Author Workspaces: Matthew Farrell

Before I became a published author, I was fascinated by a writer’s workspace and often
searched the web for pictures of places my favorite authors worked from. I was enamored by
the work spaces the greats such as Stephen King, Dena Koontz, Harlan Coben, and Mary Higgins
Clark worked out of and it served as a kind of inspiration to me to have a sneak peek into where
the magic happened for these bestselling authors.

Over the years, I’ve made many new friends in the publishing industry and have had the
pleasure of seeing their workspaces. Some of them have a dedicated space like an office or a
spare bedroom where they can go in, close the door, and fall into their work without fear of
distraction or disruption. Others take their laptops out onto their backyard decks, sit by a fire
at a campsite, sit on the beach, or take it on a flight and work with the freedom of not having to
have an office to get their words on the page. Today’s workspaces can be whatever inspires a
writer and keeps them focused on getting their job done. There’s a liberty in that and one size
does not fit all. A writer’s workspace can be whatever that writer wants it to be. For me, it’s a
dedicated space in my bedroom, away from the rest of the family, where I can concentrate and
let my imagination run wild. I’d like to share that space with you in the hope that it can inspire
someone out there like other workspaces have inspired me.

The first picture here is the space in the corner of my bedroom. A nice, comfortable chair, a
large desk, and my oversized monitor and wireless keyboard that is hooked up to my laptop.
I’ve sent many hours in that chair so it was important to get a comfortable one so my back
wouldn’t hurt. As you can see in the bottom right, I also share with space with my two cats, lol.

The second picture is what the top of my desk typically looks like when I’m writing. I don’t
clutter and find that too many things in front of my is a distraction. I keep a small notepad for
jotting quick ideas down, a larger notebook where my list of characters and general plot ideas
are kept, and a second notebook for work-related things outside of my actual writing, such as
social media and marketing.

My third picture shows an antique bookcase that stands to the left of my desk. It’s a fun little
spot where I can show off things that inspire me and keep some books of authors who are
friends of mine. My kids bought me the skeleton typewriter and my family have added to the

bookcase over the years with spooky knickknacks. I also have my author copies of my books
and a few newspaper articles about me here to serve as inspiration and to remind me to keep
working hard.

My fourth picture are framed covers of each of my novels. This wall is so inspirational to me
and it’s a big deal whenever I get to put up another frame. I always dreamed that one day I’d
be able to display my book covers and the fact that I’m about to add a fifth frame to the wall
blows my mind. I’m so grateful.