The Writer's Desk
March 20, 2020

Like a lot of writers, I'm very interested in how other writers work. A few
weeks ago, I got my hands on a used copy of Jill Krementz's 1996 book, "The
Writer's Desk," in which she shows pictures of the desks of fifty-six writers,
ranging from John Updike and Toni Morrison to Stephen King and Jean Piaget.
Krementz took the pictures between 1967 and 1994, mostly in two blocks: one
during the early 1970s, the other in the mid 1990s.

Each picture includes a short blurb from the author on how they write, but I was
more interested in looking at the items on the desks themselves--the pens and
paper, the typewriters, the computers and laptops. In fact, I went through the
book page by page, making my own survey of how many writers used which method of
writing. Some of the writers stood in front of their desks in such a way that I
couldn't tell which method they used. Others had multiple methods on display.
Overall, though, nineteen writers said or implied they wrote longhand;
twenty-five used a typewriter; six had computers and five had ancient, clunky
laptops, thick as pizza boxes. Naturally, there were no computer users among the
writers whose pictures were taken in the 1970s; however, even among the 1990s
photos, writers were more likely to be writing longhand or a using typewriter
(nine and five) than a computer or a laptop (six and five).

Seeing how many writers used pen and paper made me feel vindicated in my return
to longhand first drafts. And apparently I'm not the only one who thinks highly
of the simplest method of writing. Many of the writers in the book felt the pull
of being seen writing so strongly that they had their pictures taken while
working longhand or editing drafts, even if they had a typewriter or computer on
their desk.

In addition to confirming my love for longhand (and making me covet Rita Dove's
chest-high clerk's desk), the book also inspired me to begin unplugging my
laptop and putting it away in the filing cabinet when I'm not actually using it.
That suddenly cleared space on my desk gives me room to work on other, longhand,
writing projects. I have to admit it seems to clear a different mental space in
which to work, too.

On an entirely different topic, I also thought it interesting to look at how
messy different writers' desks were or weren't, since I feel I have a problem
with clutter. Turns out I'm just about exactly in the middle of the road: my
desk is messier than some but nowhere near as bad as others. (Poets seemed to
have the cleanest desks; academics the most cluttered.) Perhaps, then, my
'problem' is more a problem of me wanting to be neater than I currently
am--something I hope I can achieve if I consciously work at it.

Overall, reading Krementz's book confirmed in my mind that my working style is
working for me. By switching to longhand and setting daily writing goals and
making all the other changes to my work routine I've been making, I'm both more
productive and just as important, feel more productive.

(c) 2020 by Andrew Gudgel 
email: contact [at] andrewgudgel.com