Thursday 7 April 2011

RETROFRIDAY - A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE WRITING CAVE

Hello, dear readers - welcome to RetroFriday! Before I usher you into the past of this blog, I draw your attention to the right side of the screen, where, you will notice, my follower pledge has changed. I've sung for 200 followers. For 300, I'm going to dye my hair! A nice big pink/purple streak or streaks. Don't you want to see that? My hair is naturally blonde and over two feet long - so it ought to be pretty striking!

And now - A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE WRITING CAVE! Originally posted in December, this, so not all that old, but it was requested a couple of times in the comments. So here you are!

Today I thought I'd give you a virtual tour of The Writing Cave. Anyone who's watched my YouTube videos will have caught the odd glimpse of the place where I work, but I've never shown it in much detail, because I was hoping that one day I might get to be one of those posh writers who get interviewed in their study by a newspaper and have pictures taken under a title like WRITER'S HIDEAWAY REVEALED. This happened to Kevin Crossley-Holland. This is his study:


Droolworthy, right?

But the other day it occurred to me that there's actually not room in my Writing Cave for a journalist and a photographer. There's barely room for me. If I turn my chair around too quickly the arms whack into the desk, or sweep books and papers onto the floor. And anyway, if I ever become important enough that a newspaper wants to interview me, I'll probably have already moved into my sustainably sourced timber-framed eco house, so I'll have a completely different writer's cave. And thus I present to you:

This is where the magic happens. And now the writer's-eye-view:

To the left of my secretaire there's a rocking chair where Beulah now lives, only it's not really a rocking chair because it doesn't have any room to rock in that corner. It's very comfy though. I got it for £60 from a house clearance.

Here's one of my incredibly untidy bookcases. The untidiness is not really my fault. I always kept my study well organised up until recently, when I had workmen in fiddling with my radiator. While I wasn't around they tipped all the books off this case and then shoved them back on two-deep, creating the chaos you see here. I swear I'm going to take a day off soon and put everything back in it's proper order.


And finally, here's the view out of my window, snow, icicles and all.

32 comments:

Liz said...

Whoo! I love this. I love that you have a writer's cave. I want to have a writer's cave. I write at the diningroom table on either the laptop or the iMac, surrounded by four book cases, cd's, the radio and ipod. One day, I will have a lovely space, JUST like Mr. Crossley Holland.

Zoë Marriott said...

Well, it's really just the box room! A room so tiny that if you stand in the middle and stretch out your arms you can easily touch both walls. A room so tiny that if you put a single bed in it, there's no room for a bedside table. It used to be a junk room, basically, but then I had a burst of unacustomed energy one week and cleared it out and shoved all my books and writing things into it. But I'd swap a kidney for a writing room like Kevin Crossley-Holland's...

serendipity_viv said...

I love your writing cave! The view alone would inspire me to write.

Zoë Marriott said...

No it wouldn't! It'd inspire you to stare out of the window and daydream, just like it does me. I had to set things up so that the window was behind me or I'd never get anything done :)

Bekah said...

This is great. Thanks for inviting us in! And I love your hair-streak plan...I did a peacock-blue streak in my brown hair for my 30th birthday and it was one of the most fun things I've ever done. You'll love doing yours.

Zoë Marriott said...

I only wish there was more to show, but it's the size of most people's broom cupboards!

Now that I've had the coloured streak idea, I do hope we get to 300 quickly. I want to get on with it!

Essjay said...

I love your writer's cave too. Beautiful view. Damn those book-medding workmen!

Zoë Marriott said...

Thanks - though really it's my own laziness at fault now. I've still not taken the time to rearrange it!

Megz said...

I AM SO JEALOUS. I mean, trust me, I'd rather have your Writer Cave than Kevin Crossley-Holland's! Why? Because your writing are is so much more COSY! I like small spaces. And I like messy places. My mum and dad recently bought a table for my brother and I to use because the other one's too low. I like to pretend it's my own, because I have to clear everything off. I don't have my own bedroom, so having a writer's cave is currently impossible, but we're going to move (well, we're planning to), and I'm gonna get my own bedroom. PHEW!

Zoë Marriott said...

I have to admit that, even with the size and the temperature problems, it is a pretty sweet set-up. Congratulations on getting your own bedroom (hopefully) - that's awesome! Your bedroom can be your writing cave, pretty much. Mine used to be!

Megz said...

Is it your birthday today? Facebook says so... If it is; happy birthday!!!!

