We asked author (and mother) Siobhan Vivian to share 3 things she loves about her creative space to kick off a new series we’re doing. We love looking at studio spaces, and thought it would be interesting to see a writer’s space. This particular writer was my roommate when we were sixteen and attending a summer art program at University of the Arts in Philadelphia! Siobhan is a gifted storyteller. I remember a crowd surrounding her after curfew in the dorms one night, while she regaled us with hysterical stories she’d spun from otherwise mundane anecdotes. Charismatic, kind, and the coolest girl I knew, it was a treat to share this amazing experience and get to see her career unfold years later. .
I’ve read a few of her books and can’t wait to read her newest book, The Last Boy and Girl in the World. If you have a young adult in your life or enjoy YA like I do, you must check her out. Congratulations, Siobhan, and thanks for sharing with us!
What do you love about your creative space?
ONE: It’s not in my house.
I’ve got two kids under the age of three, a husband who works from home, and a house where it seems there is always something needing to be cleaned/folded/organized. So, for me to be able to create, I have to get out of the house. I rent a desk at a co-working space in Pittsburgh called THE BEAUTY SHOPPE.
TWO: Fresh flowers, always
Because the rest of my life is chaotic, I try to keep my workspace zen. By that, I mean it is always clean, organized, and artfully arranged. And I always have a bouquet of fresh flowers, usually whatever is on sale that week from Whole Foods.
THREE: inspiration!
I love having bits of inspiration up when I am working on a new book. For my newest, there is a historical component, so I scored a bunch of Seventeen Magazines from the 1940s. Whenever I’m feeling stuck, I’ll flip through one and read an article or see a picture and get things moving again.
Siobhan Vivian’s newest book, THE LAST BOY AND GIRL IN THE WORLD, is available wherever books are sold.
Carve Out Time for Art 