My writing life is hectic. My husband and I run a small business out of our house – we manage about 300 properties. And because I’m technically in charge of that business and have to answer questions and emails from time to time I won’t give up and surrender the business to a real office because I write at home in the comfort of my own office. But every morning at 8:30 the crews show up for their work assignments and troop into the second office which just happens to adjoin mine. By the time they turn in their assignment from the day before and go over the details with my husband, and get their new work load for the day, it’s anywhere from 9:30 to 10:00. Then the company secretary shows up, followed three days a week by a part-time office worker. And phone calls…one after the other.
And I’m expected to write through all this, which I actually manage to do. But to be honest, I’m always amazed when I get a book completed.
I have a nice, comfortable office, custom built for my needs and I love it. Wish it was separated from my house, even though that’s not possible. But I love the days when I have the house all to myself, no one’s there, no one comes in, the phone doesn’t ring. All is quite and my creative juices can flow freely. That’s a rare occurrence, however. So I’ve learned to adapt. I write with all the activity going on around me. Shut it out, pretend I am alone, and tell people to go away or be quiet if they’re bothering me. Otherwise, I can’t write. I’ve asked my husband to build me a nice, heavy, sound-proof door that I can shut and maybe that will do the trick. I hope so anyway. Because I especially need my quiet solitude when deadlines are pressing down on me.
So what do you do to avoid the distractions? Maybe I’m being overly sensitive. Maybe most people write through them better than I do. But I must admit, the older I get and the busier I am the more they bug me. Any ideas or suggestions?”
DD
Love is the Best Medicine 
Hi Dianne!
I’m amazed you get any books written at all! What number are you up to for Harlequin Mills & Boon. I always complain to myself when my husband is banging around the house because I like peace and quiet when I write. But when he’s not home, after a while I miss his company. Fickle I know.
The only suggestion I have is investing in a great pair of soundproof earmuffs!
I don’t think you’re being sensitive at all! I write in silence and am amazed by people who can write with music or noise. This week we’re having bathroom renovations and it’s school holidays and so yesterday I got no words done at all. I’m looking forward to next week when there’s tiling (a quiet job) and no kids around, so I can actually do some work! I agree with Lynne- earmuffs? Noise cancelling headphones? An office elsewhere?
I’m always amazed too,Louisa, about people who can write to music. I need complete silence 🙂
Yep, I don’t like loads of noise either. But otherwise I’m fairly cruisy. My DB does drop by my office at times -sometimes when I really don’t need interruption, other times when I’m begging for any kind of an emergency to give me a break. We live in the Marlborough Sounds and it’s surprising how many people say I must get so much inspiration from my surroundings. In truth, I hardly notice when I’m working.
Good Luck
Dianne
Hi Dianne, I’m usually pretty immune to noise around me, as long as it’s nothing to do with me. I’m amazed that you manage to write with phones ringing and people trying to catch your attention – that’s something I couldn’t do. The other thing that’s guaranteed to put me off is music. I can write pretty much anywhere and with any amount of chatter going on in the background, but if there’s music it always gets to me and I find myself stopping and listening to that instead.
Your sound-proof door sounds a great idea – maybe with a little sign on it that you can flip back and forth to show everyone on the other side when you’re not to be disturbed?