I'm curious about where everyone chooses to sit down and pen their masterpieces. I write in lots of places, but my favourite place to write is in the garden. It's terraced, so I get to look out over a fabulous view. I'd love to have a garden office up there some day.
Sometimes in the bedroom with the laptop sitting on a board across my legs as I sit on the bed. Or in the dining room, at the table. Occasionally I will remain at work and do a little typing/word processing there. Sometimes on longer trip, I will hand write in a notebook while my wife drives. For me, once I begin writing, it doesn't really matter where I am as long as I am physically comfortable where I am sitting and the laptop or computer is placed.
For the time being, I write sitting on the sofa with my laptop. Writing in the garden is a great idea. Weather permitting, of course
Someone just built me an awesome new writer's desk. It's really cool. The wood is refurbished, but it has a super modern look and some steel. I could probably write anywhere, but I do love sitting down at a desk that was built for and given to me as encouragement to write that novel.
Pancake house. Nothing like flirting with my cute waitress, drinking Iced-tea, and jamming away on my laptop while eating eggs and bacon. -OJB
Usually in bed with the laptop. I associate the desk with work-work, so it's hard for me to get into the zone there.
Actually, I am curious, do most of you write in the quiet? I prefer a massive amount of background noise (like idle chatter from a restaurant) when I write; I find it very to difficult to write when I am home with nothing but peace and quiet.
I'm with you, Seren. I need quiet. I occasionally give in to the urge to put on some theme noise from this site: Ambient Mixer. But only if I'm feeling uninspired.
Good question, Seren. I can write anywhere although my preference is on the beach, floating on water or like you, in the garden. I don't mind natural background noise such as waves and birds twittering but I do find TV and music distracting. What about you? ETA. I see you have already answered that question while I was replying to your original comment
I can't imagine writing on water without ruining my notes/laptop. Unless I was on a big boat that I had nothing to do with.
I float on a lilo and use an old notepad and biro. I've not fallen in yet, but there is always a first time.
Music, movies, nuclear war, whatevs... I can't write when it is quiet, as I sit on my couch. USB key board attached to the old laptop, so I don't have to cook my thighs and junk. Frankensteined 10 in Ibanez guitar amp for a computer speaker. Laptop sits on a plywood trunk, that doubles as a coffee table. I face the rest of the house, at a 45ish degree angle from the south west corner of the living room. Wish I had a receiver so I could use my old mans 201s and 301s (Bose) speakers and really rumble the place. (The speakers may be old, but they still kick out some powerful sound.)
Pretty much just in my small personal space since I don't have a laptop, hate writing on laptops, and love my mechanical keyboard.
I don't have the space for a desk, so it's a case of wherever I can. While I have scrivener for my laptop I often to my world building by hand so I usually do that on the bed with a scattering of resources around me. Little scribbles can be almost anywhere, as long as I'm not driving or otherwise on a road.
i write where ever something important strikes, work, home, grocery, whatever- but a lot of times i will sit in my chair with my laptop in my lap (on a pillow) just in case i'm struck with some kind of brilliant breakthrough. and i don't really like to write in peach and quiet either, i prefer music- but not so much tv.
The only place I'll ever write stories is in my house, in my room in that oddly shaped futon. It's quiet, peaceful (sometimes) and everything smells of frankencence and wine. I'll write poetry anywhere though. One time I was on break during externship and walked to the little market that rested at an extreme angle and bought a beer. I sat at the edge of the road (salt one) and drank while I typed away on my google docs app.
I usually sit on my bed, with my laptop on my lap. I usually have some music on, or my tv on in the background. Every once in a while, I'll write something at my desk, on the computer. But that's on very rare occasions. But when I'm ill, and I can't look at a computer screen, I'll grab a notebook and a pencil, and that works for me too. Back when I was in school, I'd always write in a notebook. I'd write when I was waiting for the bus, when I was on the bus, on lunch breaks. So I guess I can write anywhere. But I hate to then have to type it into my computer. It takes far too much time. So that's why I prefer to write on my laptop now.
I'll write just about anywhere, though currently it's the garage. Nice breeze, radio, dogs barking, neighbor kids yelling. I prefer to be outside. Sometimes I sit on the front porch with my laptop and watch the water (I live on a lake) but then the neighbor guy starts in on me, what are you writing, get off the porn, etc. He thinks he's funny. In the winter in my office with music or tv on. I don't really care.
Those are unusual places to write! I imagine that watching the water can help you to organise your writing thoughts. Is that the case?
I write in public. Didn't mean for that to sound like it's a taboo, but I can't write at home because I have ease of access to my gaming computer (and the distractions of my family). So I spend all day at Starbucks writing with pen and paper, then the time in my room is spent reading. I usually put in earbuds and listen to some music; have to be careful about that though, as it can start to influence what I'm writing when I really just want it to help me zone-out and get into a state of flow. Used to write at a hookah lounge but that quickly got bad for my health. Not to mention expensive. Occasionally I'll go to a cigar lounge, or a "Starbucks" inside of a Barnes And Noble. There's also a nice Tim Hortons I can go to that's open inside 24/7.
I don't know that it helps me organize my thoughts, but it's peaceful and calm most days. The beauty of it keeps me grounded when I'm writing ugly things. If that makes sense?
I write my novels in my studio apartment kitchen. I set up a desk in here next to the coffee maker. I'm near my loud fridge. Since I have very acute senses, I use headphones to cancel noise and listen to my Classical music quietly.
