The Writer’s Desk ~ Let the Voting Begin! February 2, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Word Play, Writing & Writers.trackback
The Writer’s Desk Challenge elicited some illuminating entries. Thanks to all who entered or cheered from the sidelines!
I limited submissions to 100 words so entrants wouldn’t be tempted to write dissertations explaining and encapsulating everything about their writing style and habits.
I wanted writers to reveal one facet, piece of the puzzle, or tantalizing tidbit about their writing life for us to examine under our voyeuristic microscopes.
They did not disappoint.
Each entry, whether prose or poem, includes a glimmer, a glimpse, a glance, a nod, or a wink to a snippet, a tip, a technique, a why, a where, a how, a when, a what, a pleasure, a joy, or a challenge of writing.
You can find links to all submissions HERE and HERE.
Narrowing the field to three (3) semi-finalists was beyond my ken; I’ve included seven (7) semi-finalists on the ballot. Now YOU (and your friends) get to cast the deciding votes.
Voting will close and the winner will be “crowned” on Valentine’s Day. Sweet!
1. I Write, Therefore I Am (55 words)
A writing space by any name does serve me well.
By lamplight or with sunlight streaming
Ideas flourish while I’m dreaming.
From mind to pen words quickly teeming
Pages fill with stories beaming.
In quiet or with children screaming
Cluttered desk or table gleaming
I’ve found my heaven … not to write would be my hell.
2. Look If You Dare (100 words)
The kids are in bed. I can finally write. Where are my – ah, there are my novel notes. I read several paragraphs to get back into the story.
Did I make the car payment?
I add several sentences. I re-read and it’s awful. Delete it all.
Yes! Perfect idea!
I type eight words before stumbling into fog.
When was the field trip permission slip due? I unearth the form sent from school. Another week to procrastinate; I toss it aside.
I have the attention span of… aw, look at the adorable kitties!
Sigh.
Did I mention I have a blog?
3. A Desk Without A Chair (99 words)
I write
At night in dull light
And as I kneel I feel
Surreal
At a desk without a chair
With papers, pens and boxes everywhere
Typing, tapping, amid the clutter
Recording any word I utter
Hoping they flow and work well together
I hope
I cope within the scope
Of imaginary faces in distant places
And people I know and don’t in equal measure
With situations so far fetched
Etched on my mind; my imagination stretched
I write
I hope
In my mind well…
I write what I feel as I kneel
With many a tale to tell.
4. What desk? (97 words)
I do not have a desk. If I did, something suspect would happen while my back was turned, writing. I write sitting on my bed, facing the action, while children watch television and bounce on the mattress and dogs and cats joust, and the forest whispers outside the window. A former journalist, I think it fast and write it hectically, bemoaning the lack of a decent sub editor to haul me over the coals for appalling proof reading.
No desk, but a workstation, and its particulars are recorded pictorially so as not to upset the word count.
5. Whispering Places (29 words)
I rarely write poetry at my desk – but prefer
cafes, trains, wide open spaces,
gardens, forests, whispering places
and on dark, stormy nights,
my bed,
next to cheeky faces
6. Comfortable Familiarity (99 words)
My desk is an essential part of my writing process. While many writers mull over ideas away from the computer, that doesn’t work for me. I must start writing. From the first 120 words or so will flow the 120,000 which may follow.
The same thing could happen, of course, with a computer anywhere else. However, it wouldn’t do as well. My desk has my comfortable chair and all reference books or accessories I might need ready to hand, Often I find it far quicker to check things in books than to search the Internet.
Clutter? No; comfortable familiarity.
7. The Mists of Writing (90 words)
For me – writing is a little like that long forgotton actress’s footsteps as she moves into droplets of perfume scented air. I hear her light step as I spray the mist of another world into the air before me and then I walk straight in, and I am gone there. The scents and stories settle around me and cling to my skin. The characters lurk about the desk, sitting on old books and sniffing at empty, long stemmed glasses. I sit at our desk for a while. Then I write.
