If we were face to face right now, I would greet you with a smile and invite you inside my house because I’m going to give you a tour today. An office tour, to be precise.

My setup is nothing inspirational, but it might just prove that authors are normal people with very practical lives.

So let’s jump right into it.

What Does My Office Look Like?

I’ve mentioned before that I come from a big family. All eleven of us still live under the same roof (for now . . .) and I’m not the only one with entrepreneurial endeavors.

That said, space can be tight. We take up a lot of space with ourselves, and all the projects have made us think hard about how to best use whatever leftover space we have. 

For me, all my creativity takes place in my room. I have a little desk at the end of my bed, which is yes, compact, but a great example of how big things can spring from something very small.

The stack of papers and folders beside my computer contains the business-side of my writing. 

On the stool beside the table, I have my historical research, books on writing craft, and fight scene info as well as notepads containing half-baked ideas and what-if scenarios.

Also of note is the wooden pencil holder that my favorite Dad made me for Christmas. (He would also say he’s my only Dad, but that doesn’t keep him from being my favorite)

And on top of the bookshelf, those are my three published books. They’re wonderful inspiration to look at while I write. 🙂

That bookshelf is one of many in my room because my room also serves as the family library (at least partly–there’s another bookshelf downstairs and totes of homeschool curriculum in the storage closet. They say homeschoolers are notorious book collectors, so just think of how bad I am about hoarding books since I’m also an author).

Question From a Reader: Do you need quiet to write or can you write with your large family around?

My Answer: Well, it depends. Quiet is definitely preferable while I'm writing, and the door to my room helps with that. But sometimes I will have a visitor who I allow to stay until they become a distraction. The cuter they are, the harder they are to turn away. :)

So there you have it, my office in all it’s glory. Maybe the best thing about it is that it (usually) forces me to deal with paperwork right away. That is one thing I could easily procrastinate–but not if it’s cluttering my writing space.

Does your house have a library of your personally collected books? If so, how many bookshelves does it take up?