Writing Huts

hut
Roald Dahl’s Writing Hut

Browsing on the internet, I came upon this wonderful feature on “Famous Writers’ Small Writing Sheds.” As I browsed through the photos, I came upon Roald Dahl’s writing hut. I felt a mixture of appreciation, excitement, and envy.

Though I have a lovely writing spot in my house, I’ve always dreamed of having a small writing shed out back with no one calling out “is dinner almost ready” or hearing the TV blaring in the other room. A place of complete silence.

I’ve read many people create his or her own writing hutโ€”perhaps by refurbishing a garage or existing garden shed. An investment of time and money, but it shows a commitment to one’s art or hobby.

shaw
George Bernard Shaw’s writing hut, dubbed “London” so his staff wouldn’t be lying when they said he had “gone to London.”

It would be cool if I named my writing space something like “Costa Rica” or “Aruba,” so that I won’t be lying when I say, “I’ll be in Aruba for most of the day.”

It might even keep me there a little longer, knowing I’m somewhere else.

What is your writing space like? How do you make it โ€œseparateโ€ from your everyday life?

89 thoughts on “Writing Huts

  1. I have tried to creating a writing nook in the house, but I just don’t feel the place. We already have a desk in the box room, but the wifi signal doesn’t get there. It is effectively the right place, cause it is away from it all, but I don’t feel it. Which is a shame. I seem to float around the house to write my blog post.

    I do like this post and the idea, but it seems not to work for me. May because of my uni days, I studied all over the place. I keep trying to make it work, but not sure why i dont like it, when it actually perfect.

    1. I find that creating a sacred space for yourself works. Somewhere you go to most days and itโ€™s your sanctuary. Hopefully youโ€™ll find a space for yourself soon. xo

  2. I have a small vanity that was supposed to be for writing, yet somehow I still ended up writing in bed! I would love to have a better space to write and definitely no television!

  3. This is amazing! Can’t say I would love to have a hut. But always wanted to have a room where there won’t be any distractions

      1. Definitely! I have converted one of our garages for a quiet writing space, but would love a writing shed out by our lake. Great article and very humorous. Have a lovely evening.velvet.gallo@gmail

  4. I friggin’ love Roald Dahl’s writing hut so much!!!! I write a little room off my kitchen with our English Bulldog’s crate and five bins filled with our seven family members shoes. At least the window in front of my little desk has a nice view. Ha! At least I have a place to write, I guess.

  5. This is so true because you can imagine more and create more when you are at peace and nothing is there to steal away your attention. I would one day want a hut in my garden.

  6. I’m about to buy a new shed, but I think l will put it off for a while until I can persuade my wife to get a bigger one. I have just bought some giant headphones, the ones that make me look like a cool DJ, so that allows me to carry my writing from one place to another. My normal place is on the dining table, but that can get cramped, and food often distracts me, I also write in the kitchen, but only if my wife is hoovering the lounge. Maybe that could be my selling point for the shed. Great post. Happy weekend.

  7. Fantastic idea! I use my home office for writing, but a writing shed would be pretty nifty. I’d just need great a/c for the summer. Not sure what I’d call it though. Hmmmm….

  8. Thanks for sharing. I feel exactly as you do. I write on my porch, as a favorite place, but still get asked questions and interrupted. So I still search for my London!

  9. Haha George Bernard Shaw was a genius! Well Stephen king said all you need is a door that shuts, and I tend to agree with that philosophy! Thank you for sharing!

  10. I love this post about writing huts! It made me really curious on other famous authors’ choice of writing space. I love the pictures of Dahl’s and Shaw’s (two of my favourite writers) writing huts. Unfortunately my writing space right now is simply a desk by my window. I would love to create a hut separate from my house. I always fantasize about relocating to a secluded cabin with nothing around but nature and a killer view just so I can write in peace. This blog post definitely inspired me to find a secluded writing space of my own, even just temporarily.

