Writers cabins/nooks

[owly]

Want to get away to write? build a cabin in your back yard.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/famo...-worksp-140587

I've just ordered "A Place Of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams" by Pollan

[gmw]

Cute. There are days when a room to lock myself away would be appealing ... instead I manage it by staying up while everyone else is sleeping. I've always worked best at night anyway, and so the scenery and cuteness wouldn't mean a lot.

[teh603]

I seem to do best in a chair either in the back yard or on the front porch.

[exscentric]

I have done most of my work at Burger King or McDonald's etc over coffee for years (after dropping the wife at work). Since she retired going out is not needed so I have a little spot in the garage for now. Small desk, stereo and recliner. We had an 8x10 shed put in the backyard that would make a fine spot if we decide to electrify it. May do that one day.

The over coffee however is a fond memory, lots of quiet, lots of things to look at while stumped and trying to come to a solution etc. Amazing how few interruptions came along, then again with my ugly face who would want to interrupt :-)

[crich70]

I sometimes sit in a booth at a restaurant down the street from where I live to work on things.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by gmw

Cute. There are days when a room to lock myself away would be appealing ... instead I manage it by staying up while everyone else is sleeping. I've always worked best at night anyway, and so the scenery and cuteness wouldn't mean a lot.

It is possible that you are ADD. When I was young that label didn't exist. It might have helped my mom explain to my teachers that I wasn't just "sleeping in class" but was in effect really focused on something that distracted me.
When I got to college and had the ability to study any time I wanted to, I found myself usually doing most of it at night when others were in bed.

What happened was that I got tired at night and there was nothing going on so my mind slowed down and I was able to point it to where I needed it

[M.T. Miles]

Frahse,

I can relate. I had a year 2 teacher who said that if she sat me next to other students all id id was distract them and if she sat me by myself all i did was day dream. It may be true to say that not much has changed but that might also be a bit harsh.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by frahse

It is possible that you are ADD.[...]

I prefer to believe that the distractions are real, rather than necessarily being easily distracted . Though my wife might have a thing or two to say on the subject. While working at my computer I can apparently participate in entire conversations but have little recollection of them later. So the question becomes: Was I not easily distracted from the computer by the conversation, or was I easily distracted from the conversation by the computer. I guess it depends on your perspective.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by gmw

I prefer to believe that the distractions are real, rather than necessarily being easily distracted . Though my wife might have a thing or two to say on the subject. While working at my computer I can apparently participate in entire conversations but have little recollection of them later. So the question becomes: Was I not easily distracted from the computer by the conversation, or was I easily distracted from the conversation by the computer. I guess it depends on your perspective.

I hear your arguments and I can only say that what you are describing could easily be defined as ADD by someone adept with the idea. The exceptions you seem to bring out are just different views of the same thing.

I will give an example of sorts.
You can start with a problem in probability that seems intractable, and yet with a slight shift of (call it) focus, the problem is simple and obvious.

It is here that the common, overused and many times distrusted statement (Trust me) comes into play.

-- my use of the parentheses above is because of a keyboard difficulty I am dealing with.

[tango7]

My best work came in a small ski hut when snowed in for a week.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by tango7

My best work came in a small ski hut when snowed in for a week.

Was that so you could eat your own words?

Sorry, couldn't resist. (I know, I should have.) I just had this vision of being unexpectedly trapped in a small hut with no food.

Do you think it was a matter of the isolation from other distractions? Of boredom? Or did the event itself offer inspiration?

[tango7]

Originally Posted by gmw

Was that so you could eat your own words?

Sorry, couldn't resist. (I know, I should have.) I just had this vision of being unexpectedly trapped in a small hut with no food.

Do you think it was a matter of the isolation from other distractions? Of boredom? Or did the event itself offer inspiration?

Good questions all.
I thought at first to entertain with a story that entailed spitting and roasting the handsome male guide on the fourth day of starvation, but no, there were provisions enough, though of the wilderness type and there was no guide.
It started as a skiing trip with four of my best girl friends. We had met in boarding school before University and were eager to reunite and get away for a while. When the weather shifted and was predicted to become very bad, two went back to the town for they had obligations but three of us stayed for the skiing was superb and we said to hell with it all, especially with the men in our lives. Nothing but trouble.
The hut was sized for about 15 people and so there was plenty of room with only two more couples there besides us. Wood was plentiful, and there was a small LNG tank for the stove. No electricity, but candles, small oil type lamps, and the fire.
My friends and I were very intense and very competitive and so we challenged each other once the weather totally closed us in. We would write. It could be poetry, music or literature. Letters did not count and were forbidden.

I wrote a novella, and a short story, a long poem about my mother in case I did die, and some poetic dribblings about my boy friend who was off in National Service and seemed unconcerned about my happiness. My friends did the equivalent.

The novella was published. The short story was later modified into serial form for a magazine.

My mother found the poem a few years later and cried. One day perhaps the day will come when it will be published. I don't ever want that day to come.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by tango7

Good questions all.[...]

A totally different explanation to anything I had in mind - and a story in itself. Thanks.

[teh603]

Note to self, do NOT look through the Timberline Geodesics catalog after reading this thread. I don't have about $33,000 to build a mini-house out on the back forty.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by teh603

Note to self, do NOT look through the Timberline Geodesics catalog after reading this thread. I don't have about $33,000 to build a mini-house out on the back forty.

About $33K will also get you a small 4 place used plane. You can fly where you want and sleep in the plane.