Many people believe that their environment helps spur creativity–or not. So we writer types tend to have an array of candles, statues, glass/pewter objects, anything that makes us *feel* more inspired.

I have no doubt that these things do help, and the subconscious mind does believe in ritual and preparing itself for creative work – – but we can’t always have the perfect desk, at the perfect moment, with the perfect mindset.

Part of writing (or any task, really) is the dreaded 4-letter word part: WORK. That means that come rain or shine, mess or beautiful mini temple of a desk, we have to put in the time and work. Writers, that means write. Accountants, jostle those numbers. And so on and so forth.

Below is a pic of the many pewter fairies I have on my desk in my office. This helps me concentrate and go to magical places. What about you? What types of totems do you keep nearby to help keep the bad energy away?