Or a treehouse, or a cabin, or Neil Gaiman’s Magic Writing Gazebo.
Asked about this on The Social Medias yesterday, but now I’m asking you.
Anybody done this? Have an outdoor office? Some companies sell pre-fab buildings for just this purpose. Another option is to buy a shed and retrofit it to serve as an office — obviously I’d need electricity and some kind of HVAC and a rancor pit. Plus gladiator quarters.
So. Hit me with your best shot.
Mark Lewis says:
My “office: is the back patio, and in inclement weather, it’s the garage. *LOL*
July 7, 2014 — 12:09 AM
Narrelle says:
I have a writing space I refer to as The Garret. It’s a room an old old buidling in Melbourne, whcih I share with two other writers and an artist, though we’re rarely all here at the same time. It overlooks the 19thC Flinders Street Station and is full of creative types. One day the owners will do it up properly and none of the creatives will be able to afford to stay on, but till then it’s a haven in the middle of a big city.
July 7, 2014 — 12:10 AM
pkcapaldo says:
I love this concept. I have recently been exploring the idea of creating a Writers’ Room in my area–a shared workspace for writers. A lot of big cities have these now, and members find the quiet, distraction-free space and the collective creative energy productive and inspiring.
July 7, 2014 — 12:12 PM
Teresa Reasor says:
I have an art studio, since I’m an artist and a writer. I love my studio, it’s one of those insulated panel buildings and has been wired for electricity, has AC and I love being out there all summer writing, painting, drawing, creating, BUT in the winter even if I have the heat on full blast, it’s still chilly. So I don’t spend as much time out there during the winter. The rest of the year it’s great. That being said I am building myself a SHE CAVE at the back of my house which will be part sun room, part office. Lots of windows, lots of light, closet space for the art supplies I can’t keep out at the studio during the winter because I don’t keep the heat on full time. And I’m sooo looking forward to being separated from the rest of the house so the noise my family makes won’t break my concentration. I hope to break ground in the fall. I’ll keep you posted how well this works.
But yes, a separate office is wonderful. I can concentrate so much better when it’s quiet out there. Put on some instrumental music/ violin, piano, no words so you’re not tempted to sing along and let your mind just go. I’d recommend it for everyone.
Teresa R.
July 7, 2014 — 12:16 AM
Jenna Avery says:
Your post made me think of this: http://www.buzzfeed.com/kristinchirico/surprisingly-gorgeous-homes-made-from-shipping-containers
July 7, 2014 — 12:35 AM
Rod says:
I use the addict. It’s technically not supposed to be a room. Maybe a storage space. The tops of the walls slant inward, an old unusable chimney is right in the middle and is right in the way of the top stop. Its hotter than hell in the summer, it’s icy cold in the winter. I’m here, because no one else wants the space. I’ve got a skeleton named Bob I can talk things out with, a naked light bulb to shine new light on crappy ideas. It’s the perfect space. I’ve got a recliner, a desk, an office chair with one wheel that is permanently stuck at the wrong angle so it doesn’t scoot in straight lines. Just enough things to annoy me, like the traffic from the interstate less than a block away, sirens from the police station, first station and two hospitals withing three blocks, and a rail line that shakes the house every time a train goes by.
The best part about it is the fact that no one else has a big enough pair to climb the creaky, narrow, steep and otherwise a hazard to life and limb steps to come up and bother me! *Maniac laughter*
Now, if could just turn off the internet I might get some work done… <_<
Yeah, I would do a shed or tree house office in a heartbeat. I love the idea of being isolated. Maybe i should build a cabin in the woods… Hunt and kill wild animals. But then I'd have no electricity, no internet… Screw that idea.
July 7, 2014 — 1:00 AM
KVeldman says:
I usually use my addict for storage space as well. He’s usually pretty out of it anyway.
July 7, 2014 — 9:53 AM
Bree Salyer says:
Where do you plug in your flash drive??
July 7, 2014 — 1:14 PM
Mikey Campling says:
I often hear strangle scuttling sounds coming from our addict. I think he has mice again.
July 11, 2014 — 5:20 AM
G. L. Drummond (@Scath) says:
We’re currently building a covered deck, which will be my outside office. The deck is a compromise, since House Hunney already built an addition on the house that includes a private office for me, but I originally wanted one of those prefab sheds to use as an office.
