Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Where's the best place to write?

Okay, here’s a question without a correct answer and honestly it’s something I’m always curious to know about other writers.  My favorite place is on my couch with my feet up, and a nice cushy pillow at my back and another under my laptop (so I don’t get that red burned leg thing).
I know some people (like JK Rowling) swear by coffee shops but I honestly could never do them.  I feel like I can’t relax with a bunch of people talking around me or watching me (also, I hear Starbucks frowns upon you taking your socks off and putting your feet up on the furniture).  
The real reason I don't write in coffee shops...so tempting.

By the same token, I’m pretty bad at the whole sit at a desk and write thing.  I know people say it promotes discipline and the idea that writing is a JOB, but I think that’s what I DON’T like about it.  Don’t get me wrong, if it was a choice between a coffee shop and alone in an office I’d totally pick the office, but sitting at a desk and staring at a screen usually feels too uptight for me.
Beyond that, as much as I like to be comfortable when I write, I try not to have music playing or the TV going because I'm too easily distracted (and frankly the Internet/Facebook/Email is about as much distraction as I can afford).  Not saying I don’t do it (bad habits are hard to break) but I’ve been trying to cut back…aren't there studies out there that say people can’t multitask and background music/TV when you’re studying is bad?  So yeah, it’s probably the same when you write.  Or not.  I hear some writers enjoy making playlists for their scripts and get pumped by playing them when they write.  Sounds cool, maybe I’ll try it someday.  Did I miss any popular places to write/popular writing rituals?  Let me know!

2 comments:

  1. If you are going to do a coffee shop, you just gotta pick the right one! There is this great bakery by my house that has a back room that is generally pretty quite, tables are a good distance apart, and its a great, quiet, place to do some writing. Plus people watching can help get the creative juices rolling!

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  2. See, that sounds good, and I'd be into the people watching thing too. I just don't know how people can sit in the middle of a busy Starbucks and write a whole novel/screenplay/anything. But, I guess it's less distracting to some people that being in their home.

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