If you’re like me, you need a comfortable work environment in order to help put yourself in a creative frame of mind and maximize your productivity. Whether you enjoy typing away in a crowded Starbucks or sequestering yourself in the deepest Hobbit hole you can find, your workspace is a key ingredient to word count success.

Let’s take a look at my own personal go to spot for example.

Personally, I prefer a small out of the way place free of distractions like TVs and telephones. Therefore, we have a room in the house designated The Office, which acts as a catch-all for random Target purchases as well as the many crazy ideas floating around in my head.

I also like to decorate the joint with random items that help spark my imagination and get the creative wheels turning. Let’s take a look at a few, shall we…

Hitchcock Movie Posters

You may be thinking: Wait a minute. Hitchcock movie posters? Isn’t this guy working on a fantasy adventure series? It’s true. The Phoenix Saga is a fantasy series. But I also really enjoy classic film. Creativity is creativity. I draw inspiration from many sources, and for my money, you can’t do much better than the master of suspense.

X-Files Cross Stitch

This bad boy hangs on the wall directly behind my desk chair (courtesy of Mrs. Ebey’s mad stitching skills). What better thing to have at your back when you’re trying to channel the muse than a threaded Mulder and Scully?

To my left

On the wall directly to my left, I have a corkboard that I like to adorn with things related to whatever it is I’m working on. Here were see pictures that represent (at least in my mind) various Phoenix Saga characters and settings. Whenever I get stuck, these pinned-up cutouts always help motivate me forward.

When all else fails

Chuck Norris to the rescue! My early love of toys and action figures taught me how to appreciate characters and use my imagination to bring them to life. Though I don’t necessarily play with them as I once did in my childhood (okay, maybe just a little), leaving space on my desk for Chuck Norris to fight an Alien on a tiny Zen garden doesn’t hurt.

So what do you think? Is a comfortable work environment important? Do you use any special imagery or rituals to help get you in the creative mood? If so, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.