* * * * *
OK . . . let the voting begin! The list below is displayed in RANDOM order ~ find the TITLE of your favorite and CLICK IT.
Voting will close at noon, EST (Eastern Standard Time), on Valentine’s Day
The more the merrier . . . invite your friends around to vote for you or your favorite. As promised, voting will be transparent. Everyone will be able to see where their favorites stand in percentile rank at any time.
Once voting closes, I’ll announce the final official tally and “crown” the winner.
In the meantime . . .
Thanks to ALL the writers, photographers, researchers, and artists who fueled our imaginations with enticing images and imagery!
* From external landscapes . . .
* To internal mindscapes . . .
* From cozy cushioned couches . . .
* Adorned with plump turquoise pillows . . .
* From armchairs hung over with “Thotful Spot” signs . . .
* To inviting kitchen tables . . .
* With muses looking over our shoulders . . .
* We master the art of juggling images and imagery . . .
Aah . . . that’s better!
Related post: Daily Prompt ~ Writing Room
Comments
Sorry comments are closed for this entry
Nancy this is so cool this morning! I read all seven and like them all. It is going to be tough. Good thing we have till the 14th. I want to come back and read them multiple times and right now I want to click your link to all the submissions. So fun to see the thinking and writing places!
Thanks, Pix! I included links to the original posts for just that reason . . . so voters could see them “in situ” and maybe find a favorite new-to-them blog to follow. Several have other pictures in their posts. I decided to include just one photo from each submission along with a link back so people could explore new blogs.
Thanks for reading and voting!
I haven’t voted yet.. 😀
Take all the time you need . . . we’ll leave the light on. 💡
You are cruel: I love them all and can only vote for one.
Narrowing the field down to seven finalists was harder than I’d expected. In the end, I “cheated” by including links and enticing photos to a “few more” submissions. 😉
Thanks for swinging by this morning . . . and for participating. It’s been great FUN for me.
Yeah! I see my favourite made the list. Vote cast and all is happy in my world.
Yay! (And your muse is featured too!) 😀
Great entries! I can imagine the fun you had reading through everything. A talented batch of choices for us to pick from. Let the voting begin!
I was surprised how many folks don’t have writing desks. And if they have writing desks, they don’t have writing chairs. And then there are those who have comfy cozy chairs . . . hung above with Thotful Spot signs! 😀
We write from a variety of places in our living space and a variety of places in our lives. One of the things I love most about the Blogosphere is the many writers I’ve been introduced to. I’m going to wait to link the voting to my blog till Monday because I have viewer visitors on the weekends.
I’m interested to see where the dust settles . . . and who will end up with my copy of The Writer’s Desk. Will it be someone who writes from a desk? Or from a bed, chair, sofa, or rock?
Oh my goodness, Nancy! Thank you…I was thrilled to see my contribution among the finalists.:) It’s an honor to be there because the other entries are FANTASTIC! I’m doing a Groundhog Day post today and linking up with Susanna…so I’ll put in the link to this post. What fun!
By the way, you did an awesome job with this voting post…love seeing all the photos of everyone’s special ‘thotful spot’. 🙂
Yay, you! I loved your poem and wish you well in the vote. 😀
Seeing photos of writing nooks, chairs, sofas, and desks made this challenge such fun for me.
I loved this, Nancy. What a good idea. You should make it a regular thing, perhaps quarterly. I had fun guessing who the authors were and were not!
Thanks, Denise. I may do just that . . . I’ve learned a few things from this challenge and it’s been tons of fun to see the submissions.
[…] take a moment to visit Nancy’s website and VOTE! There are seven finalists. I know you will enjoy reading about how others carve a place […]
Thanks, Vivian! Hope a few of your faithful fans, followers, and friends will stop by, read the submissions, and vote. 😀
This was a great idea, Nancy. What wonderful pieces came out of it. I truly had a hard time choosing. I finally narrowed it down to two, and then desperately wished I could have voted for both of them. I finally made a choice, but, as I said, it was ha-a-a-a-a-a-rd.
I had a hard time cutting the field down to seven. Every submission had something to offer. Thanks for voting!
