As a writer, setting is everything when writing. It’s so important to feel inspired and comfortable in the place where you write.
Part of me thinks that I’ve been kind of lacking this space in the recent years. Perhaps it’s what prevented me from working on my novel as often.
My Favorite Little Coffee Shop
Back in 2013 when I was focusing on my novel pretty heavily, I had this little coffee shop in the town I lived in. At the time, I lived within walking distance to it. I would go once a week on a day off, order a coffee & a sandwich, and post up in the coffee shop. I would just write. I sometimes worked the blog I had at the time, but mostly I worked on one of my novels. I literally spent 3-4 hours there just writing.
This was the perfect place for me. I loved the atmosphere of this small town coffee shop. It wasn’t crammed and there were plenty of places to sit. But, it wasn’t huge. It still had the quietness to it. The shop even ground their own coffee beans right there. Let me tell you, that was an incredible aroma for writing. It was right on the downtown strip too. That offered some great people watching. It was the quintessential writers spot.
A Good Porch
The apartment I moved into after breaking up with my boyfriend of 4 years had a beautiful little balcony. For me, there’s something just so perfect about writing outside with a relaxing view.
Okay, it doesn’t necessarily have to be “relaxing.” At this apartment in particular, it faced a fairly busy road. But still, it was cozy and a great spot to sit down and write. It overlooked a field, too. Not a bad view!
When I moved down to Tennessee, I had a little patio that I wrote at on occasion. I would sometimes even write there in my living room. There was a glass door with a full glass window next to it. It let in tons of light and gave me a great view of the outside. Again, my view faced the trees. So, I would sometimes write near it.
My Bedroom
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my bedroom at my parents’ house. I say that because that’s where my journey to writing really began. It’s where many of my stories first transpired.
Somewhat similar to my TN apartment, I had two windows in the front of my room. I was on the second floor and would allow the light to spill in and just look outside. (Maybe there’s a trend here, but my view was the woods).
I sat on my bed and poured over my computer for hours. I’d stay up late at night and just write, or plan out stories.
Where To Write Now?
I think out of all of those places, my favorite was the coffee shop. I think writing there gave me less distractions. At home, I could be easily distracted by anything. Should I be cleaning? Maybe I can take a break to watch TV? Am I hungry, maybe I’ll eat something?
At the coffee shop, it was just me and my stories. Sure, I could get distracted by the internet. But, there just seemed to be more pressure to work solely on my stories. It was like working at an office. This was my spot for work.
Unfortunately, I have yet to find a new coffee shop that matches the same atmosphere and inspiration as that one.
Where I live in TN now, there are very few local places. It’s the land of chain restaurants. In the downtown area of the nearby city, I’m sure there are some. But it’s not exactly convenient for me to get to.
In all honesty, I’ve thought about finding a local Starbucks to write at. Some of them, as you might know, are a bit small. That makes them kind of uncomfortable to post up at for hours on end. I want to find one close by that is spacious enough to make me feel comfortable.
I know, I know, it’s so cliché of me to be a writer in Starbucks. Whatever, I’ll be cliché for the sake of my writing!
My Dream Writing Spot
If I could create a dream writing spot, it would obviously be in my own home. I would love to have an office that’s just flooded with natural light that offers a view like the mountains or a lake. I would have my desk facing a window (a la Carrie Bradshaw style). I’d want a sleek, girly desk and have it adorned adorable little trinkets. I’d have a candle burning nearby.
One day, I’ll create this space. For now, I’ll write wherever I can draw inspiration.
