Guest Post – Deb Scott and her Writing Space

I commute from my day job to home on public transit. Bus poetry is one of my favorite mediums in which to write (yes, I do wish you would conjure a turbaned woman telling you the secrets no one could possibly know) because it compels me to do it — to write, to doodle, to think — no matter the (many) distractions of noise & movement. (I am of a certain age that didn’t grow up with ear buds. I have always needed quiet to create. Until recently.) Everyday-people are enormously interesting & paying attention to bits of conversation or cinematic images give me lots of fodder for poetry, some of which has been published, most of which that lives — or lingers — as ideas or poem fragments. Or poems still being worked on/ worked over.

Of course, getting a so-called smart phone has cut into my commute-creativity. I should just turn the damn thing off instead of checking email or Google+ or Facebook or whatnot (usually Google Reader). Sometimes it is wonderful when I read particularly creative offerings, but more often it’s a mindless distraction – no one’s fault but mine, I am sure. As you all fully know. I am not the first or last to lament. Or to praise. But. This particular stupid smart phone has been useful in writing short bits on the road when traveling without the benefit of wifi, and has enabled me to continue posting my daily writing practice of small stones — Fiona and Kaspalita’s lovely project. (I could simply write. Daily. Yes. I could, but I like the motivation of a call & response.)

Then there is my laptop (PC) and iPad. I use both, though mostly my laptop. The laptop sits on the edge of my kitchen countertop bar area, and I generally start and end my days sitting here. Either catching up with others or working on my writing. I compose directly to Word, or will transfer hand written (bus, lunch or couch) notes.

The iPad has been very useful for “mixed media” projects. All of January’s (2011) small stones were composed on it as an evening medative study. The act of drawing or doodling or playing with photos was my most enjoyably-productive ongoing exercise that I can recall. Not all of them were “good” but the act of taking about an hour every day and focusing was more contemplative for me than working only in words, whether on paper or my laptop. I think it has to do with the act of doodling – I was first a drawer, then a writer/poet.

I also directly compose on my office PC, generally during lunchtime. I think I would be better off taking a walk, though. But I will squeeze in writing when and wherever I can.

And this is why I work in noisy, public or shared spaces. My desk is a mess. It is more a landing ground for things to be filed than anything else. I have plans to reorganize it. To make files. See the b&w Storables file folders on the left? Or the in-boxes on the right? The are very cool, and very empty. I have dreams of being organized and setting weekly & monthly goals of writing, revising & sending things out in the world. I read Sage Cohen’s The Productive Writer last year and will, yes I will, reread it this year and get organized.

A woman can always dream! Some day I hope to post pictures of a real writing space AND tell you how much more I have accomplished by being able to have committed and quiet focus time.

Deb Scott is a detail-oriented dabbler who sketches using words, pencils, camera, PC & her iPad. She shares her Portland, Oregon home with husband, pets & backyard birds. A few places have kindly published her words (poetry, essays & fiction) & images (photos & digital artwork), such as qarrtsiluni, Right Hand Pointing & tinywords. (A complete list is here.) Deb blogs at Stoney Moss as well as a co-authored blog, A Fine Kettle of Fish, which she (luckily) shares with Carolee Sherwood & Jill Crammond. Stop by and say hi.