  11. This is fantastic.

    I have a little back room that doubles as a guest room. I curl up in a big chair and hide in the dark. Or wait until 1 am and write with my phone under the covers.

    Anyway, I’m totally jealous of the hut. I’d probably name mine “someplace super far away, and you won’t find her.”

  12. Such a great concept! – space to come to terms with your own quiet creativity and release it.. My workplace is determined by my limited space but my imagination is limitless! ๐Ÿ™‚ I am lucky there is greenery outside my window so the light has a calming hue.

  13. Sigh. Right now I write at my little desk that’s wedged into my bedroom. Granted, one can write from anywhere, but MAN it would be nice to have my own little hut. Thanks for sharing – I’m inspired! #writinggoals

  14. This is a lovely post, as others have mentioned. I love little aspects of an art form that aren’t always considered, such as this one. I feel like there could be a book about this, no?

    I typically write at my dining table, which is fairly large. I have a small roll top writing desk that I had always imagined as my writing spot, but I find it’s too small; makes me feel restricted. I have a large window in the room that looks outside to lots to greenery.

    My children are pretty good about respecting my space when I’m writing, but I also do a lot late at night. And I carry a notebook with me most often for when ideas strike.

  15. Whenever I get the urge to write ( which is like almost all the time ๐Ÿ˜› ) anywhere in my house becomes my writing space depending on my mood. But most of the times it is beside my window next to my beautiful balcony garden.

  16. I would like one. I make do now though and tune out the sounds around me. I get focused. This is a good post about the extent of commitment for those who have the opportunity to do it. Thanks for sharing.

  17. This is cool! I always wanted to have a writing hut, though may still have family members coming out to bother me. Lol.

  18. My writing space is my desk facing the window that probably let me to engage with the outside world or I would say it connect me to the world of my own imagination. Amazing as well as informative post.
    I have written something will glad to have your feedback too.

  19. Wow….that little cozy spot looks absolutely divine!!! Look at all that nature, it’s like a tiny piece of heaven on earth.

    1. oops, did I comment on the wrong? I was looking at the the pic of the writing room that looked out into nature!!

  20. A separate writing space is a luxury for me. I just use wherever I can when I’m alone, and the need to write a rises. That said, it would be amazing to have something like this…someday.

  21. I was just talking to a friend 2 days ago about having a hut in the mountains and just writing. Get away from it all, the fact that I saw the picture of a hut just drew me here. Writers love their own time to reflect. I still can’t believe you have a post like this, I’m now going to make it a mission to do something like this, even if i have to rent one, lol.

  22. I’ve never heard of this! This is very cool. Because we live in a compact Townhouse, sometimes I sit on the screened in porch and pretend no one else is around lol

  23. I’m so fortunate to have my own little writing room, which I’ve decorated in a lovely tropical beach theme- complete with an inflatable palm tree. ๐Ÿ˜€

      1. Sadly, your assumption is correct. I haven yet to convince my husband that moving to Hawaii would be the perfect solution to all of life’s worries. ๐Ÿ˜›

  24. Awe this is awesome and would be so cool.
    I watched international house hunters yesterday (a guilty pleasure) and somebody writing a book was looking for a house with a perfect writing spot that would inspire him. This reminds me and I have to work on something like this. Thank you for sharing. Love it.

  25. I have no writing hut…I have no special garden to feast my eyes upon…I have no special corner…I just have my pen, paper and laptop with a vivid imagination. My music takes me to my special places where I write. But a hut would be nice. Especially overlooking the ocean. ๐Ÿ™‚

  26. Oh I love it !! Not that mine is so bad – I have my own sacred space, a whole room, that looks out over the garden. But those huts, esp the first one, is soooo cute !!

  27. I wish I could say I have a little hut but instead I have a little corner. Though it is a nice one with a big picture window nearby. Happy writing.

  28. oh my gosh these are amazing!
    although I have to say, I do NO work when I am alone and like to have hustle and bustle around me…
    but still
    would give these all a try!

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: