The Lost Art Press Spider Cave –
After working with dozens of woodworking authors and editors, I can tell you why most mistakes occur in woodworking books, magazines and blogs. They are caused by interruptions.
If you are writing down numbers, dimensioning a drawing or explaining a complex task, you are doomed if someone walks in and asks you a question. You will transpose something, skip something or copy and paste something completely wrong. I personally guarantee it.
So when I write, edit or design, I like to work in complete solitary. I have a room for writing and a second small and isolated room for editing and designing.
As I was drawing out the floorplan for the new Lost Art Press storefront (opening March 12), I couldn’t place my desk anywhere that would give me the dark burrow I need to work. As luck would have it, however, the overwhelming archaeological evidence is that the two front rooms of our storefront were separated by a wall (perhaps two walls). After sketching in a wall that would make the bench room a nice rectangle I saw it: My spider hole.
It’s an alcove about 7’ x 11’ under the stairs. No windows to the outside. Just the overwhelming claustrophobia that makes for good editing and designing. Today carpenter Mike Sadoff and I framed up most of this new wall and I ran some new electric to the spider hole to fuel my computer and a printer. There won’t be a phone there. Or email. Or SMS.
So now I can relax.
— Christopher Schwarz
