Writer's Room 9

I Ialways loved seeing writer's rooms in The Guardian, but many are expensive looking rooms, some look like they've had interior designers and are in very nice buildings. It's a lovely daydream to see them, but the reality for most writers is very different. I like posting people's little spaces here because it seems to honour all writers, the ones who might not be famous, most likely aren't rich, but they write and create their own space for it where they can. I love their dedication. I love that they will write where they can find the space to. I admire people who can write with kitchen rolls around them or in alcoves.

The reality of the country we are living in is money is tight. I hope this sees us stepping away from a keeping up with the Jones's mentality. Those interior design shows have had their day. I love that writer's rooms all seem to be less about design than comfort. They seem to be the one place we can put away the guilt borne from Anthea Turner type shows about being tidy and keeping our possessions tucked out of sight. Newsflash Anthea- it's our house, our stuff, why do we have to hide anything? In the writer's room we seem to let it all hang out- and why not? It's the one little place we've carved out to be our selves in creativity.

This writer had two desks. One looks like it is very well organised with easy access to journals and books. It looks like a space of academic work, maybe writing papers, producing teaching materials or working on articles. There is still a hint of the creative and playful in the colourful striped boxes, and what looks like a little puppet or something poking out of the pen pot. The other desk however has a very different atmosphere- flowers, little nik nacks, momentoes, again stripes on the notebook. The desks look like they have different functions. The one by the window with friendly little reminders of love, life, happiness looks like the one the writer uses for less academic more creative work. I like this, it seems to hint at what writers aren't supposed to admit anymore (not if we want to be successful and professional) -that writing is an act of the heart sometimes. So a whole different space for other written things, a whole other side of the brain. So much colour in this room, so many little personal objects, a china cabinet, a quilt, a patchwork cushion. It is a room of personal treasures, finds. gifts from loved ones. It looks as it has evolved over the years because such things don't come readily assembled.

The writer says:My room is my sanctum, my holy of holies. I wish it wasn't so untidy but I just don't have enough space for all my books. I have to have 2 desks, because I need one for handwriting. It's full of my happy objects, often things people have given me as presents. I do all my different bits of work here from writing poetry to textbooks and teaching resources, I bring my favourite guests in here, my door is usually ajar and member of my family often pop in. I have a photo of my dear friend Matt Simpson, who died last year, watching me as I write, on my right hand. The hat on top of my printer arrived today: I have ordered it as I am doing a Victorian workshop in July and will be doing it in role and costume. I love my room and spend most of each day in here. I never get bored in here. I like fairies and dragonflies and frogs and crystals, they are part of the furniture. I love my kneehole desk. I know I have too many books but what can one do?

Have we been guilted into thinking there is such a thing as too many books? If we love the books we have, if we read them, there's no problem. Anthea Turner- no, I will not cover each and everyone of my books in wallpaper so they all match.