Writing Cave part 2

Karla's Cave Desk

Last month I posted about how much I love writing from my chair in the living room. But family dynamics have changed in my house with a "boomerang kid" (read: adult child moves back home), and his social life. So I've found myself spending more and more time in my writing cave. Don't get me wrong, I love my cave. There's something about being surrounded by my favorite things (books) that makes me feel peaceful. Books make great sound barriers. I can't hear much in here and likewise no one can hear me when I call for them. (I know this because I fell in here once and no one came to help!)

Karla's Cave 2

I have shelves of books, yes, hard copy books, going all around the room and book shelves back to back going down the middle. It's the books down the middle of the room that make for such a great "sound booth." When I do a podcast in here, it doesn't pick up any noise from outside the room (you know, like the kids tying the dogs' tails together and laughing at them running in opposite directions through the house, or sword fights with swimming pool noodles, that sort of thing).

I don't hoard books for the sake of hoarding books. I give away many more than I keep. But I do keep a lot of my books because of research. Yes, I've read all the books in the room except for the ones on that top right hand shelf. That's my "to be read" pile. It's two books deep. I'm a little behind on my "reading for leisure" books. But it's rare anymore that I find a book that I can lose myself in fiction-wise because I'm always looking at the mechanics of it. Do you have that same issue? I do that with movies, too. "Oh, that's a great conflict." "Excellent character trait," etc.

I must confess that my Kindle is just as full of books as my cave. And more and more I prefer reading my Kindle (on my iPad) than a hard copy book with one exception: I buy hard copy books for my research because I like marking in them. I find that more difficult to do on an electronic device. Sure, you can highlight, make notes, etc, but I find it faster to mark up a hard copy book and then remember where that information was. Is that true for you as well?

I have a DO NOT DISTURB placard on my door but everyone ignores it. Not relevant if it's Mom in there. Mom always wants to be disturbed. Or is already disturbed. Can't remember which one of those excuses they use.

As for my desk, it may look busy, but it's organized. I know where everything is. I use magazine file boxes to file papers that I need access to on a regular basis as well as writing notebooks and journals I use when I'm on the road (read: doctor's office waiting rooms, etc.). Most of the papers have to do with my special needs' kids' health, but I also have time management files, research files, etc., right at my finger tips this way.

I like to use little square baskets and small wooden crates on my shelves for those little gift-size-type books such as small devotionals. It seems like those little books always get pushed to the back of the big books and lost. I like being able to see each book.

I'm not an organizing queen but I do like to have things where I know they are. In future posts I'll share some organizing secrets from other parts of my office.

Until then, write on! And please share your thoughts concerning my two questions: as a writer, when you read fiction, do you find yourself noticing the mechanics more than the story? And what about research? Kindle or hard copy?

 Karla Akins is a pastor's wife, mother of five, grandma to five beautiful little girls and author of the best-selling Jacques Cartier (that went #1 on Amazon in its category) and O Canada! Her Story.  Her debut novel The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots  was sold to Pelican Book Group and due out in 2013. One of her columns on MNN.com was featured on the CNN homepage. Represented by Hartline Literary Agency, she lives in North Manchester with her husband, twin teenage boys with autism, mother-in-law with Alzheimer's and three rambunctious dogs. When she's not writing she dreams of riding her motorcycle through the Smoky Mountains.

The Writing Cave

Chevy in my writing chair

Writing caves. We all have one. Some are fancier than others. Certainly many are neater than mine.

Inspired by Coleen Coble's "nest," I'm posting my writing chair (above). Nothing fancy. Just a chair, laptop, and a shelf full of books I use for research. And yes, sometimes that big dog sits next to me while I type (and my other two pooches as well).

Jake (left) and Frankie (right)

I also have an office, but I mainly use that for when I need to be hooked to the printer or my writing chair is surrounded by too much noise. Usually I can work with noise (I have a scary ability to tune out anything), but sometimes if I'm pushing a deadline, the noise bothers me.

My writing chair is my favorite place to write because it's comfy, but sometimes it's too comfy and I have to move to the office so I don't fall asleep.

And if I'm really pushing against a deadline and the house is just too much, I'll go to the library or somewhere on earth with wi-fi. (I have to write connected to the Internet -- Google is my research buddy.)

I had planned on showing you my office, but life happened, and as I type this, I have a toothache the size of Texas. (I'm hoping I'm making some sense through pain pill brain fog.) And right now, my office isn't presentable. I have an assortment of boxes full of Christmas presents tucked in there right now. (Yes, Christmas. Can you believe it's that time again?)

