A Healthy Writing Environment Delivers Great Articles for Freelance Writers

Having the right workspace for article writing can help you construct great articles as a freelance writer. Your surroundings while you write does play a part in helping or hindering your performance and the quality of work you produce. Eventually this can even lead to decreasing your writing income. A messy, disordered, cramped and chaotic article writing space confines your body and your mind and usually leads to procrastination. Public spaces are very distracting and bare spaces are uninspiring. A healthy writing environment delivers great articles for freelance writers time and time again. 

Rid yourself of writers block by making a healthy writing environment that leads to generating great freelance articles with these ideas and suggestions.

The ideal space begins somewhere away from the distractions and diversions of any pets, family, televisions or phones not related to your writing business. Start with the right light source and room temperature to contribute to your efficiency and output.

Ideally having an office for your online freelance writing would work best for your healthy writing environment, but a separate space for working within a room used for another purpose can work. Perhaps you have a large bedroom that affords you space for your desk, shelves, files and chair.  As a freelance writer you can have a lot of optional supplies. However, you want to include the following in must haves for your healthy writing environment; drawers or storage, a bulletin board and books.  

Working from a desk and chair that is comfortable for you is a must for a healthy writing environment regardless of where you’ve found a workspace. Have a chair that is ergonomically correct, your body will thank you now as well as later.

Drawers or storage

·         Writing tablets

Writing tablets or other types of paper for keeping quick ideas is terrific for a healthy writing environment. There are numerous times where you have a burst of fire in your thought process and need to keep it for later. Having a place to put your thoughts and ideas is wonderful for organization and not losing out on the next WOW article.

Some freelance writers enjoy sticky note pads, spiral notebook tablets, loose leaf paper or other sources of the old school of writing before we began working with Word and computers.

·         Writing supplies

Along with your paper keep your pens, highlighters, flags, paper clips and any other supplies for pen and paper writing and organization.

Some freelance writers will also keep healthy snacks-food and drink-in this same space. Healthy snacks are food and drink that will keep you alert and energized. Stay away from candy and caffeine. These will give you a quick burst of energy, but zap you in the long run and don’t provide any real benefits to your overall health.

·         Files

Some freelance writers will keep paper files of some papers or forms. Electronic files can be kept for nearly anything. For instance, some freelance writers have tax forms that they have stored electronically but would also like a paper copy kept on hand.

Do you have magazine articles or other paper publications you would like to keep on hand? Use your files for these materials.

Bulletin board

·         Calendar

A calendar serves several purposes for a healthy writing environment. There are lots of times where you have deadlines for future dates and these should be noted on your calendar.  A calendar is one of the best ways to organize deadline information. In addition, how many times do you write dates or need to know a date such as a week from next Tuesday? Scheduling material with a calendar helps you to visualize and track a plan that may be based on themes, seasonal trends, holidays and more.

·         Inspiration

Do you need to be inspired at times? Pictures of your family and friends can be inspiring. Maybe you received a great comment for a great blog post that you printed and posted on your board for encouragement. How about decorating for Valentine’s Day to get those freelance writing ideas around the holiday created? Inspirational quotes or poems help you out every so often when you need a push. One great inspiration is listing your goals and checking them off as you accomplish them.

Books

·         Thesaurus and dictionary

These are two books that many freelance writers make use of electronically or online. However, having a hardcopy of both of these is useful also. Many are sold in pocket form so you won’t necessarily have 200 pounds of books on your shelves. These are two tools that every writer should use every day they write.

·         English grammar guide

Trying to recall the correct past tense of a word? An English grammar guide can answer that question for you. Having an English grammar guide at hand will help make you a better freelance writer. A grammar guide can answer any grammar question you have and help you convey your expertise as a writer to everyone reading your work.

All of these tools are supplemental and have electronic versions available. Many freelance writers have them as a piece of software or an online resource. There are even apps you can utilize that provide the same benefit.

Organization and a great workspace will make your productivity, creativity and freelance writing better overall and helps to build a healthy writing environment to deliver great articles. 

pic is courtesy of the nakedspeaker.com

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