Coffee Shop Writers
Love coffee. Love to write. Ya think I’d be into the whole “write in a coffee shop” trend. But I can’t do it. I mean, I like the idea. A lot. Especially on days like today when I’m going a wee bit stir crazy in my – shhhh – very quiet home office.
Earlier, I began thinking about all the artists I see inside Murky Coffee and Marvelous Market who appear to be pounding out their masterpieces. I hopped up from my desk, inspired. I filled my backpack and headed on over to the café attached to Politics and Prose.
Once settled, I whipped out my laptop and pulled up a Word document. There. Ready to go. But wait . . . I was hungry. And the table was just a tiny bit too small for a turkey sandwich and a cup of joe and my laptop and my books and my papers. After lunch I had to pee. Yikes. I was anxious about leaving my stuff. So I packed it all up and peed fast, only to rush back into the café and see that I’d lost my spot next to the outlet. But mostly I couldn’t concentrate. Too many dishes clattering and kids screeching and a conversation about crystal meth (no joke) from way over in a far corner of the room that was louder than everything else. So here I am back in my home office.
posted by Jenny at 6:01 PM
12 Comments:
Ugh - I can sympathize. You need to find a quiet neighborhood place with wireless, larger tables, and an outlet. It's hard to concentrate, but I do love people watching and sometimes it gives me great ideas.
8:20 PM
OK, you really need to find a better coffee shop (or tea shop!). Trust me, it can be worth it! Yeah, what Kari said about finding bigger tables and less noise. I don't recall where you live, but I mostly feel safe in leaving my stuff/laptop when I go to the bathroom, or you can ask someone next to you to keep an eye on it.
Personally, I find there to be less distractions out than at home where I can suddenly feel the need to wash dishes or read mail or do something, anything, else.
I hope you'll give this idea another chance. Good luck!
2:02 AM
Next time I'll have to bring headphones with me and see if that helps.
7:05 AM
I'm with you -- love the idea, but the reality doesn't work for me either.
When I get stir crazy, I take my laptop outside. But then I have a beautiful, open outside to go to.
7:17 AM
I can't do it either - it's too much fun to people watch, and I spend entirely too much time wondering what the other people watchers are thinking about me. When I'm drafting (done in longhand on hardcopy), I enjoy writing outside. Of course, I have to have a blanket in case I get cold, something to sit on and snack on, bug spray, sunscreen, etc. :) Maybe I ought to stay in my office, too...
~Amalia~
8:35 AM
All last year I did my writing (2 1/2 hours a day) in a study room at the public library close to Seth's school. His school was on the other side of town and it didn't make sense to drive back home.
It worked great.
No distractions.
Hey, how bout we meet at the coffee house AFTER we write?
10:16 AM
That's all just beautiful white nosie to me, and I just go into a zone, and nobody is there buy my laptop.
You need a coffee shop with a chair -- not a table. I had the pee problem too -- that's a tough one -- because you do loose your spot. I waited too long to go, and almost didn't make it!
8:37 PM
It's funny...with me, I can "tune-out" white noise easily. TV, radio on? I can still do some reading or typing. Kids screaming? No.
I think if I go to a diner or cafe by myself, I would be able to tune out the noise.
This is the ironic part: It's only when I am with someone that's the problem. I want to hear what my husband or friend is saying. But all I hear is the noise...other voices...the music...just not the person in front of me. Aaarrghh. I can't win.
Okay, back to you...Don't you hate that when you gotta answer the call of nature and then your spot's taken because it's empty. Too bad you couldn't say something to a waitress that you need the table saved because you are only going to the bathroom. (Of course, it was probably the kind of place where you seat yourself.)
12:13 AM
I used to love Politics & Prose when I lived nearby...but I can't imagine getting any work done there. The lure of other people's books (you know, the ones that are already written) is just too great.
And I too have never figured out how to negotiate the whole "I have to go to the bathroom but it would be stupid to leave my laptop sitting here" dilemma. It's just easier to work from home, even when things are quiet!
7:19 AM
I fantasize about going to a coffeeshop to write- but I can't figure out whot takes care of the kids while I'm there.
11:01 PM
Ear plugs work well. Some coffee shops definitely work better than others. Crystal meth? Ummm, NO! NEXT!
11:37 PM
When I edit (which does involve less paraphernalia), the distractions of home tend to be worse for me than the din of coffee shops. I've gotten used to that wall of sound over the years.
Although in NYC I often have to go to three of them before I find a single available seat in the chaos.
3:56 PM
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