Where do Authors Write?

[A.J.]

Coffee shop? Train station? Shed?
The Right place to Write – authors tell all!

Latest Blog post:
http://awaines.blogspot.com/2014/05/t...

A J Waines: author of Girl on a Train and The Evil Beneath: http://www.amzn.to/14M9mSw

Both reached No 1 in 'Murder' and 'Psychological Thrillers' in UK Kindle charts.

[Andrew]

I write either at my kitchen table, or in the pub. Mostly the pub for first drafts, mostly the kitchen table thereafter.

At present I'm doing a time-consuming but fairly straightforward translation, so I'm also tapping out 750 words a day during my lunch hour.

[Kathy]

I write in my studio (where all my painting kit is too) but it has too good a view of the garden and it's too easy to get distracted, especially when I have no idea what to write next! Then I take the laptop anywhere that has nothing for me to look at. Blank walls are best...

[E.J.]

On sunny weekends, out in the garden, with the rabbits nosing around under my chair and the big umbrella up to shade my laptop screen from glare (and my skin from the UV).

The rest of the time, at my desk in the dining room or on the couch in the lounge, laptop on lapdesk, headphones in to cut down distracting noise.

I would dearly love to write in the pub or in coffee shops, but they're just too noisy and distracting. I spend all my time people-watching and drinking coffee!

[Robert]

Andrew wrote: "I write either at my kitchen table, or in the pub. Mostly the pub for first drafts, mostly the kitchen table thereafter.

At present I'm doing a time-consuming but fairly straightforward translatio..."
PUB!!! Maybe there is a novel in me!!

[Scott]

In a note book. Its mobile so I can move with or away from my nosy cat, crazy Spanish dog and one tiny happy Dachshund.

[Adriano]

I tend to write in bed, but not necessarily, sometimes in parks, sometimes even in night clubs... Always with my fountain pen on paper.

[A.J.]

Great comments! Don't know how anyone can write in a Pub!!

[Simon]

I love to write on trains and planes on my moleskine notepad that goes everywhere with me.

[Esther]

You would think it would be so distracting to write with pen and paper, sitting on the sofa in the middle of our family sitting-room but that is where I get the most inspiration.
Also my brain churns while I walk so I'm often scribbling things down as I perch on park benches, bus stops or even the side of the road.
Once I am in front of my computer with a clean page of Word my mind goes blank so my laptop is only for second drafts and editing.

[Ian]

I do 95% of my actual writing at my local Starbucks! I even included the following note on my dedications page inside my debut novel:

"Finally, this page wouldn’t be complete without saying a big thank you to the staff at Starbucks in Walsall. They always asked how I was getting on, kept a smile on my face when I came in to write, and most importantly, ensured that my decaf venti mochas kept on flowing!"

I can do the promotional side of my work at home, but my creativity goes into hiding when I'm at home. It's loud in a cafe, but none of it has anything to do with me and I am able to block it out and write.

[Tim]

In this weather... somewhere with air conditioning!

The only cafe local enough for me to write in is Boswells, and they shut at the ridiculously early hour of 5pm. So there's not much hope really - I need somewhere to stay open until at least 8 or 9pm to give me a good crack at something.

[Andrew]

A.J. wrote: "Great comments! Don't know how anyone can write in a Pub!!"

What can I say? It took a lot of practice, but I got the hang of it in the end ;)

I've written as much as 3,500 words in a single pub evening. Most of the handwriting was pretty atrocious for the last 500 words or so though...

[Tim]

Guess what... the waitresses are hovering with the keys in their hands and I'm about to be kicked out. Early bath I think (out for dinner tonight :))

[L.L.]

Sitting on my front room couch, with pen and paper. Occasionally I'll do a first draft in word, if I'm travelling and don't have my notebook, but longhand has always worked best for me.

[Sue]

I write at my computer, looking out my window at the little lake behind the house, with my cat sprawled across the desk. Very relaxed.

[Carol]

It is interesting that so many people seem to write with pen and paper, rather than straight onto a computer.
I can only be creative with pen and paper, and I think it might be connected with the speed you write at. I can write far quicker, long hand, than on a computer, and therefore that is the best way to be creative.

[Tim]

I make notes with pen and paper, and mark up corrections on a printout (I stand and read aloud from a lectern - amazing how many more errors you find that way!)

But actual writing? 100% keyboard. Why? Well my handwriting would put a doctor to shame!

[Carol]

As long as you can read what you scribble, then it's OK.