My Space - Sarah Ayoub

Anyone who has worked as a freelance writer knows the frustrations of sending off endless pitches to editors compared to the highs of finally seeing your work in print. Sydney based Sarah Ayoub has written for Yen, Cleo, Shop Till You Drop, Girlfriend, Cosmopolitan and is also a co-publisher of which is a hip youth website. She set up Wordsmith Lane recently when she realised there was a gap in the market for aspiring writers who needed information in light digestive forms on how to get their work out there.

Where do you scribe?
I scribe in my room, at a desk I have had since I was 11 years old and which is ugly and horrible and which I can't wait to replace. I really wish I had my own space, but I still live at home, and can't afford to deck out my room the way I want to. Plus my mother is very pedantic about the wall space in her house, and she makes a face everytime I do something new with my room. I have so many nice artworks that I cant wait to hang up, and so many books and magazines overflowing because they don't fit in here anymore. Mum always remarks that my room resembles a $2 shop.

So why do you choose that place to work?
I come from a huge Lebanese family. There is always someone here making noise or disrupting everyone else. My room is my own space and I shut the door and attempt to drown out the sound. It doesnt usually work - we are a very noisy, communal people.

What is on your desk at the moment?
My laptop which I adore, a whole load of library books which I am using to research for my University thesis, (see www.sarahayoub.com;" for information on my research). Folders which have my past work in, another folder with potential writing ideas, and scrapbooks that contain clippings on a variety of subjects for more areas of thesis research. There's also a load of current magazines that I am supposed to be reading, coloured post it notes, a notebook, a pile of unread mail which concerns supernanuation (hence why it is unread - I simply do not get that stuff), bobby pins, pens and highlighters in a mug and tin bucket, The Times Complete History of the World, a Dictionary and thesaurus, a book on Australia through Time and my camera. Oh, and three bottles of moisturisers (all with different scents) and handcream, because I have very dry skin and hands and I am hoping that in those moments of writer's block I can do something about it without moving!

What form of inspiration do you have on your desk and on your wall?

On the wall opposite me, I have a corkboard filled with inspiration quotes, photos and cute cards. I also have post-its above my computer with my to-do-it list, story ideas, a shopping list, my thesis question and another inspirational quotes.

So do you keep a tidy office or are you a messy worker?

I like to think I am tidy, but when I'm working on a particular project, I like to have all my things out and around me, so it often looks like I am messy. But as soon as I am done, everything is filed away. I actually cannot stand clutter, so I know that when I have my own office space, everything will be different.