photo: Tuvie

Writing is mostly a solitary activity. Since writing only requires a writer and a writing instrument, writers spend a fair amount of time alone. Although others can be around as the writing happens, they are not necessary and can even sometimes get in the way.

Being along so often many writers can lose sight of what they are doing and generally feel disconnected from life. Reality is the well from whence their stories spring and being alone too much can make it run dry. This and other social reasons leads many writers to do their writing in public places. Not only can it fulfill their need to be around others, but can also serve as inspiration.

Too many writers haunt cafes and libraries, ignoring many other places even more interesting to frequent. If you are blocked or just need a change of scenery, it might do you good to look for writing places you may have thus far not considered.

Jury Duty Rooms

I recently was on jury duty and realized that I never showed any proof that I even had jury duty and a right to be in the jury assembly room. Even if I was asked to show by jury badges it had no dates on it since duty may last day or a year depending on luck. The jury assembly room is full of new batches of interesting people each day and have desks for people you to write on. Instead of just sitting at the same old coffee hours why not pretend to be a juror for a day and do some writing, too.

Waiting Areas

Waiting rooms are everywhere but we rarely notice them until we are in them. Almost every medical office has one, restaurants of any size have one, and government offices have one. Not only might you gain some ideas from searching for waiting rooms that are suitable to do some writing in, but once you find one it may become a great resource. Many of waiting rooms let you eavesdrop on interesting conversations that can suggest stories without any effort. In doctor's offices you come across people that enter and exit in all states (from drowsy to disfigured) and that could trigger ideas. In most waiting rooms you can clearly hear the receptionist on the phone which might suggest any number of fictional situations.

Court Rooms

Sitting in a court room can give you insight into the mechanisms behind the justice system, but can also give you access to very private moments. Depending on the case you are watching, you might have anything from a lady describing her first-hand rape experience to a man describing the condition of his decrepit house before it was set ablaze by an angry lover. You would not stand out in the least either, as journalists taking notes are a common sight in court rooms. You need not limit yourself to one court room either. Whenever allowed by the judge you can leave and go visit other court rooms. They need not even be major day-time cases, you could attend night court where people fight traffic tickets.

Mall Food Courts

People like to shop and eat. At shopping centers you will get a never-ending stream of different people and no end to the variety. It can be things like the looks and actions of a young couple negotiating over what to order at Panda Express or an argument with a mother and daughter about not dressing slutty in public. Food court have lots of chairs and tables which can facilitate writing, and you would look no different than a store manager looking over some paperwork.

Building Lobbies

Similar to waiting rooms but different in scale, hotel and corporate buildings often have grand and expansive lobbies that cater to professionals. You might get more than your share of stuffy fake people trying to fit in, but every so often security will have to escort a an angry person out of the building. Many people that frequent these lobbies do not maintain a low profile, they laugh out loud and speak up. When one you want to impress you too would want everyone to hear. The seating is often very comfortable, which should help with keeping your butt in a seat to get some writing done.

All good writing communicates new ideas or old ideas in a new way. Sometimes it takes the same kind of novelty to get you in a frame of mind to be able to produce that kind of writing. Do not concentrate on wringing creativity only from what you write, also give some thought to adding some ingenuity to how you write.

Can you think of any interesting public places to write at?