"Three Rules of Work:
Out of clutter find simplicity;
From discord find harmony;
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."
Out of clutter find simplicity;
From discord find harmony;
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."
Albert Einstein
I’ve always been suspect of a person who has nothing on
their desk. I remember sitting with an operations manager whose desk had a
phone and desk blotter, nothing else, nada.
Not my desk. I have a blotter but that’s where the
similarity ends. Being an empty nester, I waited about a year before I
commandeered my daughter’s room, cleared out the last remains of her childhood,
and made the room my own. It was fun to decorate just to please me. My design
was simple, books. I surrounded myself with them, floor to ceiling. I did put
in some necessities, a corner desk for the computer, printer, and a phone. I
decided on a large library table, sitting catty corner, would be my work area.
It seemed fitting with all the research and resource books I usually had
stacked or scattered about.
My desk is usually covered with a small stack (or two or
three) of paper/files for my different projects, research books (the ones I’m
reading for pleasure are in a pile next to the sofa), a lamp (I hate using the
overhead), pictures of the family, my favorite picture from the mound at
Warwick Castle (for inspiration), and a bud vase with some tired lavender one
of the kids brought back from a class trip (I did mention I’m an empty nester,
a sentimental one). Then there’s the odd stuff that seems to magically appear,
a news article my husband has left for me to read, a stress ball in the shape
of a heart and my gold star paper weight for my first sale. It’s really a
comfortable room.
Things seem to gather on my desk. Eventually I take time
to sift through the piles and put things in their proper place whether that’s
filing, rearranging, or tossing. Sort of like my writing.
I used to have a ‘clean as you go’ theory. Clean as in
edits that is. Whenever I picked up my writing I would read the story from the
beginning, no matter how far along I was. I’d look for the weak words, layer in
the five senses, etc. I always found something to edit. One day I laughed out
loud. I had over 125 pages written, if I started from the beginning each time I
picked up the project I’d spend more time reading than writing. Geez, I’d never
finish the story.
Now I use my cluttered desk theory. Put it all down, then
tackle the edits and rewrite. I’m organized, to a point, but find myself
working to get the story written and not really worrying about overused/weak
words or verbs, using the five senses, tightening up sentences, making certain
all the hooks are in place, reviewing and editing the Point-Of-View, combing
through for show vs. tell, well the list goes on.
In essence, I’ve de-cluttered my desk as well as my
writing. What does your desk look like? Guess whose desk is in the picture. I'll give you a hint. It's not mine (I don't smoke a pipe). But after looking at it I think I'm in pretty good company!