My choice of music for writing depends on the genre I'm writing at the time. I'm in the middle of a southern historical so I pull up Pandora and listen to bluegrass or Brother Where Art Thou type songs. If I'm working on my nonfiction projects, I will listen to classical. Romance? Josh Groban and Andrea Boccelli. And of course, I fill most of my listening time with praise and worship songs.

But there are those delicious moments when I don't listen to anything at all, and I am in complete harmony with my inner self and the world around me goes away. You know what I mean, don't you? When you write for hours and you look up surprised to find yourself in your writing chair instead of 1832? I love that.

Where is your favorite spot to write? Do you stay in your office or do you have a favorite chair? Where do you find you are most productive? At home? Library? I'm always looking for new locations for inspiration! What about music or TV? What do you listen to when you write? Share your ideas!

 Karla Akins is a pastor's wife, mother of five, grandma to five beautiful little girls and author of the best-selling Jacques Cartier (that went #1 on Amazon in its category) and O Canada! Her Story.  One of her columns on MNN.com was featured on the CNN homepage. Represented by Hartline Literary Agency, she lives in North Manchester with her husband, twin teenage boys with autism, mother-in-law with Alzheimer's and three rambunctious dogs. When she's not writing she dreams of riding her motorcycle through the Smoky Mountains.

Confession of a Freelance Writer

A cold, blustery wind blew from the west, sneaking its way through the crevices in my hundred year old farmhouse. Earlier that day I’d bustled the children off to school and hubby off to work. A rare day with no call from the school to substitute and no place to go until that evening, I was home alone. With just the dog and a steaming cup of coffee to keep me company and keep me warm, I snuggled on the couch with my laptop and wrote. And wrote some more.

The blowing wind and the hum of my computer masked the crunch of tires on gravel. Suddenly the hair on the dog’s back went up and then came a thundering knock on the back door. My heart hammered with panic and I shushed the dog, remaining completely still. He’ll go away if he thinks no one is home. There was no way I was answering that door. I was still in my pajamas…and it was 2 o’clock. In. The. Afternoon.

There’s a dirty little confession for you. Sometimes when I’m home alone and the day looms gray and drab and my calendar is blessedly empty, I get involved in my writing and just don’t bother to change into something more professional. It appears I’m not the only one.

At the same time that clothing companies are catering to teenagers and adults who like to wear their jammies every day, all day long, some opponents are raising an outcry. Some rail against the public wearing of pajamas calling it everything from slovenly (saying if you’re dressed for bed you won’t be at your best) to a health hazard (because people usually don’t shower before they put on nightclothes and bacterial infections could lead to death—seriously, this is what someone argued!). They wonder what will become of our nation if we permit people to wear their pj's in public. Will underwear be acceptable next? Maybe we’ll become so lazy as to not wear clothing at all? I think not. (And for the record, when my kids were little and we had “Pajama Day”, they always took a bath that night and changed into clean jammers. Take that, Commissioner Williams!)

Michael Williams (see health hazard reference above), a Louisiana parish commissioner ,even went so far as to negate the wearing of nightclothes in public by proposing a law. (At this writing it has been put to bed for the time-being.) How would you like that job added to your list of duties if you were a Louisiana police officer? Upholding the peace, responding to emergencies, risking your life, and barring the wearing of bedclothes.

I won’t be sporting my sleepwear to the grocery, the bank, or my child’s sporting event. But to say that people who don’t change out of their nightshirts into neckties are lazy or unproductive? To this I say, “Hogwash!” If I can get an entire day’s worth of work or writing done, not dirty more laundry, and stay comfy in my flannels that’s a win-win-win. The only thing I can’t do is answer the door to the UPS guy.

Nikki Studebaker Barcus

More Gifts Writer's Love

Last year I posted some gift ideas for writers, so I thought I'd pull an "Oprah's Favorite Things" again this year, and shower you with more gift ideas for the busy, preoccupied writers in your life. Because of the economy, I decided to make this year's list is a little more practical.