The deck will work. We already have plans to make certain I’ll be able to use it when it’s cold too. =)
July 7, 2014 — 1:02 AM
dangerdean says:
We have a 400 sq. ft. finished room under our garage (it’s on a hill, and we’re the only unit that has one). I can’t claim the whole thing as my writing space as it has the family TV and it’s the only space where we can make popcorn after the kid’s gone to sleep. That said, my books, my desk, and my guitars makes it de facto my creative space.
July 7, 2014 — 1:02 AM
Deborah Smith says:
I wrote my NYT bestseller in a cluttered cabin in the woods and I don’t mean a scenic getaway I mean full-time live-in omg “what have I done” domicile. It’s all about the mind space, not the physical space.
July 7, 2014 — 1:11 AM
lovespicyfood says:
I keep thinking I need a dedicated space to let my inner writer roam free and flourish. Getting a new laptop with 10+ hour battery life would help too. I think I just need to write and stop thinking of what I need and utilize and maximize what I have…
July 7, 2014 — 1:18 AM
Tony Caballero (@tony_caballero) says:
Funny, I just got this in my email today…
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/28804589/list/How-to-Add-a-Backyard-Shed-for-Storage-or-Living
July 7, 2014 — 1:18 AM
Maree Anderson says:
My Kiwi author-mate, Natalie Anderson (no relation *g*) had “The Plotting Shed” constructed especially for her writing needs. Here’s an article and some pics about how it came to be: http://pinkheartsociety.blogspot.co.nz/2012_06_03_archive.html Might be a tad too quaint for you, Chuck? But hey, B-Dub could always use it for a playhouse:)
July 7, 2014 — 1:22 AM
Kay Camden says:
I’m sitting in mine right now. Well, kind of. It’s attached to my house so maybe that’s cheating. But it has windows on all three sides, a ceiling fan, and an outlet to plug in my laptop. Right now, I’m surrounded by singing crickets, black night, and a mockingbird (or something?) going nuts in a nearby tree.
This has been the coolest, least humid St. Louis summer I’ve ever lived through. I’m out here like every night. Every writer needs one.
Unfortunately, it’s 1 AM and time to call it a night. I have to get up in 5 hours.
July 7, 2014 — 1:59 AM
spage2013 says:
I work in the greenhouse sometimes. Paper proofreading so far; the electrical outlet will be installed soon. Then it will be AWESOME.
July 7, 2014 — 2:17 AM
Ross Pullen says:
My friend and I have done a lot of research on applications of shipping containers. They are in service for a specific amount of time, then mothballed. There are tens of thousands being stored in the USA. I am sure in your area there are plenty available-about $3000.. Lack of imagination is the only limitation.One could fix up an 8′ X 40′ unit and have a very cozy and private space for an office. Try some old portholes for windows.. We have seen toilets and a basin installed in some.Need gravity flow H20 tank and a place for gray water. The toilet can be a composting self-contained unit.
July 7, 2014 — 2:21 AM
deanmcsmith says:
Over here in England many of us are blessed with garden sheds. I turn mine into a writing space in the summer when i need to escape the kids!
July 7, 2014 — 2:32 AM
kaskamaryna says:
I would love to do the Michael Pollan hut-in-the-woods/backyard build one day. That sounded fabulous. In the meantime I have a partitioned cubby-hole in a warehouse/factory space shared by many other creative types all busy in their own creative worlds. Hot in the summer, cold in the winter but always peaceful and away from the dishes and the dirty clothes basket.
Still I’d love that Michael Pollan hut… I’ve been eye-ing off my son’s cubby
July 7, 2014 — 2:37 AM
Kris says:
A few weeks ago I had some kid-free time and dragged an old saw table and an extension cord out to a corner of my backyard. (Okay, I may have been hiding. But she had another adult on the job.) I don’t recommend typing while sitting in a collapsing canvas yard chair, but otherwise I found it rather surprisingly nice.
July 7, 2014 — 2:55 AM
Brent McGuffin says:
Oddly enough this exact thing has been on my mind lately. I recently watched a documentary on Netflix called Tiny (http://tinyhousetalk.com/tiny-the-movie/) where people are living a minimalist life in tiny houses. And I thought, screw that noise!! I want one to write in. Neil’s looks amazing btw. Thanks for sharing!!
