Where do you do your writing?

The Border's over on Red Bug in Oviedo. The manager knows me, the staff knows me, and the coffee is outstanding. Besides, you can bring in any kind of food you want, if you don't feel like eating their snacks. My husband brought in Boston Market for three of us yesterday, and we sat there and had lunch and worked on our Nano prep. Heck, some of them even come over to see how the writing's going.

Laura

I do my best writing at home, In cooler weather I love to write in the garden. But I'm a writer so I'll write anywhere. Coffee shops, while waiting for my order at a Chinese restaurant, even standing in line at Publix. I don't need special places or special arrangements, though my writing office at home is cozily arranged. Being dependant on a certain place or environment just doesn't sound like it would be very beneficial, What if you have an editor who needs something by a certain deadline and the coffee houses aren't open?

Tina

Laura, that is so cool! It's especially nice that they let you bring in your own food. I think it's nice to have a regular place like that, where you are known.

Tina, it's not so much about not being able to write other places as it is where you PREFER to do your writing. Having a routine, an almost ritual to signal the start of writing time, is a huge bonus when you just aren't feeling inspired. It helps trigger that mindset.

In addition, NaNoWriMo isn't work. I create ideal writing situations for myself during NaNoWriMo because it makes the whole experience that much better. Of course, I don't view the majority of writing as work - because I love it and enjoy it.

Professionally, if there is something that needs writing by a certain deadline, of course you get it written. I write every day, for most of the day, in my job and sitting at that desk is a different kind of writing ritual. And, outside of my day job, if an editor needs something and the coffee shops are closed? I haven't been doing my job up to that point - it means either the deadline is unreasonable (which does sometimes happen) or that I have been slacking and am now rushing to get something finished.

In which case, because coffee shops DO close, I go to Dennys. Because, hurrah, 24 hours. No wifi, but sometimes sacrifices must be made! *smile*

People work differently.

Ah, I must have misunderstood when your original post and thought you couldn't write at home to save your life and spent a lot of time looking for other places to write.

Marie

I'm not sure which name you prefer - you've signed two different posts as Tina and Marie, so I'll use your screen name. *smile*

MarieDees, I did say I can't write at home to save my life - it's pretty common idiomatic English. Are you always such a literalist? If yes, I'll try to keep that in mind when we wind up talking.

Also, honestly, even if I WERE literally incapable of writing at home, that wouldn't make me any less of a writer than someone who prefers to write at home. Writers, as I mentioned, have different processes. There is no one right way to approach writing.

My first name is Tina. I'm published as Marie Dees, so I'm used to answering to Marie and book signings and such. Either is fine.

As a writer, I find that the words I use are rather important to conveying my meaning, so I strive for clarity.

Tina

Clarity is important. If I'd believed the readers of this forum incapable of understanding typical idiomatic English, as signaled by an incredibly common phrase, I'd not have used it.

Idiom, hyperbole, metaphor (and, of course, simile), and a whole host of other verbal tropes are wonderful tools for the writer. While not appropriate in all settings - for example, I'd not use idiomatic English in academic writing under general circumstances - these are perfectly valid linguistic stances in informal settings, of which an internet forum is but one example.

Indeed, your misreading of my idiom does not seem to spring from a genuine source of confusion. If you have a problem with me for any reason, I'd much rather address that via private message instead of derailing a rather light-hearted topic about where people prefer to write.

I feel that. I can only write at home if it's really late and the Boy is asleep and the TV off. Now that I have the laptop I'll take it to Mobile Mud or Barnes & Noble. Sometimes Panera on lunch. If I'm feeling particularly itchy though I'll do what I used to and just take the journal and write wherever I can. You know, standing in line at Starbucks, on the way to work, the toilet paper aisle at Target, that sort of thing. :p

*LAUGH*

Thank you, katilara.

Yeah, the distractions at home are really hard to overcome. I wonder why it is so much easier to tune out all the background noise at someplace like Barnes and Noble than it is to tune out my husband as he watches a movie or does homework.

Some of my best poems have been scribbled on scraps of paper on my morning commute. *grin*

I write away from home...usually...unless I haven't gotten up for the day. I do great writing then. But once I'm up, the dogs literally don't leave me alone. One of them, a Siberian Husky, is going blind from cataracts (he's not a good candidate for surgery) and he needs to be constantly reassured. The Border Collie gets jealous, and jumps around and barks to try and get his share of the attention.

It's just easier to be elsewhere for a while. Conversely, if my husband is home, they'll go to him for attenion if I'm busy, so then I can stay if I want to.

Right now, I'm at work, waiting for students to show up. I'll be prepping after I check my forums.

Laura

I write best at a desk in a dedicated workspace -- that means a library, my home office (well, when I get one again), etc. Coffeeshops are good for a change of pace, but as a regular place to work they're far too distracting.

