You Write Where?
“Why don’t you always go home after work?” My coworker indicated my notebooks.
“Sometimes it is easier to write elsewhere,” I said. I gathered up my things to leave.
“Aren’t you distracted if you aren’t at your computer?” Her curiosity was genuine. I set down my computer bag and thought about my answer.
“Well, when I’m out, I’m not so distracted by email and Twitter. I don’t get interrupted as much either.” She nodded, listening.
Hmm, I thought. What is the allure of writing away from home? What followed was a conversation in which I learned a lot…about myself.
I share a den with my spouse, who is always on his headset leading a guild (or guild raid) in World of Warcraft. The cat wants attention, Twitter lets me know people are tweeting, and my in box mounts up. I can write here. I often have.
Sometimes I like to get away. There’s more to it than distractions. I think a change of scene is good for the writing. Different sights, scents, and sounds can alter what I put on the page in subtle ways. They can also bring up thoughts or ideas I would not have experienced at home. There’s also the fact that being home means chores… and the tendency to fall asleep if I write in bed or recliner.
Have you thought about writing “elsewhere?” May I suggest selecting a simple writing exercise to experiment with, and trying different locations? Here’s a list of places you could write:
- Cafes, diners
- Diners, coffee shops
- Libraries, bookstores
- Laundromats
- Parks and picnic areas
- Empty conference rooms
- Bus depots, train stations, airports
- Better yet, get ON a bus and ride around
- Motel lobbies
- A church sanctuary
- Your deck or porch
- A friend’s apartment
- In the car while parked in a nice spot
- The bathtub (what, you really haven’t?)
- Outdoor malls (or indoor for that matter)
The goal is to vary your environment to bring out different moods and observations, as well as to remove yourself from routine and interruption.
Where is your favorite place to write away from home?
oh, when we lived in the UK it was Betty’s cafe. those were the days…
now if I do, it’s at the Thursday write-in at Barefoot Coffee.
but the next project is sparked by a poem I wrote out and about, so yeah, it truly has advantages!!!
What a great post! My favorite place to write away from home – I don’t know. I’m a stay at home mom with no car, and my spouse is gone all day with work and school and plays.
So…. maybe when my life changes a bit I will be able to get out and write away from the computer. As for now, in the summer when it’s warm, the park is nice. But then I’m watching children. It’s just a hard time of life to write right now. I write when the kid is asleep, and that means odd hours and at the computer.
Such a great question. Thanks!
@Anna Cafes are so great (I’m a coffeeholic), and I like working in them.
Barefoot Coffee is a great name! Regular group?
@Lady G Yeah, it’s hard when the kids are small. I wrote after they were in bed and during nap times. Later on it was during practices, as long as they felt I wasn’t ignoring them. Nothing worse than “Mom, did you see my goal?” Yes, hon…I..did.”
They grow so fast, though. And provide so much material! It gets easier when they are a bit older, I promise.
[...] You write where? [...]