What a fantastic contest, and what superb finalists! SO HARD to choose just one! Thanks, Nancy! Can’t wait to see who wins 🙂
I confess to being curious myself, Susanna. I learned quite a bit from hosting this contest and am glad that I did not set out to choose THE winner. Narrowing the field to 7 was tough enough.
Wahoo! very excited to have made it to the shortlist, Nancy. Thanks so much! I have to say though, that the array of responses is just wonderful. What a lot of interesting, talented writers there are out there. Thanks – I’m off to check some of the other writers’ desks….
And, what pleases me most, four continents are represented in the finals ~ North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia!
I love that they are peppered across the globe. 😀
I enjoyed reading each and every one of the entries. I’m unable to chose just one. Gosh… I’ll have to come back.
Congratulations on a really great competition.
Thanks, Rosie. Glad you had a chance to read through all the entries. In selecting the finalists, I read through each submission multiple times . . . and enjoyed them all. 😀
I voted. It was hard!
Thanks, Rosie. 😀
Oh Nancy, I can’t believe I made it into the finals. I meant to comment earlier, but I got sidetracked (can you believe that? :grin:)
Seriously though, I’m honored to place among such great pieces.
Seeing how you juggle pets, permission slips, and parental responsibilities with your desire to write right made me smile.
Writing requires time for concentrated concentration . . . not often in steady supply for parents with young kids. I suspect that many parents will be able to relate to having so many balls in the air at once. 😀
I voted, but I had to use the “eenie, meenie” method! 🙂
I understand completely, Debra. I contemplated resorting to the “pull names out of a hat” method myself. 😉
Thanks for the nomination, Nancy 😀 I have voted (no, not for me, haha) – this was fun. When you announce the winner, it would be nice if you could give us a little peek into your writing space/process. How’s about it? 🙂
I loved seeing the diversity of writing nooks and submission styles. I didn’t try to balance the finalists between prose and poem (or among the continents) . . . but it happened, just the same.
Sure, I could do that. In the meantime, if you’d like a glimpse through my window:
https://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2010/03/24/why-i-otter-kill-you/
https://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2010/03/24/florida-is-for-the-birds/
Oh my, they are all great, but I have narrowed it down to two; will have to decide which one I vote for. Tough one! 🙂
Debra relied on the “eenie meenie” method to place her vote. 😉
It was so hard to choose just one! But I did it 😉
That seems to be the consensus. Thanks for voting.
[…] folk, please go and visit here To see where writers do their thing, And if you do, I have no fear You will not find it […]
This is a WONDERFUL way to invite folks round to read and vote!
[…] Voting began on Saturday and each person can only vote once. If you have a moment, please click here to check out the entries and vote for your favorite. I hope it’s mine (titled Look If You Dare) but if it isn’t, that’s okay – you’ve done […]
Thanks for playing along and sharing a bit of your writing life, Janna.
[…] Vote for your favourite entry here. […]
Hahaha! Love this!
I didn’t receive any bribes, chocolate or otherwise. But what a great way to FIX a vote . . . by sharing a chocolate fix!
[…] is a lovely surprise. I made the finals in the writing contest over where Nancy writes at Spirit Lights the Way. So if you have a moment, do pop over and vote for your favourite entry. The competition is all […]
Sorry about the bees, Cecelia. Best of luck in the vote.
Came over from TheKitchensGarden—great words here! A nice selection to vote on!!! Good luck to all!
Thanks for swinging by to read and vote, Beth Ann! This contest has been TONS of FUN.
[…] The VOTE is OPEN . . . click here! […]
[…] The Writer’s Desk ~ Let the Voting Begin! « Spirit Lights The Way […]
These virtual rooms are terrific. Especially LOVE that wall of books in the 2nd photo.
[…] Speaking of necks (weren’t we?) . . . the vote is OPEN and it’s neck and neck! […]
I laugh when I realize how many of us must be experiencing the same things at the same times. Writing seems to solitary and lonely sometimes.
I enjoy the writing-space pics. It’s like a support group for writers.
