Over the years many writers have found a garden shed to be a perfect place to lock themselves away from everyday life and let their creativity pour out. Rob Crossan celebrates four titans of literature who have made the most of that little spot in the garden.

Country Life

May 26,2019

Using a garden shed as a spot to get away from the business (not to mention the busy-ness) of everyday life is a tempting proposition.

Obviously you’ll have to clear out the old bikes and broken pots first. And you must absolutely not be tempted to buy one of those Wi-Fi extender boxes to extend your internet to your outhouse.

That said, there are other things you can take from these ideas. Be creative, as George Bernard Shaw was with his rotating shed idea; block out the world, as Roald Dahl always did; ensure the view outside is inspiringly beautiful, a la Virginia Woolf; and make sure your shed is a real beauty complete with chimney and fireplace, in the Mark Twain manner.

Get it right and the reward could be productivity you’d scarcely have dared dream of, as these four literary greats demonstrate.

 

Writers Thrived in their Garden Sheds