1. Give them a gift card from a bookstore that will allow them to buy the books on writing craft that they've longed to buy. Writers never stop learning to write, and every book on the writing craft teaches us something new that revitalizes our writing skills.
2. Click on the names along the side of this blog and order some of the books our fellow Hoosiers write. We love reading our colleagues books and posting reviews. This helps both the writer and the writer's friends.
3. If your writer doesn't have an ebook reader yet, it's past time to get them one. Kindle  (my personal favorite) now comes in a variety of styles and sizes. Hint: you get what you pay for in ereaders. If you want an ereader with all the bells and whistles, which usually means also being able to surf the web, then you will pay more.But if you want one that only reads books in black and white, you will pay less. (However, Kindle does offer a large black ink e-reader that costs more than the color reader.)
4. Every writer could use an iPad. This is a pricey gift, but definitely a great investment for the writer. I don't have one yet, but I can think of many reasons why I could use one now. Not only is it an e-reader, but it's much more portable for on-the-road writing and research. Not to mention that it will do so many other things as well as: keep track of notes, documents, schedules, pictures...the limitations really are endless depending on which applications you use.
5. Computers, computer software, accessories -- all writers need these things.
6. How about this cute Women Writer's Magnet Set? I'd love to have these on my filing cabinet to inspire me.
7. This sign: "Warning: Novelist at Work: Bystanders May Be Written Into the Story"
8. For the male writer in your life, how about this "Writer Man Cave" sign?
9. Magazine subscription to the writer's favorite magazine.
10. Membership to a writing organization such as ACFW.
11. Pay a writer's way to the annual ACFW conference. Or give a monetary gift to go toward either the tuition, the hotel or transportation. 
12.  Thin notebooks the size of 4x6 to up to 9x7. Target always has such cute ones. I like this size because they are thin enough and small enough to fit in my bag or purse but not too small. I write a lot of chapters on the run in these. I also like them better as bound and stapled rather than spiral because the wire spirals get bent or snag on my clothes. I love these little bound notebooks and am always sad when I run out of them. Some writers may prefer something sturdier such as a Moleskine. I prefer the less expensive because I rip out the pages. Another tip: if your writer is left-handed, they may prefer a flip-top notebook. 
13. A good pen. I love my Vera Bradley pens.They have some cute perfect-sized notebooks out now, too. And they're an Indiana company, so we're supporting Hoosier jobs this way.
14. A lap desk. If your writer likes to write with family around in the living room, a lap desk is a great gift. You'll have to determine what their chair situation is to decide which one to buy.
15. I don't use a lap desk (yet) but I do love my Targus Chill Mat for setting my computer on my lap. It keeps the dirt out of the fan and keeps my lap and my computer cool.
16. Is your writer bedridden? How about this laptop table that allows them to lie down and write?
17. Need more ideas? Try here.
18. How about volunteering to cook a meal or clean the writer's house? 
19. Send your writer on a research trip and pay for the expense.
20. Bake a pie, send a note, pass the word on your writer's latest book. Pray for your writer. Be a friend. That's the best gift of all.

 Merry Christmas!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Karla Akins is a pastor's wife, mother of five, and grandma to five beautiful little girls. She lives in North Manchester with her husband, twin teenage boys with autism, and three crazy dogs. Her favorite color is purple, favorite hobby is book-hoarding, and favorite food group is cupcakes.

When Your Home is Your Office

Most writers work at home. Some of us even have a dedicated office. That's mine in the picture.

With tax season coming, you may be wondering if you can deduct expenses for your writing space. Expenses like heat and electricity and property insurance.

The answer? It depends. (I bet you saw that coming.)

I'm not a tax specialist, so you should talk to your accountant before claiming home office expenses. But I can give you some general guidelines, which I have tailored to writers and am posing as questions.

1.  Do you write as a business? My March 25, 2010 Hoosier Ink post called "Write On and Write Off" will help you figure it out. If writing is your hobby, you cannot deduct home office expenses. If it is a business, it still depends on the answers to the next three questions.

2.  Is there a discrete part of your home that you use exclusively for your business activities? This could be a separate office or simply a desk in the dining room that is dedicated to your writing activities. If your children use the office or the desk to do their homework, it doesn't qualify. If you write on the dining room table and you serve meals there, too, it doesn't qualify. You can, however, use the space for more than one business activity. For example, if you make jewelry and sell it over the Internet, you can use the same space for that business as you use for your writing business.

3.  Do you use the space regularly for your business purposes? You don't have to use it forty hours a week, but incidental or occasional use isn't enough. Unfortunately, I can't give you a bright-line test.

4.  Is your home office your principal place of business for your writing activities? It doesn't have to be your jail, however. It's okay to write at Starbucks if you do your paperwork (submissions, bookkeeping, etc.) in your home office.

Even if you answered all of these questions "yes," you may still have a problem. That's because how much you can deduct depends on how much profit you make. And even if the royalties are rolling in, your deduction must be proportionate to your dedicated space. If your office is 10% of the square footage in your home, you can deduct 10% of your utility bills. If the desk in the dining room takes up 2%, that's all you can deduct.

For more information, visit the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov/ and download Publication 587, "Business Use of Your Home."

Kathryn Page Camp