Inspiration from Zadie Smith

Image courtesy of the New York University site.

Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you. ~ Zadie Smith, "10 Rules of Writing," Brain Pickings

Zadie Smith, one of my favorite authors, has provided a gem of wisdom regarding the time and space in which we write.  The time and space in which you write is a precious commodity.  This is where you delve deeply into yourself and allow the creativity to flow onto the page or the computer screen.  You want to respect yourself and your craft enough to provide the solitude that's necessary to do your best work.  It's essential that you find a time and carve out a space that's free of distractions and that contains all the tools and resources you need to be productive.  I believe this is an essential aid to being disciplined, honest, and fair to yourself and your craft.  Remember that this is for you and the benefit of your writing (and your writing career, if you so chose to have one).  Keep it to yourself.  This is one time when you shouldn't feel guilty about being selfish.

The featured quote (above) is one of Smith's 10 rules of writing featured by the insightful Maria Popova on the Brain Pickings site.  Take a moment to read the full list.  I'm sure you'll find the rules to be both eloquent and useful.