At the moment I am attempting to be a lot more proactive with my writing as you may have noticed, although today is one of those days when I want to post but writing feels like a bit of a challenge today so here’s a look at the workspace I fashioned for myself.
From left to right:
- A Test of Time is the latest book I am reading, which is a look at the Egyptian chronology, a rethink and an attempt to sync it up with Biblical archaeology. I’m also reading The Singularity Wheel, kindly sent over by Mike (see last blog post) as well, to keep my days varied.
- To the right is my Green Apple notebook which contains my notes for a novel, unlike past efforts this time it is not only going well but in an order hitherto unseen in past attempts.
- In front of these is my Tagalog notebook, in which I am writing words lists and attempting to get down the grammatical rules so ease me into this foreign language which doesn’t (thank goodness) have masculine and feminine words to remember.
- The laptop which, other than helping realise these blog posts also keeps me up-to-date with all the big news, like the football scores, which is a welcome tonic to the morning’s TV catch up BBC Worldwide and CNN Philippines.
- Lastly, behind my coffee cup which is the best jump-start for the day is my trusty notebook which has been to three continent with me and is rapidly filling up with all my notes for reviews and various other blog posts.
- You may have noticed 10 month old Rambo (guess who named him) who when not happily biting various items of footwear is keeping alert for any move made for food.
It’s amazing what a simple zone for working can achieve, especially when one is in the mood for work, which it seems, I now am.
Book to the Future 
nice & tidy – you’d do well in a tiny house! Rambo looks like a good writing companion – did you ever read “Travels With Charley”? (sorry, I think I’m projecting my desire to hit the road and live on it with my dog!) keep writing, you’ve a knack for it – a
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Travels with Charley is on the ever growing TBR list which I can’t get through quick enough, despite trying. Rambo is definitely an unpredictable companion but I keep focused. I like to have things orderly, otherwise I get distracted with looking at books for far too long.
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It’s fab, Ste J!!! Love Rambo! ❤
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He is great, loves chewing his own feet and has the uncommonly good timing to lay on my feet just as I decide I want to get up.
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Rambo does look a bit Sly…
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He was planning what to eat, so far today it has been a meal of coal, a washing peg, a plant and a letter, it was a bill though so not too bad!
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It’s funny you mention pegs. That was one of the first words I learned in Spanish because I needed some to put my washing up. They never teach words like that in language coursebooks, do they? Good luck with your Tagalog!
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They don’t, it is strange as that is way more practical than asking where the swimming pool is. I am thankful that Tagalog is spoken as it is written,makes things easier to get my head around.
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That’s what my trouble is…I don’t have a doggie companion when I’m writing 😀
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Rambo can be more stress than anything, especially when the kittens come out to play but when it gets really hot, he gives up and sleeps which is my proper cue to properly dive in to things.
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It’s lovely to see where you sit and work! Much tidier than my desk!
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It’s only tidy because I clear everything before anyone gets home so it’s tidy and the less work for me, the better!
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I love taking a peek into a writer’s space….nice, Ste J!
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I am expecting it to be pleasingly cluttered up in coming months.
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It’s a tidy work space 🙂 And now, Rambo…
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Hoping it will be more cluttered soon and Rambo is quite happy resting so I don’t have to worry too much about the chaos he causes when he is on form haha.
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Ooh! I love this! This could be a thing. People should take and deskies. Preferably with animals, and piles of ironing in the background to make me feel better about my own backlog.
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Such is the summer here, it can hang up in the morning and be dry by midday so I can get it all hung by 2pm. I did slide a couple of things that were lying around just out of shot, like that old BT advert with the university kid.
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Hey, Rambo is the most necessary ingredient, as he can distract you from time to time with bids for attention, and thus keep you from getting in a rut! I seem to have missed a post or two, sorry, don’t know why they didn’t come into my e-mail. I may have accidentally deleted, of course, but I hesitate to blame myself, as I have my own version of Rambo (my cat, Lucie-Minou) distracting me when I work. Anyway, tell us some background about your novel, unless discussing it too soon makes you feel you might jinx it.
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Rambo will come and sit next to me, usually when I am absorbed in work and if I pay him no attention, he barks in my ear. It’s certainly a forceful reminder to feed him. I find WordPress sometimes doesn’t send me messages about blogs for months and then starts again but at the moment, I am in the groove of posting two or three times a week so will always have regular offering for the foreseeable future.
I am in the process of still working through the ideas of the novel, I am layering the themes on and nailing down the foundations so will probably mention more after that, I have some basics but my idea is to make copious notes and then to work those ideas for each theme, place, and person into a single sentence or paragraph for each to keep a tight focus on the specifics whilst allowing the overall structure freedom to change. I assure you, more details will come your way soon.
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Good to know your novel is progressing so well!
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I am a copious note taker and then I plan to distill places and people into single sentences or paragraphs so I can keep a focus on what I am writing about . I am hoping for it to be ready to find publishers next year but the best laid plans and all that…
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Good luck!
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I love that you include our Rambo Shark. 🙂
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He deserves a mention now and again.
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It feels like such a privilege to have one’s very own dedicated workspace. I give thanks every day for mine and am so pleased you have been able to create a place to help you achieve all your writing/thinking goals.
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I loved seeing yours, mine is sadly a bit transient as we lend the table when needed for family parties and such but when we get it back, it will probably stay outside so I’ll thread the laptop cable through the window and cling to the shade whilst writing. That will help inspire me and allow an observation piece or two.
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So glad to hear you are in the mood to write as I love all thoughts Ste J. Such a nice, tidy work space.
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I hope to get it more cluttered soon, I work better in ordered chaos, or so I tell myself. I am putting out two to three posts a week regularly now which is a good feeling, I haven’t done so since 2014 I think.
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It is a battle for me to keep my workspace neat. I applaud you on your’s. Rambo is a cutie, but I still struggle with his name. I think I need to come up with another one so you can rename him appropriately. Sugar, White Knight, Ralston, Steve II, Blackie, Grover, Lucas, Petey, Max…should I go on? 😉
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If you saw Rambo in action and the carnage he causes it would make lots more sense. My original request for his name was Dave but this was wisely shot down.
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