Through the years, I’ve become someone who can write anywhere. I do believe there is a benefit to adaptability when it comes to finding time for words. But there is something to be said about a place dedicated specifically to the craft and growth of writing.
For me, this is my writing cave, which exists in the corner of my room as a sanctuary for stories. Sleep has often been sacrificed to spend time here. Whole worlds have been born from the ether of the universe in this space. I have grown as a writer and a person at this well-worn desk.
I suppose there are places that feel more comfortable than others because they allow us to be exactly as we are. Even as the world asks us to be different versions of ourselves daily, there is a magic to finding the you in a space.
However, I must admit this desk and the writing cave disappeared beneath paperwork and books and disorder during the last few months. In that time, I’d forgotten how much I loved this tiny corner of my world. And though we all exist in spaces differently, for myself, I know that a cluttered room leads to a cluttered mind.
I needed my space back. I kept planning to reclaim this corner, but alas, time felt fleeting. While we can and should make plans, sometimes life has different intentions. And as life is wont to do, it threw some disruptions my way, most notably by flooding my closet earlier this month. I didn’t plan for it, but it forced me to clear out and clean up the mess.
This opportunity was the nudge I needed to tackle my writing cave. And now that this space has returned to stillness and solace, capturing its importance here feels necessary.
The space:
As previously mentioned, the writing cave exists in a small corner of my room. It contains my desk, an alcove, a craft stand, and a bookshelf. So what makes this space special?
In part, I think it’s the careful curation of everything that makes me feel connected to stories. It’s history and memories and nostalgia and possibility. Among these treasures, you’ll find antique teacups, vintage books, typewriters, lighthouses, honeybees, pens, planners, and more. Perhaps this is the closest you’ll get, dear reader, to understanding my composition as a writer at the molecular level. This microcosm of personhood remains clear on the days when I feel lost.
The desk:
This is truly one of my favorite finds. In 2014, I wandered into a building near my hometown, which everyone calls The Barn. It is, in fact, a barn filled with items from ceiling to floor with no rhyme or reason. It takes hunting and a keen eye to find treasure. I did just that. I paid $50 for a desk that in perfect condition is worth 20 times this amount.
Alas, my desk is far from perfect. I love it all the more for its scars and history. This antique Limbert Arts and Crafts Library desk was crafted from tiger oak in the mission style during the early 1900s. The drawer has a place for a quill and ink.
Most convenient for an avid reader, this desk provides two sets of shelves on either side. Stored here are more than enough books to fuel my obsession with Grimm’s Fairytales, Greek mythology, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
The latest addition to the shelves is a canvas print of the Currituck lighthouse, which for those who know the world of my work-in-progress book, DREAM CATCHERS, you know how important this building is to me.
No matter where I go or what story I pursue, I know this desk won’t be far from my journey. We’re kindred spirits, meant to be in each other’s lives for always.
The alcove:
Four years ago, I knew this space needed to be transformed into my writing cave when I saw the alcove built into this corner. You see, dear reader, I’d started my own collection of antique teacups (my great-grandmother collected them first) and I knew this would be the perfect place to showcase them.
And as the years have passed and my collection has grown, my love for these two shelves has not diminished. I’ve added more than just teacups here. There’s vintage editions of Tennyson’s Poetical Works, Euripides, A Wrinkle in Time, Sonnets to Orpheus, Idylls of the King, In Memoriam A.H.H., various works of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Winnie-the-Pooh, The Wind in the Willows, Vanity Fair, vintage writing craft books, the April Poems circa 2020, Far From the Madding Crowd, a first edition collection of poetry by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Paradise Lost, and so many copies of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
A more recent addition to this space is the lighthouse print gifted to me by one of the best friends to celebrate the publication of Pages Penned in Pandemic. Someday, dear reader, you’ll discover why lighthouses are so important to me. For now, I’m still figuring that out for myself.
The craft stand:
For Christmas 2020, my parents gifted me this incredible stand, which now houses my myriad of craft supplies. Whether washi tape or watercolors, I love having the ability to dabble in other creative arts when need be. I’ve utilized the space as much as possible, adding some framed prints of Alice exploring Wonderland (a gift from the other best friend) and some additional teacups!
The bookshelf:
While this is only one of the bookshelves in my room, this one provides so much to love and to feel inspired by when my own words feel more distant than usual.
At the very top, I’ve added some teacups (I now have 37 in total, though I’m starting to run out of room) with my Honeybee Farms sign.
Though the least visually interesting, the binders on the bottom ensure my curated writing throughout the years stays organized. These binders remind me to keep going without giving up. I’ve done it countless times before. I know I can do it again, so long as I try.
As I’m always trying to become the best writer I can be, I find having a collection of craft books to be just as important. This first shelf continues to grow, and so does my passion for my art. To keep myself tethered to where my current work-in-progress began, I keep a framed scrap of paper with an idea that I tied back to Camryn’s story a year after first writing it. It’s something to look back on when the drafts seem endless and the work feels unmanageable.
I know what you’re thinking: what would a bookshelf be without more books? Worry not, dear reader. Below the pens and markers and highlighters is a shelf filled with graphic novels, a beloved quote about brokenness, a beeswax candle shaped into a lighthouse, and a coffee mug with a beautiful origin and characters from a favorite show.
Just below this shelf are books about dreams and mythology and magic with some memoirs for good measure.
The essentials:
No writing cave would be complete without those last few items that make or break a storytelling session. For me, this comes down to eight items. Though water, coffee, and crystals are a MUST, they are not pictured below. The others include:
Macbook Pro
Moleskine journal (current edition adorned with an Ew David sticker)
Archer and Olive Planner
Felix Gray blue light blocking glasses
Headphones
Recently, I’ve been reading back through old blog posts. In doing so, I found one written before I turned 25. And in it, I promised a tour of my writing cave. I realize it’s taken four(ish) years to finally compile this here, but I’m happy I didn’t rush the post. The writing cave has changed, taking on more history and energy and stories than I ever imagined. And I have gone through my own growth since then.
I can’t wait to revisit this years from now in my next writing cave. I imagine it will have even more bookshelves and teacups, that I will still be writing from the same desk, only I will have a view of the ocean from windows that let in the afternoon light. Maybe this is more a dream than anything else, but in case you’re new to this blog, you should know I am a dreamer.
Whether you’re finding yourself out in the world or in a tiny corner of your home, I hope you’re able to be you, whoever that might be.
