Writers can, technically, write anywhere. As long as we have a notebook, computer, or just a napkin, we can punch out some lines. But, most likely we writers have a habit. We like to choose a place to write because that’s where we’re comfortable or that’s where we can get the most work done.

Many writers like cafes. Famous writers like TS Elliot, Franz Kafka, Gertrude Stein, and F. Scott Fitzgerald all wrote in cafes and have made it a sort of a nice tradition to follow along with. Psychologists believe that writers flock to cafes because they long to be observed in public. Because writing is an internalized art, we may feel the need to be acknowledged as actually doing work. Besides the tradition and possible psychological draws to coffee shops, they also contain caffeine, a beloved substance of creatives. There is also a time limit. Sometimes as writers we see our days stretched out ahead of us like a void. Going to a café gives us a time limit, either because we can’t sit there for eight hours without ordering anything, or because we need to eventually get home. This subconscious (or very conscious) time limit can usually push writers to get something done more than they would in the comfort of their home. Continue reading →