It's All About The Vibes.

This week I'm experimenting with different writing environments, and how they effect my productivity. Why? Because I need to get out the house more. Finding somewhere to write can be almost as difficult as the actual writing. Sometimes you want to be around people but you don't want to spend any money, and sometimes you need to lock yourself in a room with nothing but a laptop and sheer determination. But if you need a change of scene, here are some options for you to try.

The Library

I am currently writing this blog post from the quiet study section of my local library. It's a very cool place, stunning architecture, lot's of people around with their heads buried in work. The best thing about it is that I feel like I did when I was a student, and I've managed to write 500+ words this afternoon. The library itself is in the centre of the city so I've walked around before I've come here, browsed some shops, had a coffee in a place I've not been to yet, and we're going to get food once we're done.

Pro's:

• It's a free place to go and spend time in. This is the beautiful thing about libraries, they are one of the few Third Spaces we have left that are free to use and spend time in. I don't even need to pay to get here if I don't want to, I can walk quite easily, or get the bus into town for a couple quid.

• Free body doubling from the amount of people who are working while you work. This was something I really missed once I left university. When I'm at home, my partner and I work in separate rooms as he is often in Teams meetings or dealing with sensitive data. Body doubling is incredibly useful to everyone, but especially when you have ADHD (like I do). It's helped me to concentrate, and also helped me produce better work than I do on my own at home.

• It's quiet enough for me to concentrate, and though the room is full (I'm pretty sure every desk is currently occupied), I can completely concentrate. No distractions, which is even better than when I'm at home (No cats wanting attention, no conversations from people walking past the window, no music from next door shaking the walls).

Cons:

• The phone signal isn't very good in here, likely because it's an old building. There is a wifi option but I have a lot of sensitive data on my laptop which I don't want to be hacked so I tend to try to stay away from public wifi (this is barely a con I'll be honest, but I'm trying to be fair).

• If I want to go for a comfort break I have to take everything with me and risk losing my desk space - I don't know if I was being too trusting at uni, but I used to leave my stuff at the desk in the library while I went for lunch breaks, sometimes leaving for about 45 minutes.

• Not all libraries have these study spaces. Some of them don't even have a quiet section. The one in the village where I used to live had books on one side of the room and The Job Centre on the other, which involved a lot of talking and not a lot space for quiet study. Having said this, however, I am a firm believer in having everyone get a library card and borrowing the occasional book. Libraries are such a vitally important service for a lot of people, and we need to make sure they don't disappear.

A Coffee Shop

I love being in coffee shops. I like coming and reading my book, I like coffee and pastries, I like having a conversation with the baristas. It's so well used by writers that it has become a joke in sitcoms and movies, the bespectacled hipster struggling with their art while quirky indie music plays in the background.

Pro's:

• It's a loneliness killer. Being surrounded by people talking makes you feel like you're part of the community, and you have to speak to someone when you order and/or receive the order. It's also a nice way to get chatting to people if both parties are that way inclined (which I am).

• It's a great place to find inspiration, by picking up random conversations or people watching, you'll often find something about someone that inspires you.

• They're especially good places to work if you struggle to concentrate for a long time. I usually set myself a task that can be done in an hour (or other similar timeframe), and do that task while I'm there. It's a way to create a deadline that doesn't have any real meaning, but is enough to motivate you to do what you need to do and then go. It's perfect for me and my ADHD.

Cons:

• It can be expensive, especially if you get coffee and cake or a sandwich etc. You can't not buy anything, and what you buy has to warrant the amount of time you want to spend there, eg, I allow half an hour for coffee, maybe an hour for coffee and cake.

• It can be loud, especially on weekends or with kids there. You can't dictate other peoples volumes, that would be insane, but it's not the place to go if you need peace and quiet to concentrate.

• Don't outstay your welcome, it gives us a bad name and steals their business opportunities. I've seen a bunch of places recently that have signs with a time limit on the tables for people who are working, and rightly so in my opinion.

Writing Groups/Clubs

It's the very definition of body doubling. Meeting up to write with other writers. Sometimes you're working on your own projects, sometimes you can be chatting about what you've done since your last meeting and what your goals are for the following week, and sometimes you can be engaging in tasks to help you develop your craft. I have a group who meet one evening a week to talk about our projects and progress, then we have a discord channel where we can drop in and do a timed writing session together, and I really value the input from my fellow writers in the group.

Pro's:

• It keeps you accountable, even when they are your friends and they are completely non-judgemental, just having a group of people who are in the same boat as you is enough encouragement to get even a little something on the page.

• You can also get feedback on your work from other perspectives. This is extra helpful when you get to the stage of your writing-group-relationship where you can take their criticism on board without feeling personally attacked.

• You have a team of cheerleaders and you get to be theirs. Your successes are their successes and vice versa. It's just all round good vibes.

Cons:

• It can take a while to find/create the right group for you. I've had times in the past where I've joined groups where I didn't fit their vibe, I didn't quite suit the dynamic. It's totally okay to have this happen and gently decline further invitations, as long as you aren't mean about it.

• Sometimes you find the right group, but it can be difficult to arrange the right time/place etc. My group are currently strewn about the UK, so we meet online. It suits us well, but I do miss being in their company in person. Before I left Cornwall I was part of a group that met once a month and we'd do a pot luck and drink wine - I miss that.

• It's very rarely going to be an all day every day type of meeting. Sure, there will be times when that is possible, like when you're a student, but life and jobs and responsibilities get in the way. Also most writers work full time jobs, even if they're successful. Even if they are published and have their books in Waterstones and everything. You're not likely to get that vibe from your writing group which is found in an office.

Home

Working from home has to be one of the only good things to come out of 2020. For so many reasons it benefits so many different lifestyles and needs of those in the working world. Dorothy got it right when she clicked her heels and declared "There's no place like home."

Pro's:

• You can do whatever you want whenever you want. I really struggle to sit still, and I like to get up and walk around about every half an hour. While I'm writing at home I can do household chores when I need a couple of minutes to contemplate. If I had kids, I am able to leave all my tech where it is to pick them up from school or nursery. I don't have to get dressed if I don't want.

• You're not dictated by time constraints, like having to make sure you spend enough to warrant keeping the table for another 30 minutes, or having to clear out soon because the building is about to close. Last night I was writing until about midnight, while in bed. It is excellent.

• Your favourite creatures are there when you want to pester them, and you can have alone time when you need to concentrate. I have two cats that keep me company, and a boyfriend who works from home. I can also go for a walk in the green space by our house and hang out with some goats for a little bit. And we all know how much I love goats.

Con's:

• It can be lonely, especially if you live alone. When I was living by myself I was always out doing stuff and being sociable because I'm an extrovert, so being alone for too long drives me a bit nuts. This left me very little time for writing. But even an introvert needs some social interaction occasionally, to avoid being lonely.

• Not everyone has space/the means to have a desk just for their writing. I know I'm in a privileged position to be living in a house that allows my partner and I to have our own home office space away from the bedroom and living area. Writing in bed or on a sofa can be incredibly uncomfortable after a short while too. It can be an ergonomic nightmare.

• Distractions are everywhere. The needs of your family and/or pets can break your work flow, or you can procrastinate too easily by watching tv or getting caught up in housework (especially the never ending laundry).

For me, novelty is the key to productivity. I tend to do a bit of everything on the list and that works well for me. Sometimes a change in your environment can break through your writers block, or help resolve your motivation fatigue.

Wherever you end up writing this week, I hope you have a productive time. Don't tread on the flowers, F x