Being a writer is a funny thing. I always want to write, but when the opportune time does come along, I dig into my bag of excuses to do something else. One of my favorites is “I just don’t feel like writing.” This excuse often stems from lack of motivation, inspiration, muse, or whatever. Sometimes it can even be due to my writing environment–yes, we writers are a fickle bunch.
But seriously, writers like to write in places with an amazing ambiance. Bustling coffee shops. Old musty libraries. A house with a view of the ocean. A log cabin in the woods. Those surroundings feed the writer’s soul. All the creative juices start flowing when you’re locked away in a room that has a scenic view of the mountains or surrounding walls filled with 18th century tomes.
Unfortunately, most of us have to settle for a comfy armchair in a quiet room in our apartments or suburban homes. No idyllic scenery for the average writer unless you know someone with a fully-furnished time share in Salzburg (if you do, please give me their number!). Thankfully, there are some really cool writing studios available for rent to those needing to take a writing vacation.
Here’s my compiled list of awesome writing studios, some are available to rent and some aren’t, but they’re all cool and will kick your muse into overdrive!
Foxglove Cabin on Whidbey Island
Maybe you're looking for a writer's retreat that's akin to Thoreau's Walden Pond. This small cabin is nestled in the beautiful woods of Washington state, specifically Whidbey Island. It's remote, quiet, and full of writing adventure. What else does a writer need? It's also quite affordable to rent and maybe someday I'll lodge in this quaint little cabin and pound out a weighty manuscript.
Your mileage may vary.
House of Writing
(Fondation Jan Michalski P'our Lecriture et la Litterature)
How would you like to write your next book in the Alps? This writing studio is suspended by steel cables hanging from a futuristic concrete canopy. Inside the structure are three levels: the first is for dining and entertaining guests, the second is an open space for thoughtful contemplation, and the third level is the writer's loft which offers a breathtaking view of the countryside. Science fiction authors might want to book their residences before the coming apocalypse or alien invasion.
Hackney Shed
Some writers don't want to leave the comfort of their home or neighborhood. Although it's probably not cost-effective for most writers (because we're starving artists), turning that old shed in the backyard into a writing studio should rank high on the priority list.
Situated in a domestic garden in Hackney, UK, this studio replaces a poorly constructed, asbestos-ridden and spider-filled hut. The doors are retractable and there's a skylight that gives a nice view of the sky above. If only Home Depot sold more backyard sheds like this.
John Steinbeck's Writer Studio
Getting away to write in a solitary place is nothing new. Many famous writers like Mark Twain, Virginia Woolf, Roald Dahl, and yes, John Steinbeck had their own retreats to pen their famous works.
Available for rent on AirBnB, Mr. Steinbeck's former home is a cozy 350 square foot cottage located in Pacific Grove just a few miles from the California coastline. If you're itching to write your next literary masterpiece, you can't go wrong locking yourself inside a Nobel Prize-winner's studio.
Wade Davis' Domed Library
Wade Davis is a travel photographer, writer, and ethnographer for National Geographic and his home office looks amazing. Designed after the rotunda at the Oracle of Delphi, this writing studio is covered by a dome which houses Davis' personal library and is accessible through a ladder. A few hours in this studio will probably yield ten thousand words or more because you'll be crazy inspired to write. Seriously!
Although I loved the idea of a futuristic sci-fi retreat in the Alps, I think a small cabin in the woods would do it for me!
I’m with you, Amanda!