The central idea of Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own” is that in order to be a good writer and create coherent pieces, one needs five-hundred pounds and a room of one’s own. She stresses that these two things are vital in achieving good writing throughout the whole essay. Five-hundred pounds is the yearly salary she believes will allow one to live comfortably without distractions or financial stress during the writing process. A room of one’s own is a symbol for multiple things- specifically privacy, leisure time, financial independence, and freedom to write or think whatever one wants. This also allows a writer to work without distractions, which can often be the main cause of poor writing. Woolf believes that working without distractions, being free from concerns of any type, and having time to relax with freedom, is necessary and the reason for successful writing.

Speaking from my personal writing experiences, I agree with everything Woolf says about the keys to successful writing, with the exception of a five-hundred pound salary being necessary. I believe one could be a successful writer without this and just not be concerned or worried about money. However, for me personally, privacy and working without distractions is what allows me to get my work done and focus fully on what the task is. Leisure time also allows a break between working which has always been important for me because it gives me time to relax, give your brain a break, and in a sense, reload.