Unpopular opinion: every writer needs a workspace.

I don’t mean you need an office, or that you need to to work in the same space every day, or that you are unable to work sitting in your bed. What I mean is that every writer needs to move from their living space to a physically different space to work consistently.

Your workspace is the place where you’re allowed to work to your heart’s content. You don’t need to do the dishes in that place, or worry about bills. Your workspace is assigned specifically for your creative work.

Here’s my opinion on the best workspaces:

The best: a separate office outside your home with a closable door.
Next best: a separate office outside your home without a door, for example a co-working space. (Bring headphones.)
Third best: a library.
Fourth: a cafe.
Fifth: a separate office room with a closable door in your home.
Sixth: a separate desk in your home designated for writing alone.

I like the first two options the best because they come with a price, and investing money in your creative work is a nice hack to tell your brain you need to get stuff done. (Imagine checking in a suite in a five-star hotel to write. You’d have to finish your book.)

A library is good because it’s quiet, and in a cafe you can use your favorite beverage as a routine to bring your brain into working mode. Any space in your home is the last option in my opinion because separating work time from free time becomes increasingly hard, sabotaging your prolificity.

So unless you’ve produced your best work effectively sitting in bed or on the couch in front of the TV, I suggest you try an office or the other spaces listed above. The physical act of getting up, dressing, and going to work will have a profound effect in clicking the button in your brain that says: let’s do this.