July 7, 2014 — 3:17 AM
David says:
i watched that. excellent documentary. makes me want one too, but i have no real purpose for it…
July 11, 2014 — 12:53 PM
Katherine Hetzel says:
We have a tree-house in the pear tree. I keep telling myself I’ll write up there one day, but I prefer being in the lounge, french doors open, music on and all my paperwork spread out around the floor. Plus I’m dictating a fair bit at the mo due to tendonitis – not sure what the neighbours would think if I took the work outside and gave them the opportunity to listen in…
July 7, 2014 — 3:38 AM
wizki says:
My new creative, etc. office will likely be: A spacious room with a Japanese “tatami” mat on the ninth floor of a 40-year old condo, which is close to the sea and has a fabulous balcony view. The wife will have an identical one only a few feet away. Did I mention that she’s Japanese and that we live in Japan already? Sorry, I cheated! But it’s way preferable to what we have now, where we’re literally at each other’s backs separated by a partition we bought. 😉 Time to move on!
July 7, 2014 — 3:50 AM
Craig Forsyth says:
I love this one…
http://www.hivehaus.co.uk/
…spotted on an episode of…
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/george-clarkes-amazing-spaces
…which is absolutely chock-full of ideas. One of these days.
July 7, 2014 — 4:18 AM
Elise Fallson says:
We are in the process of building a tree house. It’s basically a garden shed, 5 meters up in an oak tree. It’s not finished yet, but we’re hoping to get it done by next month. I definitely cannot wait to get up there and write, away from the distractions of the house.
July 7, 2014 — 4:35 AM
Kay Camden says:
I don’t know you but I’m SO coming over when it’s finished.
July 7, 2014 — 10:17 AM
Mitch Joel says:
Speak to Ann Handley. She’s in the final stages of building one and it’s awesome.
July 7, 2014 — 5:22 AM
mccicc says:
How about a repurposed RV? Drive/tow it in, park in, and voila, another room.
http://design-milk.com/vintage-airstream-becomes-a-cozy-place-to-live-and-work
July 7, 2014 — 5:55 AM
mccicc says:
I just found this, completely by accident: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremylevinedesign/2818731463/in/pool-unclutterer/
July 7, 2014 — 4:46 PM
M T McGuire says:
I had the top half of a barn which doubled up as a room of shame for all my StarWars, Supermarionation and other shite toys. It was awesome. I could open a door and look out over the garden. It was freezing in winter and boiling hot in summer but I didn’t give a toss. It was MINE all MINE…. then we moved house. I am just in the process of constructing a new Room of Shame (it only took 6 years) in which to house my tat and write my books. If I’m in the mood to write than I can write, pretty much anywhere but yes, I really, really recommend some writing only pod away from the phone and preferably with a workable but slightly dodgy internet connection.
Cheers
MTM
July 7, 2014 — 6:33 AM
lauraboon2014 says:
Have you thought about building your own? Instructions here: The Mud House by Richard Glover (HarperCollins Australia)
July 7, 2014 — 7:24 AM
stacyrchambers says:
You could check out the tiny house movement. I’ve seen writers’ sheds advertised on those sites.
July 7, 2014 — 7:31 AM
stacyrchambers says:
Here’s a link: http://tinyhousesinc.com/writers-cabin/
July 7, 2014 — 7:34 AM
B Kaur says:
We have a garage and a shed, both of which my dad has filled with endless piles of crap. I generally adopt a “wherever the hell I can whenever the hell I can” writing mentality. I would LOVE to have a writing shed. Or any writing space that I could call my own. }:-(
July 7, 2014 — 7:56 AM
Michael Patrick Hicks says:
Closest I’ve gotten was taking the laptop outdoors and working from the deck (in a previous home) or the patio (current home), or in the garage once or twice with the door up. Nice way to break a rut and a good compromise in the summertime when I’d rather be outdoors than inside writing. After checking out some of the links here, though, I’m pretty smitten with this idea, especially Jenna’s Buzzfeed link up above re: shipping containers.
July 7, 2014 — 8:07 AM
Yo says:
I’ve been researching this myself, and the best thing I’ve come up with is a tiny home. They use solar power, run about $25-$50K, and (depending on your city’s codes) may need to be kept on wheels so it’s not seen as a permanent structure. http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
July 7, 2014 — 8:35 AM
terribleminds says:
Those look way too expensive, I think — for that price I could have a contractor come out and just build one. They are really cool, though.
