Writing in Public Places

I usually need to be alone, in a quiet place when working on a writing project; however, there are times when it is best for me to work in public places.

Example: I just returned from a two week vacation to the East Coast. While the primary objectives of the trip were to enjoy a different part of the country, spend time with friends, and relax, it was also a rich opportunity to gather information for future writing projects while in public places. Teachers of writing might encourage their students to make use of such opportunities. One does not need to go on vacation. Writing ideas may be collected in a classroom, at a shopping mall, in a restaurant or park, at a family dinner, etc. Personal writing assignments while in public places could include the following:

Characters—Through observation, build descriptions of physical characteristics and mannerisms of individuals. What are the jobs or interests of your characters? Who are their friends and family members? If you don’t know, can you imagine them?

Interactions between individuals or groups—Occasionally I find myself in an unpleasant situation or I am forced to watch an unpleasant interaction between others. Rather that let this upset me, I turn an imaginary switch in my mind and say to myself, “This is fodder for my novel.” One can use such experiences to take mental notes about body language, emotions expressed and felt, effects on others, etc. Once in a private place, the budding writer can record his observations.

Settings—Detailing a specific setting may provide future information for one’s writing, especially if attention is paid to all the senses.

It helps to have some type of organizational system to collect one’s thoughts. Possible systems might include a series of simple file folders, a notebook with dividers, or folders on a computer word processing program. I have a combination of several systems and have still not discovered the one that I think works best, but I keep trying. I do collect my ideas and descriptions and file them, often having no specific project in mind where I will use them. They are there for me to draw upon in the future when I need inspiration. They definitely stave off any problems with writer’s block.