement, she craves adventure. Then a shock discovery forces her to question everything she thought was sure in her life.
Rachel
Rachel is about to go into business with boyfriend Craig when he betrays her in the worst way possible. She is desperate to get away and figure out how to move forward. Can she forgive and forget, in order to have everything she has dreamed of?
Cathy
Cathy’s world is turned upside down by a life-altering event. Struggling with her feelings, she sets out to follow in the footsteps of her favourite film, The Way, hoping to find the courage to plan a new life free from fear.
As the three women set out on journeys of healing and self-discovery, on the ancient path of the Camino de Santiago, fate causes their paths to cross. Will the Camino provide the answers they seek and the strength to pursue the lives they desire?
Order your copy of A Week to Remember online here.
And see here for more from Ruth on Writing.ie.