July 7, 2014 — 8:40 AM
Mozette says:
My outdoor writing office is my backyard… I have worked on the place for 12 years to have it just right and now it’s so pretty, I can’t concentrate on anything on my tablet… I do have other seats around my garden just in case I don’t want to write at the table and chairs.
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm95/Mozette1791/My%20Garden/MyGarden2014_zps73ef6f47.jpg
My garden is my favourite place to be when I want to escape from the rest of the world… or when I’m mulling over an idea. 😀
July 7, 2014 — 8:36 AM
Nicole says:
My office is indoors, which I like. I love the outdoors, but I’m much more productive indoors. I’ll settle for big windows and a great view. My girlfriend, on the other hand, would love a writing shed. She likes the separateness of that kind of writing space.
July 7, 2014 — 8:48 AM
Shecky MMXIV (@SheckyX) says:
Seriously, talk to Julie Butcher; she’s done precisely the same thing. She responded to you about it yesterday.
July 7, 2014 — 9:19 AM
Shecky MMXIV (@SheckyX) says:
(Er, didn’t mean that to come across as tut-tutting; I intended just to give a coordinate, which is better served by my getting off my ass and supplying one directly:
https://twitter.com/Julie_Butcher/status/485949588122370048
Sorry if that came across as snippy.)
July 7, 2014 — 9:21 AM
Shannon Janeczek says:
My office is the dining room table, once I get all the kids’ junk off it, and move my husband’s much more expensive computer, and have a snack, and get all my notes together. Then I’m usually too tired to do much. LOL
July 7, 2014 — 9:23 AM
Arliss says:
Do you mean “outside in the great outdoors” or just “outside the house where the child can’t reach me”? If the latter, there’s also the (probably cheaper) option of renting a storage cubicle — big enough for desk, chair, and some shelves, and probably not a ton else. (I live in NYC, so that’s much more realistic than having shed or anything like that.)
July 7, 2014 — 9:24 AM
terribleminds says:
“Where the child can’t reach me” is an apt statement. 🙂
July 7, 2014 — 9:36 AM
Kay Camden says:
Shoot, then you’re making this too complicated. He’s two, right? Just put up a piece of cardboard around yourself that has pictures of socks with thick toe seams and vegetables and people going to bed (or whatever your child’s kryptonite is).
July 7, 2014 — 10:27 AM
incognitiously says:
I know that cost may be a factor, but if it isn’t, my folks have a detached garage with an attic space and a window that looks out onto Georgia pine forest. If I lived in my folks’ house full time, I’d make that attic space my writer’s office.
This is also a pricey option, but Sett Studio’s Small Office is prefab, small enough to avoid most building permit requirements, and comes off the truck and tucked where you want it; I believe installation includes hooking it into power mains.
http://www.settstudio.com/small-office/
July 7, 2014 — 9:26 AM
Sarah says:
Yes, I have a garden office for writing and I love it. Gives me a (tiny) commute and a bit of separation between writing and family life. It was built in one day by one of the ‘garden studio’ companies – I can give you their name, but I’m in Scotland so it probably won’t help you much… If you want a peek, there’s a picture on my blog http://sarah-painter.com/2012/09/14/friday-five-the-gratitude-edition/ I also love Gaiman’s magic gazebo, though 🙂
July 7, 2014 — 9:26 AM
Jer says:
I may be pointing out the obvious, but you could call these guys…
http://www.nelsontreehousesupply.com/
July 7, 2014 — 9:26 AM
larryhutson says:
My boys are fascinated by this TV show, Treehouse Masters. They love watching him build 50-70k treehouses.
July 9, 2014 — 8:11 AM
Justin D. Jacobson says:
I looked into this when we were considering a house with a large backyard and no good office space indoors. Some really neat options for prefab structures these days. (Prices vary wildly.) A couple of links I collected that might be of use:
http://www.settstudio.com/large-office/
http://www.cabinfever.us.com/
July 7, 2014 — 9:52 AM
Maggie Maxwell says:
Out behind my house is a teeny old workshed. It’s practically a two-room house. It’s got broken windows, rotten steps, and enough spiders and webs that I think they can make a spider-human mannequin and invoke squatters rights. Right now, we’re working on repairs on the human house, but one day, one day, the spiders will be evicted along with all the broken lawn mowers, empty and half-full paint cans, and cardboard boxes too large to go out with the trash, the windows and stairs and lights will be fixed, and I’ll make myself a nice little workhouse. Or go missing as the body-form for the spider’s mannequin, in which case, I’ll see y’all in the papers.
