Where do you write?

Virginia Woolf famously said that '"a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction'. But does a writer really need a room?

It certainly helps to have the money to free up your time to write, but most writers don't earn that much, (the last time I checked, the average earnings for a writer were below average income in the UK) so if you're writing to get rich, you're probably in the wrong game. Most of us write because we love it, and can't imagine living without writing. 

There is a long history of famous, successful writers working in exotic spaces - Hemingway in Cuba, Gabriel Marquez in Cartagena, James Joyce and F. Scottt Fitzgerald in Paris etc. Virginia Woolf did some of her writing at the Charleston Farmhouse in Sussex, along with others in the Bloomsbury Set. It is a beautiful, tranquil spot, and I could easily imagine sitting looking out on the pond and writing. Joanne Harris writes from a shed in her garden, and her twitter feed (@Joannechocolat) features regular descriptions of her writing space. 

Then there are those who write in public spaces, such as JK Rowling writing on a train, or in a cafe called the Elephant House. Maya Angelou rented a room in a local hotel. Many others like Barbara Kingsolver have a home office. 

I've written on the train, in cafe's, and in lovely outdoor spots, but my favourite is my office at home. As I work from home most of the time, (teaching people in China how to speak English) I do have a dedicated space, and it's set up for me to work for long stretches of time, usually with at least one cat for companionship.  

It's sometimes tempting to think that it's impossible to write without a lovely peaceful writing space, but  E.B. White said "A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper." 

If there is one thing we can learn from all of these examples, it is that you can write anywhere.  It may mean getting up earlier than your family to have some peace, but ultimately anywhere you can sit with a laptop / computer or notebook is a place where you can write. The place isn't important - the writing is.