I was equal parts excited and nervous to write this blog post. It will show off my true writer’s weirdness to all of you. However, if you’ve read my book, you already know I have a quirky sense of humour. And if you’ve worked with me as a freelance writer, you know it, too! Without further ado, here are the self-admitted strangest and weirdest places I’ve found myself typing away!

My weirdest workspaces as a freelancer

I’ve discovered that creating a productive workspace is more than having ambiance or being in the zone. It’s about dealing with a personal life and its needs while juggling deadlines! Since freelancing is one of the amazing jobs you can do just about anywhere you can access a keyboard, it’s created memorable workspaces, including the following.

• In a hospital waiting room: Unfortunately, deadlines don’t budge even when you have a personal crisis. While there are always some deadlines you can push, some you just can’t. While waiting to hear news about a friend’s condition, I distracted myself as best I could by working away on an article due that evening on my tablet’s touchscreen keyboard. Did I want to spend my time in the waiting room working? No, of course not. However, it was better than sitting there and wringing my hands. Plus, it freed up the evening to be with my friend rather than having to rush home and complete a deadline.

• In an auto shop: Like many people, I’m not good at waiting. If my car needs to be repaired, I often will walk to nearby shops or go and grab a coffee. One frigid, miserable day, I didn’t feel like going anywhere. So I tucked myself into a chair in a corner and used my crankiness productively by working on a beta-reading job. It was a great way to boost my mood and pass the time until my car was ready!

• At a hotel poolside: While travelling, a delay was going to strand me for several hours at a hotel I had been staying at. I was very anxious at the time and also stressed about work deadlines. Since I had already checked out of the room, I had nowhere to go. In search of a quiet and somewhat private spot to sit and destress, I lounged at the hotel’s interior poolside. It was warm, quiet, and soothing. While I had meant it to be only a calming spot, I typed away on my computer for hours and finished my deadlines. I also felt restored due to the space’s overall vibe.

Weird, but worthwhile to know

While I never thought I’d be working in any of these places, I look back on these experiences now and see that they ended up being a strange part of my fulfilling career as a professional writer. Plus, they add some fun stories that I can pull out whenever someone asks questions about my life as a freelancer!

What are some of the strangest places you’ve worked? Were you surprised to find them productive? Freelancing definitely leads us to some strange situations!