When I’m in the Zone

On yaHighway, we hold a weekly Road Trip Wednesday, where we ask a writing/reading question and all the contributors answer on our personal blogs. If you want to participate on your own blog, just post the link in the comments section of YAH and we’ll check it out! This week’s question:

What would your ideal writing desk look like? Right down to the perfect pen or laptop.

This one is actually kind of tough, simply because most writers have an ideal setting, but at some point you realize that if you have to be seated in your ergonomic chair at your roll top desk with a mug of perfectly brewed Hawaiian Kona and Ella Sings Gershwin playing softly on the stereo…you’ll never write.

Ever.

But it’s fun to dream about the perfect writing zone. As far as the writing tool itself goes, I would very honestly not trade my MacBook in for anything, ever, at all, period. I work this thing like Beethoven at the keys.

But desks are a funny thing. I have a desk I like a lot – it’s simple, but it works. But when I write at home, I often find myself either leaning back in my chair with my legs up on the desk, or sprawled on my futon. (Laptop in lap. Hey, it’s not called a desktop for a reason.)

So rather than my ideal writing desk, I’m going to describe my ideal writing zone. Criteria:

1. Legs up.

2. Hard surface for coffee drink at easy arms reach.

3. Enough elbow room so that I can type without them pressed up at my sides.

And while we’re on the word “ideal”…

4. Reclined

5. Outdoors, sunny but shaded

6. Quiet.

Mix them together, shake them up…

Yeah. That'll do.