Creative Space.

Several years ago I read the Charles Bukowski piece on the Ideal Conditions and Myths of Creativity. And then a year or so ago I found the illustrated version, which appears to have now been removed from its original website at Zen Pencils (at the request of Bukowski's publishers), which also ran the fantastic Bill Watterson piece on Creating a Life that Reflects Your Values and Satisfies Your Soul.

It covers a number of excuses people use to procrastinate, or never start creating - some of which I can certainly identify with. One of the lines refers to having the right space, the appropriately conducive surroundings in which to commence your masterpiece, and the piece concludes with:

“Air and light and time and space have nothing to do with it and don’t create anything except maybe a longer life to find new excuses for.”

It has been a dream of mine to set up my own writing space, and not just the study in the house. Now it's finally ready to go.

It's been gradual, setting up the space. It's taken me a couple of years. A lot of it had to do with clearing the room, painting it, getting shelves in for my music and books. Then I purchased the furniture needed - a broad table rather than a desk and a chair that feels just right. There was no hurry - my writing wasn't reliant on this dedicated space.

But the final piece fell into place yesterday with the purchase of a 2nd hand computer. This computer is special - it has no internet connection and no games installed.

And so, as of this morning, I'll be in my new space and working on the story I commenced at my mini-retreat last week.

Bukowski might not be satisfied, but then again he'd be very, very drunk.