The Writing Playground

Does your writing feel like a tedious, humdrum task, or is it finally time to play? Many writers’ SPACE maps depict a favourite pastime or hobby — something that do simply because it gives them pleasure. This page likens the pleasures of writing to dancing, cooking, music, craft, soccer, and more. Writing becomes a playground for the mind. As you scroll through the images and captions below, ask yourself: What hobbies do I enjoy, and why? Can I draw those enjoyable elements into my writing practice?

Evija, New ZealandEvija draws a comparison between writing and tango. Her map attempts to reconcile the joy of dance with the struggle of ‘bureaucratic writing’; They dance together in an embrace. — **Evija, New Zealand**
Evija draws a comparison between writing and tango. Her SPACE map attempts to reconcile the joy of creative writing with the struggle of ‘bureaucratic writing’. Here, viewed from above, they dance together in a physically active and aesthetically nourishing embrace.

Sally, AustraliaSinging is Sally’s hobby. Rather than finding similarities between writing and music, Sally evokes the image of sheet music as a memory tool for how to make her writing more pleasurable. Each action is a note, all sung together to cr… — **Sally, Australia**
Singing is Sally’s hobby. Rather than pointing to similarities between writing and music, Sally uses sheet music as a SPACE map for making her writing more pleasurable. Each action is a note; sung together, they create a beautiful writing symphony.

Mia, Germany Mia’s SPACE of writing is a beach volleyball game. She drew her writing tactics on her side of the court, ready for players to spike over the nets. Each action—served, set, or spiked—opens a new way of enjoying writing more. Score! — **Mia, Germany**
Mia’s SPACE of writing is a beach volleyball game. Her writing tactics gatheron her side of the court, ready to help her spike the ball over the net. Each action—serve, set, or spike—opens a new way of enjoying writing more. Score!

Amar, New ZealandAndrew creates his SPACE map out of billiard balls. Each ball is lined up behind a cue, with actions written down its spine—one hard hit from the cue would send the ball flying. — **Amar, New Zealand**
Andrew creates his SPACE map out of billiard balls. Lined up behind each ball is a pool cue with actions written down its spine. One well-placed hit from any of these cues will send the ball of his writing flying.

Evert, New ZealandLike Rachel, Evert also envisions his space of writing as a journey. He draws his SPACE map as a peaceful writing experience, journeying over hills flooded with sunlight and music. — **Evert, New Zealand**
Like Rachel, Evert envisions his space of writing as a journey. His SPACE map depicts writing as an exhilarating experience, drawing him up hillsides flooded with sunlight and music to “that creatively challenging bench on the hill.”

Paula, USAPaula draws a connection between kayaking and writing. Her kayak sits in the centre of the page, empty, waiting to be paddled. Both kayaking and writing are, as Paula says, ‘challenging but not impossible’. — **Paula, USA**
Paula’s SPACE map draws a connection between kayaking and writing. Her kayak sits in the centre of the page, empty, waiting to be paddled out into the open water. Both kayaking and writing are, as Paula says, ‘challenging but not impossible’.

Heather, USAHeather drew her SPACE of writing as a quilt, but Heather doesn’t reveal how she would weave writings and quilting together. Can you stitch quilting into the fabric of writing? What do the two have in common? — **Heather, USA**
Heather depicts her SPACE of writing as a quilt but doesn’t reveal how she will weave writing and quilting together conceptually. Can you stitch metaphors of quilting into the fabric of writing? What do the two have in common?

Francec, USAFrancec maps out his writing practice on the soccer pitch. Like a soccer player, a writer needs a defence, they need supporters, and they need to believe in themselves. Francesc transformed his writing process into a soccer game, complet… — **Francec, USA**
Francec maps out his SPACE of writing on the soccer pitch. Like a soccer player, a writer needs strong defences, enthusiastic supporters (“a small group of hooligans”), and plenty of self-belief. Reconceptualised as a game of football, writing becomes a team sport marked by highs, lows, and tactical planning.

Sue, USASPACE is snowboarding, and she writes her action plan along a snowy mountain range. As in snowboarding, Sue wants to see the beauty in writing first drafts, its failures and face-plants in the snow. — **Sue, USA**
Sue’s recipe for “the snowboard-ization of my writing” arrayed along a snowy mountain range. Her action plan includes taking breaks, recognising the beauty of messy first drafts, and moving beyond her fear of face-planting in the snow.

Nicholas, New ZealandNicholas links SPACE to his hobby: surfing. Like keeping an eye on the tides, you need to be sure of the writing conditions, whether in your environment or in yourself. ‘Stretch. Hydrate. Get Moving,’ Nicholas writes. — **Nicholas, New Zealand**
Nicholas’ SPACE map depicts his hobby of surfing. Like a surfer keeping an eye on the tides, writers need to be assess the conditions and take care of their own physical and emotional wellbeing: ‘Hydrate. Eat Better. Stretch. Simplify.” It’s time to get moving!

Teresita, USATeresita reflects on writing as something communal, done amongst the ‘clanking of plates and canned background music’. Writing is something done with others, ‘like a picnic in the park’. — **Teresita, USA**
Teresita reflects on writing as a communal act undertaken amongst the ‘clanking of plates and canned background music’. Her SPACE of pleasurable writing is a place she shares with others, ‘like a picnic in the park’.

Duncan, UKIn-between music notation, Duncan maps his way back to harmonious writing. His action plan includes ensuring time to write, not focusing on a target, and finding conncetions between writing and songs. — **Duncan, UK**
In between musical notation, Duncan maps his way back to harmonious writing. His action plan includes ensuring time to write, not focusing on a target, and finding conncetions between writing and music.

EleenEleen finds her SPACE of writing in knitting. As Eleen points out, personal wellbeing is necessary to pleasure—be it in knitting or writing. Which tread of SPACE do you most need to tug at to find a similar balance in your life? — **Eleen**
Eleen finds her SPACE of writing in knitting. As Eleen points out, personal wellbeing is necessary to pleasure—be it in knitting or writing. Which tread of SPACE do you most need to tug at to find a similar balance in your life?

Rachel, CanadaRachel uses her hobby—running—to envision what it would be like overcoming the fear of the blank page. Her image shows a figure looking back at a starting line, seeing how far their writing journey has taken them. — **Rachel, Canada**
Rachel uses her hobby, running, to envision how she can overcome her fear of the blank page. Her image shows a figure looking back at a starting line, seeing how far their writing journey has taken them.

Main image credit: Marion, Canada

Writing with Pleasure

The Writing Playground

The Writing Playground