WHOOT!!!

Zoë Marriott said...

It was yesterday - thank you very much!

Anonymous said...

I am officially in love with your Writing Cave. I don't know how you resist looking out the window. You’re stronger than I am. I had to move down to the basement in my house with no windows at all to keep from getting distracted.
Ps. Would you, or anyone else who recognizes the cover, be able to tell me what the name of the green book with a person holding what I think is a sword in the second picture in the bottom right corner is? It looks so familiar and I can’t remember if I’ve read it before or seen it somewhere. Thanks so much for anyone who can help. I've tried Googling books with green covers but it hasn’t gotten me anywhere.

Katie-Lynn

Zoë Marriott said...

That's Graceling, Katie-Lynn! By Kristin Cashore. The UK cover - completely different than the US one. And I sit with my BACK to the window for that exact reason!

Anonymous said...

Thank you. Unfortunatley I haven't read it or seen it anywhere before. Sigh. Now I have to figure out what book the cover reminds me of or I won't be able to focus on anything all night.

Katie-Lynn

Zoë Marriott said...

Hmmm. You could try 'Googling UK Graceling cover image' - see if that turns anything up.

Megz said...

Oh, I'm sorry. (Obviously) I didn't know. Well, happy belated birthday!!!

Zoë Marriott said...

That's all right, Megha - I'm still in a birthday mood anyway, so it totally counts!

Anonymous said...

I did, read the synopsis and everything. It's not whatever book I thought it was, but it does look good.

Katie-Lynn

Isabel said...

First of all, OH MY GOSH YOUR BIRTHDAY WAS YESTERDAY!!!! (Well, for you now, the day before yesterday.) HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Anyway. I'm excited about the hair-dye. Purple would be something -- I'm definitely for that. ;)

I also really wish I had a writer's cave. Someday... Kevin Crossley-Holland's is just drool-worthy, but yours is great too -- it's okay that it's a bit tight. ;)

I'm going on a trip with my class next week for four days, so I won't be on Monday through Thursday... I've got a lot of stuff to do this weekend too so I may be rather busy for a while!

Zoë Marriott said...

Thanks, Isabel - and I'm excited about the hair dying too. 90 followers to go, though, so it might be a while.

I know I'm lucky to have a writer's cave. I did without one for a very long time, and it didn't stop me from writing, but I do get much more work done because it's a room just for that where I can't really do anything else!

Have a lovely time on your trip, Isabel.

Megz said...

It might be a while, but it'll be SO worth it. I wish I could die my hair. I wonder how I would look. Pretty good, I think.

Zoë Marriott said...

Well, YOU don't have to wait for 300 followers, you know...

Raimy from Readaraptor Hatchling said...

Wow that view is beautiful! I wish i had a cave... just for me and my books! x

Zoë Marriott said...

It's really just a field - you can't see the church (which is a Saxon one and v. beautiful) or the river or anything from that angle. I was desperate to get the icicles in, you see!

Isabel said...

Upon finishing Wither I spent some time in my room, crying. Such a sad, bittersweet ending. I can't wait for the second book. *Spoiler Alert* I was soooo sad about Jenna, and I can't believe I didn't figure out what Vaughn had done to her! I think the last scene with Linden was just heartbreakingly beautiful. I almost wish she hadn't run away in the end. I was starting to get attached to Linden, Cecily, Deirdre, and all the other characters. *Sigh* Anyway, I gave it five stars on Goodreads. I might write a review sometime, maybe not, but thanks so much for recommending it! It was a fabulous read.

Zoë Marriott said...

Hurrah! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Isabel. It makes writing the review totally worth it!

Isabel said...

;) Now I think I'll read The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. I'm excited. Don't worry about it if I don't like it, okay? (I think I will, though.) Hehe. If it's anywhere near as good as Wither, (which was a rare find, just spectacular) then I'm all set. I'm still alternating between Squee's and sniffles. *Sigh*

Megz said...

Zoe, you once posted a video of some author. The video was about copy-edits. I CAN'T FIND IT!! Can you please link to it? I remember that the music played during the video was Under Pressure. It's weird how I remember the strangest of details.

Zoë Marriott said...

Here you go - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3w9OK25aAA Thursday Edits on Key by Cleah Clifford. Though it's about general edits, rather than JUST copyedits.

Megz said...

YAY!! Thank you. I just really love that video...

Zoë Marriott said...

So do I. I must have watched it about ten times.

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