Iโm filled with admiration for people who can write anywhere. Those who pen perfect prose while seated in a (pre-pandemic) crowded coffee shop, on a train or a bus, at the library whilst watching patrons come and go. Even before Covid, I spent most of my time writing at home because I get distracted too easily. I canโt write with music playing unless itโs quiet, and even then it must be of the instrumental variety or I focus on the lyrics.
Sure, Iโve written on planes but for the past two years air travel opportunities have been sparse, and itโs an expensive way to get words on a page. I once edited a novel while waiting for one of the kids at gymnastics, taekwondo, or school, but now theyโre older they can drive themselves and Mumโs Taxi Service has largely been decommissioned.
Not that Iโm complaining. Iโve been very fortunate to have completed seven novels from the comfort of my homeโyou canโt beat the commuteโand am about to embark on my eighth. But that doesnโt mean I always write in the same place, and the area Iโll find myself in depends on the stage of the manuscript.
Rough plot
This largely takes shape at our dining table with a pen, notebook, and a pack of stickies. Itโs very satisfying to scrunch the latter up and throw them at the wall when things arenโt working, and thereโs no lasting damage other than to my patience. And Iโm closer to the cookies.
Detailed plot & initial draft
Without a doubt, this is my favorite place โ the spare bedroom with its Murphy bed, tiny desk, bookshelf, family artwork, and a view of the courtyard we live on. I use my laptop in here, leave my phone downstairs, and disconnect the wi-fi. Itโs incredible how much I get done, which is exactly what I need as I write my initial, barebones aka puke draft.
Edits & research
To the home office! My backโs against the window, which helps me focus to push through the dreaded first round of edits, my least favorite stage. I write on my desktop and have two screens, one for the manuscript, the other for the research rabbit holes I disappear into (thanks, Google!). I have a standing desk converter, so when I read my manuscript out loud during one of the final passes, Iโm on my feetโฆtalking to myself.
Final review
For the last pass Iโm either in front of the fireplace or in the garden (depending on the season). Iโll pop my manuscript on my Kindle, keep my laptop handy, and read/edit as I go. Reading my book on a Kindle gives me a different perspective and engages another part of my editing brain.
And of courseโฆ
I have a pen and notepad next to my bed in case inspiration strikes in the middle of the night. I wasnโt always so prepared. Many years ago, I stumbled into the bathroom at 3am and scrawled something on the back of a magazine using a black kohl eyeliner. The next morning my husband held up the tatty piece of paper, eyebrows raised. It said: KILL TONY.
Good job I didnโt do that in a crowded coffee shop!
Hannah Mary McKinnon was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland and now lives in Canada. After a successful career in recruitment, she quit the corporate world in favor of writing. She lives with her husband and three sons and isย delighted byย her twenty second commute. Her 6th novel, NEVER COMING HOME, publishes May 24, 2022. Connect on Facebook and Instagram @HannahMaryMcKinnon, and on Twitter @HannahMMcKinnon. For more, visit www.HannahMaryMcKinnon.com
Kill Tony! What a note to find!!