by A.C. Williams @ACW_Author

 With the seasonal arrival of autumn, something stirs in an author’s heart that encourages us to write. For me personally, it’s looking at my deadlines and realizing that I’ve only got three months left in the year to get done. So, yeah, fall is a great time for novel writing.

All of you are probably better organized and more disciplined, right? Well, whether you are on schedule or behind schedule, every author needs a place to write. It would be glorious if we could be highly productive in any environment (some of you are, and I marvel at you), but for the rest of us we are creatures of habit. It helps us to have the same spot where we go through the same routine in order to be able to get words on a page.

But that same old spot doesn’t have to be boring and bland or sterile and sparse. And I find that giving myself permission to set up a cozy little writing corner for myself helps me focus on what needs to get done. So I thought I’d share ten treats that I like to have in my cozy writing corner.

A Comfy Chair

Did you expect that? (No, it’s not the Spanish Inquisition, for those of you Flying Circus fans out there.) If you don’t have a comfortable place to sit, you’re going to wear out pretty fast. It doesn’t have to be ergonomic, although that’s helpful. Just make it a chair where you’re comfortable. Because you’re going to be sitting there for a while.

A Mechanical Keyboard

I love my mechanical keyboard. There’s something comforting about the sharp clickety-clack of the keys that keeps me focused. And you can get one that is reasonably priced, although admittedly I splurged on mine, and I haven’t regretted it one moment. It looks like a typewriter, and I love it.

Writer-Themed Mugs

I love a cup of coffee or hot tea while I’m writing, and if I can have it in a funny or snarky mug, it just makes it taste even better. My favorite mug is a big one that declares boldly “I kill people (fictional people)” and it makes me happy every time I drink out of it. Keep your eyes peeled for coffee mugs that make you smile.

Drink coasters

 If you have mugs, you probably need to have a drink coaster too. But they don’t have to be boring either. My drink coasters look like Stargates from the television series Stargate: SG-1. It’s a totally superfluous thing, but it just adds to the quirkiness of my writing desk.

Fingerless gloves

 My upstairs office has no climate control. So in the summers, my office is 95 degrees. In the winters, it gets down into the 40s. Yes. Inside. Sometimes colder. So having gloves to wear is a must for me. But don’t just grab a pair of work gloves. See if you can find a cool pair of fingerless gloves. That way your hands will be warm, and your fingers won’t get tied up on your keyboard keys!

Fuzzy socks and blankets

And, of course, no cozy corner would be complete without a fuzzy blanket and fuzzy socks. Microfleece blankets are the best, especially the super soft ones. I have several that feature images from Doctor Who on them. And I have a weakness for fuzzy socks. I even love toe-socks. Either way, if its warm and fuzzy, you need it for your cozy writing corner.

Happy-Smelling Candle

Now, this one might be controversial, but I do love a candle. I tend to be a bit of a pyromaniac, though. So if you’re in a place where it’s not wise to have open flame, you can always use a candle warmer. But nothing sets the stage for the imagination like scents. Are you writing a scene on the beach? There’s a candle scent for that. In the woods? Lots of candles for that. I even found a bacon-scented candle once. Point is, get yourself a happy-smelling candle. (And if you’re in an unheated office, you can also coax some feeling back into your fingers at the same time. Win-win.)

A Beautiful Journal for Notes

Even if you’re writing your novel on a computer or word processor, never underestimate the value of scribbling. If you get stuck, sometimes the best thing you can do is make some notes in a journal. You’ll get right back on track. And even if you aren’t stuck, you might need to make a note about the next project you want to write!

A Smooth Pen with Lovely Ink

 Nothing is better than a pen that writes smoothly. It depends on the kind of pen you’re looking for, but right now my favorite pens for everyday use are either the Sharpie S-Gel pens or the Papermate Ink Joy Gel pens. They always write smooth, with no skipping, and they dry quickly too.

Yourself

And finally, all that remains is you. Once you’ve set up your cozy little writing corner, you can drift away in your imagination to the world of your story in comfort. And, if your candle smells like bacon, that’s pretty happy too.

What would you put in your cozy writing corner? Have you got specific items that make your writing area comfortable?

A.C. Williams is a coffee-drinking, sushi-eating, story-telling nerd who loves cats, country living, and all things Japanese. Author of more than 20 books, she keeps her fiction readers laughing with wildly imaginative adventures about samurai superheroes, clumsy church secretaries, and goofy malfunctioning androids; her non-fiction readers just laugh at her and the hysterical life experiences she’s survived. If that’s your cup of tea (or coffee), join the fun at www.amycwilliams.com.