Writing has always needed a place to land.
For a long time, that place was Brighton University library. Not just a building, but a feeling. It felt like home. That library held my degree, my concentration, my determination, and a version of me who could lose hours between shelves and desks without noticing time pass.
There was something grounding about it. The low hum of other students, the quiet rules everyone seemed to respect, the safety of knowing that everyone there was focused on becoming something. I wrote essays there, notes there, half formed ideas that later turned into confidence. Brighton University library was where I learned that writing could be structured and free at the same time.
Then Amelia arrived.
And like so much in parenthood, the idea of an “ideal” writing space shifted overnight.
Writing Before Motherhood
Before becoming a mum, I thought writing required intention and preparation. A dedicated space. Silence. Time carved out neatly. A desk. A library card. A bag packed with notebooks and highlighters.
Writing felt like something you stepped into.
Brighton University library gave me permission to focus. It was predictable and calm. I could go there knowing my only job was to think, read, and write. It matched the season of life I was in then.
Writing After Amelia
Now, writing looks different.
These days, my favourite place to write is a café near where Amelia goes to crèche. It is not glamorous. It does not come with academic gravitas. But it has a comfy sofa, decent tea, and most importantly, a kind of quiet.
Not silent. Just quiet enough.
It is the kind of place where I can sit, breathe, and remember who I am outside of being “Mummy” for a short while. Writing there feels like reclaiming a moment rather than a whole afternoon.
I write knowing the clock is ticking. Knowing that this is borrowed time. Knowing that I might only get half an hour. But there is something powerful about that. The words come faster. The thoughts are clearer. Writing becomes less about perfection and more about presence.
The Season You Are In Matters
I am sure this will change again.
As Amelia gets older, time will shrink and stretch in new ways. Writing might happen in notes apps, in the margins of days, or late at night when the house finally sleeps. The café sofa might be replaced by somewhere louder, quicker, or more chaotic.
And that is okay.
I am learning that writing does not need a fixed location. It needs permission. Permission to adapt to the season you are in. Permission to let go of old ideas of productivity. Permission to count a quiet café corner as enough.
Right now, that café is my library.
It gives me a moment. And sometimes, a moment is all you need.
A Gentle Reminder for Parents Who Write
If you are a parent who loves writing, or someone trying to return to creativity after having children, this is your reminder that your writing space does not have to look like it used to.
It just has to work for now.
That counts.
If this resonated with you, please like and subscribe to the blog so you do not miss future posts. I would also love to hear from you. Where do you write in this season of your life? Leave a comment and let’s remind each other that our words still matter.
References
University of Brighton. Library and learning resources overview.
British Library. The importance of quiet spaces for focus and creativity.
Pennebaker, J. Writing as a tool for reflection and wellbeing.
If you enjoyed this post, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs permission to write where they are, not where they think they should be.
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