In the twenty-five years Iโve been writing and publishing crime fiction, Iโve drafted manuscripts in dozens of makeshift workspacesโon a laptop computer while camping in Alaska, at a kid-sized desk tucked at the back of a closet in our first apartment in San Francisco; on a Blackberry during my commute from work, in longhand with a sleeping baby in one arm, in the carpool lane at school, in hotels and cafes, and on the sidelines of soccer and lacrosse fields between games. Even when Iโve had a home office, the space was typically shared. For years, my office was a desk in the nursery, then later in the guest room.
Some believe that a specific space, ritual, or designated time of day facilitates the writing experience. That lighting a candle at exactly 6 a.m. with a cup of black coffee will create a perfect recipe for that dayโs brilliance and make the words flow more easily.
This has never been my experience. Good writing has consistently required the same act of staring at the screen or the page until progress happensโsome incremental forward movement followed by another subtle shift, and so on. This process can happenโand has happenedโin countless locations.
While a specific writing space doesnโt necessarily make the magic, I donโt know a single writer who hasnโt imagined, down to the finest details, her dream office. I know I have. When, in 2021, both kids were off to college, we remodeled our walk-out basement to create my dream office.
My priorities were firm: first, natural light and lots of it. Second, heat! When Iโm writing, I prefer a temperature between 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. For an author living in Montana, thatโs not an easy feat, so we designed a glassed-off office with a wall-mounted heater. The small space makes it easier to keep warm and the wall heater is both quick and efficient.
The final priority was, naturally, books! I envisioned walls lined with books, so following the design of the small working space, we converted the remaining basement space into a gorgeous library. Voila! Dream office.
Has the work produced in my bright, cozy office better than what I wrote on the soccer field or my sonโs nursery? While I think my storytelling improves with every subsequent book, even a gorgeous office doesnโt make the work easy. Ever. Even with the โperfectโ office, the words donโt always come. Making progress on a book means walking the dog or sitting in another room entirely to clear my head.
With the kids grown, Iโve been able to co-opt a second creative space I affectionately call the woo woo room. Often, itโs seated in here, without a pen or computer, where ideas start to gel.
While a beautiful workspace certainly doesnโt hurt, itโs also a humbling reminder that what we call magic isnโt really magic at all. Itโs the result of dedicated, disciplined work.
Would I give up my beautiful space? Unlikelyโฆ
I should probably mention the small room hidden behind one of the bookcases. What could be more thriller-writer than that? Whatโs back there? you ask. Thatโs where the bodies are buried, of courseโฆ
Danielle Girard is the USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning author of several novels, including the Annabelle Schwartzman series and Pinky Swear.
She is also the creator and host of the Killer Women Podcast, where she interviews the women who write todayโs best crime fiction.
A graduate of Cornell University, Danielle received her MFA in creative writing at Queens University of Charlotte, North Carolina. When sheโs not traveling, Danielle lives in the mountains of Montana.