See you at Barnie's tonight!

karenthology, it's so funny - the distractions at HOME are my problem. *grin* Maybe if I had a dedicated work space with a door, it might be different, but I'm not sure I could stand the quiet either. I get so much energy from the bustle of people around me - that's why I love the coffee shop scene for writing.

See you tonight!

I do most of my writing at home, but lately home has been a distraction. (the evils of internet access and RPing), so I've been considering going out to write. I was thinking Dandelions since i liked the atmosphere there last year, but anyone else know of come good places that are open to at least 10 or 11 in the 50/bumby area or the curryford rd/bumby area?

*grins* It's nice to see all the different processes people have.

What/where is Dandelions? I'm not familiar with that one!

There's the place I mentioned - Drunken Monkey - and it's at Bumby and 50 - well, about a block south by Beefy King if you know where that is. They are technically only open until 9 pm but I've been in quite a bit later than that and the owner, last time I was there, said he'd stay open later if there was a demand for it.

I'm not as familiar with the stuff down around Curry Ford, unfortunately.

*grin* Yeah, all the ways in which people get stuff done is really neat.

Dandelions is a Vegan coffee shop off of 50 and a side street called thorton ave, between mills and summerlin. But recently they've gotten really busy so i don't think they have much room for NaNoers. But I thought it was a nice place. I want to try the Drunken Monkey, going to check it out tonight and see if I can boost up my word count. *shifty eyes* And I want to try these healthy snacks they speak of.

Dandelion was one of our meeting spots last year and a number of us even continued meeting there after Nano until it got too busy. The crowds have increased considerably and they said that they couldn't accommodate us this year. Probably fine if you just want to drop in and do some personal writing or even have a couple of people meet up. But as those who came to the kick-off meeting saw, we take up considerable space when we all get together. Also we tend to stay a long time, which isn't really good for turn-over in a place like Dandelions.

Tina

I can probably write anywhere. I like writing at home because I have my computer and therefore don't have to retype what I write all the time. I also don't have an ipod and therefore the only way to have access to all of my music at once (aside from carrying every single CD with me all the time ha!) is to be at my computer since it's in my music library, and so that's great for when I randomly decide whatever I'm listening to is horrible for what I'm writing.

But when I'm particularly stressed out or have a lot of stuff on my mind for what I need to do in the relatively near future, it's better for me to go write somewhere else where I won't be thinking about that because, conveniently, all I can do there is write, so may as well write. :D Or if I'm having problems with my characters, a new environment sometimes helps (which is why I'm very much looking forward to the write in tomorrow; my characters are already giving me a hard time *evil glares towards characters*).

I don't think there is anywhere I *can't* write. But recently I've become quite fond of writing outside of the cafeteria at VCC East.

Dkiplan, I'll have to check Dandelions out - Drunken Monkey is closer to my house but Thornton and 50 is really pretty close, too, and I like having options.

As for Drunken Monkey's healthy snacks.... I've only had one of their soups and it was DELISH.

Oh! I went to the Drunken Money and wrote. It was really great. I didn't feel like I was intruding and I got quite a bit of writing done. No one gave me questioning looks or even pestered me, so I was very impressed. It was a good atmosphere too. I think I will be definitely returning.

That's totally awesome!

I'm really hoping it takes off - I LOVE having something close to home. I used to spend a lot of time up at Austin's in Winter Park but it just isn't so writing friendly anymore, you know?

I like to do a lot of my writing at the library or Borders by the FL Mall. I can write at home, but sometimes there are just to many distractions, you know?

Oh, I absolutely understand that. *grin*

Hey, Dreams, I work at VCC East! I'm in the Tutoring Center (Laura). Did I meet you at the kick-off party?

"Live fast, take no prisoners, and never look back at the carnage."

No, I wasn't at the kick-off. But I'll be there today (I'm getting my writing stuff ready right now, actually). And I'm Elizabeth. Hello! :)

Marianne- We should meet up at the Drunken Monkey to get some writing done. It's close to me so I can go to it easily. Right now, most of the places their having for write offs are sort of inconvient.

Anywhere I can find a keyboard or a pen!

Two kids with autism, one teenager, two dogs and a demanding hubby--I could find a million excuses not to write. Finally, I had to realize that unless I disciplined my muse to perform on demand, I'd never see my dream come true. So, a thousand plus words per day, six days per week, no matter what.

My favorite writing place is Sanibel Island....but I only get to go there once in a blue moon!

LOL, I was there yesterday. But not writing, getting a book for my youngest's book report.

Liane Gentry Skye
www.lianegentryskye.com

i have found that i can write almost anywhere... much of my novel so far has been typed at work before i start, written longhand on the bus (especially when i ended up with crazy speeding bus drivers and did not want my laptop flying away from me), and at home.

Crazy speeding bus drivers & flying laptops... sounds like you've got the workings of another novel.