It’s been such FUN to see where and how people write. Thanks for stopping by to check out the finalists. 😀
Loved them all it was hard to pick just one…I picked the one that I really related to… Thank You for sharing
Thanks for swinging by to vote, Tammye!
What fun to see all the cozy places, all the hard places where we must form words.
It has been fun to take a look at each and every writer’s nook ~ a bit of a voyeuristic thrill. 😯
[…] you click the link here and take a look at all seven entries, casting your vote for the one you like the […]
Wonderful way to encourage folks to swing by and vote!
A wonderful post to stumble onto. And that covetable desk! If I wrote at a desk – instead of cafe tabletops, my lap, and napkin scribblings made against any relatively smooth surface I can find – I would want that one, most definitely with the gorgeous green wall behind it.
It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? Kate has excellent taste. 😀
oh! i didn’t even realize that it was kate’s! even better.
To clarify: she doesn’t (yet) own it . . . she just covets it. 😀
Hi Nancy… I’m just catching up now. I’ve visited the other finalists and wished them all well, and have now cast my vote. This has been fun!
Yay! This has been FUN. Glad that you invited your friends, fans, and followers to swing by and cast their votes.
[…] seven finalists were announced yesterday…and yes, I am one of […]
[…] wouldn’t want to anger my Inner Poet, I have to comply… but don’t take my word for it. Click HERE to visit Nancy’s post to read all of the entries… and whilst you’re there, select your […]
ALWAYS listen to your Inner Poet! 😀
Reblogged this on Crowing Crone Joss and commented:
It’s a tough decision, each of the 7 semi-finalists is worth your selection. Go vote and be amazed.
Thanks, Joss!
Great idea. They all deserve a vote, but I’ve chosen my favourite.
Thanks for swinging by to vote, adinparadise!
Hello! *waves* I come from the Land of Sir Aquatom to drop by and tick a box (circle).
Great idea and love the pictures! I think it was wonderful for some of the writers to share pictures of their “piece of heavenly writing space” especially when I’m the sort that really loves stationery, desks, books and stuff like that! LOL
Thanks for stopping by from Aquatom’s Castle to check out these cool writing spaces.
I love the comment about always listening to your inner poet! 🙂
Thanks, Wiley. Our inner poets are worth our time and attention, eh? 😎
Definitely! 🙂
I’m voting for What Desk 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Tandy.
Some great ones here… I fully intended to contribute, but it has taken me a while to get to this stage! I have voted 🙂
http://pseu1.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/i-think-i-need-another-bookcase/
Thanks, Pseu. I’ll swing round straight away.
By far very out of the ordinary. I hardly know where to start with so many introspective pictures of spaces.
Enjoy wandering from one to the next.
Ahhh 🙂
What a successful idea and a great post!
It was very difficult to vote. Well done all!
Thanks, Tok! Glad you had a chance to check look at these writers’ nooks. “D
[…] by the way, do be a dear And go and vote for someone here! My desk’s the really cluttered mess – You may not like that one, I guess? But, if you do, […]
Voted!
Yay! Thanks, Tammy.
Greetings, Nancy! I’ve fallen behind, even with the digest, so I missed seeing this gem when you wrote it.
I fear, upon first-reading, that I shall have to resort to the Suction-tipped-dart method to pick my winner (most of my darts are steel, and that probably wouldn’t work so good on the monitor!)
The vote’s still open . . . even for those who have to “toss a dart” to select their choice. Thanks, Karen!
[…] Writer’s Desk Competition voting is still on-going. If you would like to vote, you can go here. All of the entries are great…I am honored to be among them with my piece…I Write, […]
[…] If you haven’t voted yet, there’s still time to PICK YOUR FAVORITE. […]
What a fabulous idea. And a wonderful post! I enjoyed this so much. I was thinking of posting bloggers desks but you beat me to it. Hurray for you. 🙂
We had great fun. If you feel like featuring bloggers’ desks at some point . . . go for it. This contest was more than a year ago, and you’ve got a different visitor list.