July 7, 2014 — 10:31 AM
Terri says:
As I put on the FB thread, it cost me about $2200 to put a 12X20 freestanding studio inside my 12K sf warehouse. That was materials only, I traded for the labor. Add in a proper sloped roof and foundation, you could probably double that.
A big thing here in the midwest is rent-to-own portable buildings. Some are proper cottages. It helps spread out the cash flow commitment and gives you more cash upfront for the interior finish. They would need insulation, wiring, drywall/paneling, and flooring. But they are awesome. There is one on my sales route that I visit every month just because I see myself living in it by a lake. It is about 200 sf with a small loft and a built-in porch. Your local lumber yard will likely have a few on the yard. They are delivered and Set-up on-site (check your local building codes and don’t jack yourself on property taxes.)
Pics will be required!
July 7, 2014 — 10:37 AM
Terri says:
This is what I was talking about in a macro sense. There are many nicer:
http://www.rent2ownsheds.com/
July 7, 2014 — 10:41 AM
Terri says:
And when I went through an odd period where being homeless was an option, I looked into these buildings and was thinking of putting one up on a friend’s property and finishing off the interior. The prices are good and you can customize the size and layout.
http://www.elephantstructures.com/
July 7, 2014 — 10:49 AM
Paul Acampora says:
Here’s the HORROR HUT writing shack built by the guys at relaxshacks.com. I don’t write horror, but I still want this. Enjoy! http://go.shr.lc/1jgJfO6
July 7, 2014 — 10:54 AM
Andy Decker says:
If you have a little land, get a yurt – run wiring and add all the appliances you need.
July 7, 2014 — 10:54 AM
Jonathan says:
Here’s the interior of my office space – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151693509135686&set=a.10150416832890686.364877.639320685&type=1&permPage=1
It’s not the taj mahal, but I get separation from the house. It originally was my dedicated writing space, but now I do my day job here as well. Without this space I would be nothing. I mean, I would have a hard time getting things done. Can’t recommend it enough.
As for the shed, I made sure to get one with 2×4 studs to make the insulation work easier and retain the r-value of the roll insulation. Beyond the total price tag of around $2600, I put a fair amount of labor, but it’s been totally worth every penny.
Good luck finding a solution that works for you!
July 7, 2014 — 11:14 AM
joebrewing says:
I know it doesn’t really fit the whole being in your backyard thing, but I could set up a little writers’ hole in the brewery. It would be fun. I could feed you fish heads and tell you to rub lotion on your skin. Then once you were done writing something I could infuse my beer with the essence of the work and concoct a beer that would enslave the entire world using the power of the Wendig.
Or you could do what one of these other people suggested. Not that there’s anything crazy about my suggestion or anything, nothing at all.
July 7, 2014 — 11:22 AM
Bonita Chambers says:
My husband bought me a Morgan building. Had it raised on a frame. Insulated it. Put in nice ceiling tile and ligt paneling. Cable connection and electricity. Lots of shelves and desk area built in. Small AC keeps it cool in south Texas. It is wonderful. I hope you get something equally wonderful.
July 7, 2014 — 12:04 PM
melorajohnson says:
My writing space is any table I can find at work (in a library) or in the coffee shop, or my lap when my daughter doesn’t insist on being there. On the drive to and from work, it’s simply in my head. That being said, if you can afford it, go for the small house. They are so cool. A tree house would be even better.
July 7, 2014 — 1:20 PM
R. A. Opp says:
Screen porch picnic table with peeling paint. Unfortunately, everybody wants to come visit and chat while I’m out there.
July 7, 2014 — 1:25 PM
Katie Doyle says:
My dad bought a pre-fab shed and turned it into his “man cave.” It’s got air conditioning, heat, electricity, and cable. He had to pour the concrete base and run the electricity and cable to it, but it works really well as a space for him.
July 7, 2014 — 1:31 PM