Workspace

The Queensland Writers' Centre is having another little blog tour, and once again, I've been invited to take part. This time, we get to invite you all in to our workspaces. Which is perfect for me, because I was looking for a distraction anyway. Come in. Great to see you. Take a seat. Mind the crap.

I personally love looking at other writers' rooms, so I know you're going to just bubble over with feverish excitement at the prospect of seeing mine. But first, let's talk for a moment about what went into creating this particular writing space. Essentially, I based it on the Jane Austen ideal:


*Jane Austen's actual writing desk. I think.

And combined it with the Tina Fey model:

*Maybe not Tina Fey's actual writing desk. Probably just a set-up for the American Express ad the photo was for. But maybe not. Maybe her daughter does write all her stuff. Maybe her Post-It notes do all stay stuck up on the wall like that.

And voila. This is what I got:

If you'd looked at this image straight after the Austen pic, I feel certain you would have fled for fear of contagious disease/clutter, but compared to Fey's I now think it looks rather orderly, actually. Thanks, QWC! Now, a game!

CAN YOU FIND:

1. Two children's dolls, both half naked
2. Two chairs (WHY TWO?)
   
3. A scattered jigsaw puzzle
4. Four unread New Yorkers
5. Twenty-three books recently scored from Lifeline Bookfest, none of them even opened as yet
   
6. A green pencil sharpener
7. A red apple
8. A power extension cord connected to nothing
9. An empty guitar case
10. A photo of Leo, my friend Phoebe's son
11. A mostly-full bottle of moisturiser that I'm very disappointed with
    
12. One burnt disc of Glee
13. Fourteen wheatgrass sachets in a plastic sandwich bag
    
14. EM Forster's Aspects of the Novel, a beloved old teal edition
15. The Chicago Manual of Style
    
16. A random record collection: all that seems visible is Treasury of Great Operettas but there is absolute, utter gold in there if only you'd let me show you
    
17. A DVD of A Chorus Line
18. Two of the most awkward tables known to mankind, purpose-built to be neither ergonomic nor properly sit-at-able
19. A cushion which does nothing to aid in comfort
    
20. Somewhere in there, a computer, where all the magic happens. Occasionally. When you're not in here distracting me. Get out will you? I said—GO. Git. Vamoose. Etc. Oh, and thanks so much for coming over, I loved having you here.