I go to the library. I like to go to the tobacco lounge, but I never get any work done there.

Local bookish cafe.

park! café! Subway-train on a long ride!

I used to go to church when I needed the quiet around me when the city got too noisy (new York city, Swedish Church). I never got much writing done but the quet gave me some thinking time which is also needed. The scandinavian sailors churches are sortof like libraries that server coffee and newspapers from home, not like a big empty hall with some dad dude in the front. You need a place like that.

(not religious this is more like a library than anything. And this one used to serve great waffles on tuesdays...)

I tried my local library 2 years ago when I was job searching and was getting sucked in by the TV at home, but there was too much activity in my local library (read as: get off my library's lawn, you damn kids). Then I discovered the law library - not one [expletive deleted] kid in sight or within ear shot.

Soma Cafe, up the street.

Insane!

Deep in the stacks of a college library.

Personally, I can't stand libraries. I joined a writers' space in Manhattan and left because it was too much like a library. You could hear every scratchy pen stroke, every time a person leaned back in his chair, every turn of the page or step on the floorboards. It drove me nuts.

So I started going to cafes, and I have a particular favorite secret hideaway. It's a French cafe with good music (but not too loud) and plenty of people (who are also not too loud). Provides just enough background noise that I can ignore it all, order coffee and a peanut butter/honey/banana sandwich, and type away.

I have been known to put on a nice dress and park myself in a hotel lobby. I don't know why. Nobody really stops you from hanging out there all day in the a/c. People are too concerned with their own travel plans, and staff assume you're waiting for some reason. Why does it work? I think I associate it from a very productive enforced cruise with my parents when I was under several deadlines. I had no choice, so while at sea, I sat around in hotel type settings and wrote a way. I can't do cafes and such. It's too close to my normal life. Mind you I only do this when I am quite stuck.

My boyfriend goes to Denny's. Open 24 hours, non-ceasing stream of coffee refills.

I find SOME forms of public trans conducive to writing.

1. prescribed amphetamines
2. foam 29db earplugs
3. energy bars
4. laptop--no wifi
5. Shooter ear protection over foam plugs
6. sleep the night before
7. basement or quiet corner or study room of a library
8. reread "work habits of productive scholarly writers" by Boyce (email me if you want a copy)

Thanks, guys. Yeah, I think I need to find myself a couple of cafes. One near to my work and one near to my home. Libraries don't work for me, either.