Which of the following two quotes is true?
Clear desk, clear mind.
Or:
A disordered desk is a sign of genius.
There are lots of versions of these sayings, and everyone argues about who said which, but in the end, they leave us authors with one question. Which is better for our word count: a clear desk or a cluttered one?
The answer, as ever, comes down to you, the writer. Personally, I know I work better when things around me are in order, but sometimes deadlines make that unlikely. (The worst outcome is when the office reaches critical mass of disorder, at the same time as a looming deadline, and I have to stop work to sort my space out before my mind is clear enough to continue.) Basically, what works for you, works for you. But there are always ways it can work better.
If you’re not sure which end of the Clutter-Cleanliness Genius Spectrum you sit on, see if you can recognise yourself in the following descriptions – and read on for some tips on how to make your desk tendencies work best for you.
Organised Chaos Lover
For some creatives, a little bit of chaos fires up their imagination. If you’re this kind of writer, seeing the juxtaposition of two scribbled post it notes, each with a small point about your story, stuck randomly next to each other on the side of a research book, could spark a fantastic revelation about the book you’re writing. You probably also know where everything is in your own chaotic space, and tidying them up would only cost you more time finding them later.
Tips & Tricks
If this system works for you, go for it! But I do have two tips to make your chaos that little bit more organised:
1: When you finish work on one project, take the time to clear up your notes, file them away, and start fresh for the next book. This stops things reaching the point where you can’t actually find your keyboard…
2: Have a distinctive folder set apart somewhere for Very Important Stuff – like tax paperwork, contracts and such – so that you can put your hands on it when required. Organised chaos can tip over into unorganised chaos pretty easily, and the last thing you want is to lose track of something important in the piles of inspiration around you.
The Distracted Diva
At the opposite end of the spectrum are the writers for whom the slightest mess means a complete lack of focus. If you’re this sort of writer, just the sight of a book out of alphabetical order on the shelf, or a pen not tucked neatly away in its pot can be enough to distract you from your WIP until it’s fixed. And while a clear desk may be the sign of a clear mind, if keeping it that way is taking you away from, you know, writing the actual book, it might not be helping you as much as you think.
Tips & Tricks
If you find you’re spending more time tidying than writing, try these tips to use your natural tendency to your advantage:
1: Set aside a Tidy Up Time. Finish your work day fifteen minutes earlier, and use that last stretch of time to clear your desk and organise anything that’s out of place, so that when you sit down to work the next morning your workspace is already distraction free, and you don’t lose any precious time and momentum to tidying.
2: Keep your systems simple. Any organisational system that takes too long to implement and maintain will become more of an annoyance and a time sink than a help. You want to be able to file away all your papers and clear your desk in just those fifteen minutes at the end of the day, so don’t overcomplicate things. At its most basic, all you need is a file system for reference documents (unless you’ve gone digital), a file for things that need actioning, and a place to neatly store your stationery and supplies.
The Procrastination Cleaner
Some writers, on the other hand, aren’t too fussed by a bit of mess when the words are flowing – but can’t bear the slightest thing out of place when writing becomes a bit harder. These writers (myself included) might not thrive on chaos the way the Organised Chaos Lover does, but neither are they overly distracted by the clutter. If you’re this kind of writer, the problems with your surroundings only start when the problems with your manuscript do. The moment your hands stall on the keyboard and you sit back, it’s easy to let the clutter overtake your mind and decide that, actually, what you really need to do is reorganise your study, rather than get on with your book.
TIPS & TRICKS
If cleaning is your writer’s block habit of choice, there are ways to make it more productive than procrastination. Before you start tidying, do two things to make the most of your natural tendencies:
1: Write down your problem with your manuscript. Just getting the issue down on paper will help your brain start ticking over while you clean – and tidying is exactly the sort of activity to let your subconscious get to work on a great solution.
2: Set a timer. You can get a lot sorted and cleaned in twenty minutes, and knowing you only have a fixed time to work on it will stop you getting distracted by every post it note and book you find. The aim is to get your workspace clear enough to let you work, and no more. When the timer goes off, get back to work. (If your desk is still a mess, set the timer again for a writing sprint, then do another timed tidying session afterwards. Repeat until the book is finished or your study is perfectly organised!)
Let me know in the comments which personality resonates most with you!
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