— Seriously, for Most Writers Not The Place to be Writing!
There are coffee shops everywhere, local hang-outs, Starbucks, Seattle’s Best, more local hang-outs, and a bunch more besides. Good grief, they’re everywhere, and what better place for a writer to hang out and write, right? Wrong!
Wherever did we get that romanticized idea? I mean, writers are a bit notorious for procrastination, but seriously….
So, this is gonna hurt a bit. You’re going to need some grit, determination, and resolution. We’ve allowed our ‘fancy’ to get a bit out of control, and it’s gone on for too long. Besides, these visits can get insanely expensive. Just ponder what a single cup of house coffee costs, then ponder the fancier drinks and maybe a pastry.
Here’s the thing, somewhere, sometime, you got the idea you’ll be your most creative, do your best work when you are out of the house, away from your normal environment, and lost in a crowded coffee shop immersed in a din of noise, perched on an itty bitty table surrounded by other ‘writers’ trying to do the same. Whew, that was a mouthful. Huh? Really?
Oh, and they have ‘hot spot’ wi-fi free, who could ask for more?
Well, be serious, you could, because that’s kind of a dumb idea. What, in reality, you get out of that trip is a caffeine buzz, spending money on coffee or tea, and the IDEA that you’ve been working. Well, you haven’t. Tell the truth. Mostly, you want to be seen writing and have someone come up to you (friend or stranger) and ask what you’re working on so you can settle in and chat all about it, which leads to…total lack of productivity. Lots of burned-up writing hours.
In the first place, you shouldn’t be chatting endlessly about your most recent work because that takes the power out of it, and in the second that’s just a great excuse to NOT work.
Photo by Jaredd Craig on Unsplash
You can write anywhere if you must, a bus, a train, a plane, a car, but when you have the choice, choose the quiet. And, there are lots of other places with free Wi-fi these days, including the library, which is an environment much more conducive to writing.
So, if you’re serious about writing, grab a cup of coffee at home (cost only about 5 or 10 cents instead of a couple of bucks), plant your butt in your chair, and focus. Oh, you can have a cookie too, if you want. You can also work in your pajamas.
Photo by Євгенія Височина on Unsplash
Sure, sure, you don’t want to lock yourself up alone to write. It’s lonely, and it can be scary. Well, tough. Do you want to do this or not?
You’re alone. It’s quiet. What if you don’t think of anything good? What if you don’t come up with anything at all? Isn’t that what the coffee shop is all about, stimulation?
Maybe, but not getting an idea is just life. Sometimes you’ll just stare out the window, other times you’ll be seized by the muse and creativity will bubble. Live with it. Work with it. Alone in silence, or perhaps with your favorite music playing softly. That’s where your best work will come from, not in the hustle and bustle of neighborhood coffee shop where you’re more likely to surf the web or expound with great authority.
Photo by Timon Studler on Unsplash
The conclusion here? Get over it. Move on. Write. That’s what you’ve always claimed you want to do. So, do it. Don’t let the “idea” of writing defeat your talent for it. Calm and solitude are the best boost to your creative writing or any writing.
Now, get annoyed with me for pointing out the obvious, or get on with it. Your choice.
*If you’d like to read a bit of my writing, my award-winning short story Skykicker is available on Medium - free to read.
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Want to learn from me? Check out Romancing Your Novel, my UDMY romance writing course.
And if you’re interested in fun gift ideas for writers or just cool stuff for yourself, visit my Story Seeker shop over on Zazzle (yes, I’d get a small commission should you click and purchase) at:
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