by Steve Horton
Editor’s note: This piece is part of a series titled Writing by Other Means, where authors share personal experiences and industry intel around different production contexts and writing tools.
If you’re anything like me, the four walls of your home are not the ideal place to write prose. It’s too familiar. There are too many chores to do and too many distractions. A house always has something that needs attention, taking you away from the much more important task of puzzling out a scene in your latest, sure-to-be award-winning short story.
For me, the solution is simple: Find your nearest coffee shop establishment and start writing. For some writers, a library or coworking space may be just right, but for my money, a coffee shop can’t be beat. But wait! There are some all-important tips to keep in mind before setting up shop at just any establishment.
- Local coffee beats Starbucks
Your local mom & pop (or small chain) coffee shop may not beat Starbucks on pricing. However, shopping locally puts the dollars back into your community instead of in the coffers of some faceless corporation, especially one widely known for union busting. Besides, local coffee just tastes better.
- Always pay the toll
When you write at your favorite local coffee bean proprietor, be sure to buy something. First thing in the morning, coffee! Caffeine affects everyone differently, but many folks with that creative gene get a burst of focus from it rather than the jitters. If you’re setting up shop later in the day or can’t have caffeine, some decaf or hot tea or hot chocolate fits the bill. Think about getting that Danish. Reward yourself for being creative. Don’t worry about the calories. Calories during writing don’t count.
- Scope out the best seat in the house
Local coffee shops and national chains have something in common: They’ve only got a few comfortable chairs and couches, and the rest are wooden monstrosities. Don’t get stuck with the wooden chair, as the pain will set in long before you’ve solved the crucial ending to your story. Also, consider sitting far away from the ear-splitting conversationalist.
- The music might be terrible
Bad music can be incredibly distracting. I hate to keep picking on Starbucks, but this business is infamous for playing awful music that nobody wants to hear. Some places play your average ’90s or ’80s hits, or even more recent music, depending on their clientele. If you don’t like it, consider bringing earbuds to drown out the awfulness.
- Consider writing by hand
Another recent article here at Planetside extolled the virtues of writing with a pen and a pad of paper. It’s difficult to transport a typewriter into a coffee shop, and the clackety-clack sound will probably distract your coffee mates. They’ve got modern word processor gadgets that make writing easier without distractions. For my money though, nothing beats a good pen and a lined notebook for the direct path from the story to your brain. If you don’t have ink everywhere and a callus on your finger by the end, you’re not writing enough.
If you must write with a laptop, turn off the Wi-Fi and save your work locally, syncing to the cloud when you’re back online. It’s important to remove all distractions, and reloading your email repeatedly counts as a distraction.
- For God’s sake, stay off your phone
Yes, I know coffee shops are excellent places to play Pokémon Go or Balatro. You’re waiting on that all-important email from your literary agent or from that publishing venue you’re really hoping says yes this time. It can wait. Leave it in your pocket and put it on silent. Reward yourself when you’ve made significant progress on your story and you’re done writing for the day.
- Listen and peoplewatch (but don’t stare)
Being in a public place while writing, you can see humanity in its natural element. This is not an effect you can achieve while locked in your office or study. Observe those around you—without staring at them. Listening to that couple on their first date or in the middle of a breakup might help you start a story or crack a problem. Those two best friends laughing with their macchiatos might put you in the right frame of mind to tackle a difficult scene.
- Stay until you make significant progress
It’s important to park yourself in that coffee shop chair, sip your drink and eat your Danish, and get a significant amount of writing done. You are more than capable of writing the rough draft of an entire short story— beginning to end—or writing an entire chapter or two of your novel. The only reason you should have to get up is to use the restroom or stretch, get another drink, or move your car because you parked in a two-hour parking spot and can’t afford to get a ticket.
- Repeat your business
If you have a positive coffee shop experience and made great strides in writing, awesome! Return to that place. It is now your Zen garden. Get to know the staff, and they’ll start treating you like a beloved regular. Remember, many world-famous stories were written in the dark corners of coffee shops.
- Give that place some free advertising!
Once you’ve won the Hugo or Nebula and are giving that great speech, or you’re writing your acknowledgments, be sure to shout out that coffee shop for all it did for you. Your magnum opus may very well not exist without that delicious coffee and environment that the shop provided. It’s priceless.
Editor’s note: Got your own rituals for writing in coffee shops or public spaces? We’d love to hear them. Pitch us your ideas on writing beyond the desk and join the conversation!
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Steve Horton is the New York Times bestselling writer of the graphic novel BOWIE: Stardust, Rayguns, & Moonage Daydreams. He lives near Chicago and has a bunch of other cool projects in the works.