There are endless lures of anyone to the idea of a coffee shop. There's something about the surroundings of quiet conversations and a good cup of whatever you'd like, maybe a few friends and you can make it a party. Personally, these are the reasons the coffee shop is the must visit place of the writer.
- There aren't quite as many distractions. Sure, there may be that loud idiot in the corner, who just can't seem to lower his voice. If you find yourself at an outdoor cafe, there's bound to be an owner who doesn't bother to control their yippy, growly, height-challenged chihuahua. But look at it this way, at least that talkative bobblehead doesn't talk to you, so he doesn't require any replies, and that chihuahua isn't yours, and probably can't trod his way over your bladder. There aren't any dishes glaring at you from their place in the sink, and the lure of the TV's recorded laugh track has all but vanished. Most writers have trouble with the concept of focusing on one thing at one time, because they have to get up and get a snack, or spray the dog, or tidy up the room. At a coffee shop, you'll get a couple of odd looks if you're constantly up and about.
- It's likely that you can find inspiration in others around you. At home, there's the same old people doing pretty much the same thing. In a cafe, people are constantly going to and fro, coming and going. Can't figure out how this new character might talk? Listen to the others around you, and you'll get a pretty good idea of how to put in subtle differences between your character's dialogue. No one wants to read a book of nothing but you interacting with you. And if everyone talks, thinks, and shouts the same way, that's what it will sound like.
- A new location is a mindset trigger. For many people, location is a big factor of how they think. High school, college, your job, or anywhere that there are things that need to be done, rather than hobbies, tells the mind that it's time to get to work. And realistically, it's easier, for me at least, to think of my writing as a job. Sure, I haven't published anything yet, I haven't even finished anything, but the time I spend writing is like my school work, an investment in that job I'm eventually going for. And in that case, the cafe is my 'office'.
- There are a lot of interesting conversations going on around you. Whether you're a social butterfly, or a closet case shut in, you have to have a working knowledge of human interaction to be able to document it. I don't care if you're writing cats, aliens, or butterflies. We are humans, and when we pick up a book, we want to be able to relate and understand the characters. Books dealing with aliens are based ultimately on the human, and we expect that. For example, if you're going for an out of this world character, you will most likely have him act outside of social conduct. You're not going to design this species' entire 'normal' before you have it interact with the humans. You want it to seem odd, so you put it in the average human's concept of 'strange'.
- A popular cafe could be a good place to build relationships. Granted, for the most part, the patrons of a coffee shop don't interact as an unspoken rule. But every once in a while, you make a passing comment and find yourself in a conversation. My own personal favorite cafe is a proud supporter of artists, and lets locals display their paintings on the walls. Occasionally, one of them even sells. I've met several of these artists, and have learned more about painting, sketching, and the arts in general than I have from any class.
Remember, take my opinion with a grain of salt. A cafe may not be the best choice for you, but you won't know until you try it!
