Being in a creative writing MFA program means one thing…A LOT of writing. No surprise there. Most days, if not all, will be you completing an assignment, editing a story, asking for an extension on your blog, or just a great deal of writerly things. Most importantly it will be a trial and error of you creating a writing habit. Work out if you’re a morning writer (someone who needs to write before starting the day) or a night owl (writing well into the night filled with inspiration). Whatever your jam is, another important aspect of the writing process is finding a space. One of my favorite writers, singer, and activists is Maya Angelou. In the film And Still I Rise, a documentary on Netflix, Dr. Angelou explained that she could only write in a hotel room with all the paintings removed from the walls and the sheets unchanged.

She paid for a room every single month in a hotel close to her home. I do not have the means to mimic this, though I understand the magic of creating a sacred space to write. That space becomes an accumulation of energy and comfort. In my little apartment I spread out on my sofa with papers, books, and my laptop in…well…my lap, ready to charge ahead. For me I enjoy small places to write. I can’t write in large rooms like libraries, or big cafés with a lot of people. When the space feels contained it helps me reach the story more easily.

But the true place I love to write is home. David Roncskevitz, a second year in the fiction MFA program, is the opposite. He prefers “anywhere but at home.” I can relate on some level, because there are a lot of distractions at home, but for me my home has an energy that helps promote my creative side. I also like to write with other folks in small coffee shops. A change of place is good when I start a new project, but home is where the work is.

Having to commit myself to being focused feels really rewarding to me. For the days when that doesn’t work, I find a person to write with. Having a person to help you be accountable is super helpful. Another second year fiction graduate student, Jessica Love, “can’t write on a clean desk. It has to be messy.” Creating rituals can also be helpful when trying to build your sacred writing space, drinking a tea and looking out the window before you start. Reading a chapter in your favorite book. This is also a way of building a habit and can feel like a reward before you get to work. Wherever you write make sure that you are being true to yourself and your process. Set goals before you sit down and start working. Don’t be hard on yourself. If you only get out a few pages when you wanted a lot more that’s okay. Be gentle with yourself. That’s what will help you through the writing process.