The Space to Write

MERCER ISLAND — When Robin made the decision to leave her position as a research historian for the University of California and devote herself full-time to writing, she knew she needed a new work space.

“Working in the house was not an option,” recalls Robin, who has a 4-year-old son afoot and a husband also working from home. “I needed a separate area. I was researching affordable options online, and doing an addition to the house seemed prohibitive, cost-wise.”

Prior to leaving her job, Robin spent most of her time working remotely, driving back and forth to cafés, frittering money away on gas and food.

“I was losing a lot of downtime just driving places,” she says. “Working from home has been great because even if I have an hour or 30 minutes, it’s worth it to go out and work.”

Robin and her husband purchased an 8’ by 10’ Modern-Shed, where she spends her days writing nonfiction history, with a focus on 20th century US history.

“It’s been great,” Robin says. “I needed a space to write, and I also wanted a space to do some painting and collage-making. So, one end is where I write, and the other end is more messy stuff.”

Robin’s son respects her space.

“If I’m in the house, he’s constantly interrupting my work,” she says. “Now, he knows it’s my shed, it’s outside the house, and it’s my own space.”

— Arla Shephard