My Writing Space

Do you believe in astrology?

A weird question when I am about to describe my writing space but hear me out.

I’m a Virgo. One of the most exalted traits of a Virgo is their perfectionism, and where I am concerned, I have sat the exam, passed with 100% and got a distinction!

However, perfectionism doesn’t not equal tidy. If perfection conjures up images of neat freak, then come and take a look at my writing space.

My laptop is nestled on top of a pile of cookery books, one of which I was desperately searching for over Christmas, and I now know where it lives. Post-it notes remind me of my mum’s random shopping requests and provide vibrant pops of neon colour to the montage that is my desk. If I want to find a hair bobble, I know I will always find one sitting on the base of my monitor.

My keyboard sits at a jaunty angle when I write in my notebook, trying to take up the last piece of allotted space, and when I scribe with one of my many pens, they have a home in a beautiful Orla Keily candle holder, but seems to prefer to litter the desktop rather than make it back to their sanctuary. A carnelian gemstone bracelet is curled like a sleeping snake on a pile of must-do paperwork that never seems to decrease.

Once in a while perhaps if family are visiting the piles are shuffled neat, the Post-it notes are stacked, and the pens will make it home for the night – but then the space doesn’t feel mine.

Out of all this disorder, order comes as words and sentences make their way to the paper and magic appears, a haiku, a Substack essay or a letter from the heart.

Virgos might be known for their perfectionism, their practicality and curiousness but some of us are messy. And messy is just the way I love my writing space, which in no way resembles the neat, spacious desk in the image I chose for this essay!

What is your writing space like? Do you have one? Is it messy or are you minimalist? I’d love to know!