6: What’s with the Coffee Shop Writing?

Shut Up and Write is a writing non-profit with chapters all around the world. It was a big reason I picked up my personal writing hobby two years ago. After becoming disgruntled by a situation in one local chapter, I began my own writing session on Sunday mornings at a local Starbucks in my home county a year and a half ago. It has a very large table and free refills. I sat alone for the first month, but now we are hitting 12 people showing up each week. We’ve maxed out the table. We’ve also been able to add two more weekly sessions, one in the sports pub of a fancy bowling alley. I use the term fancy because it’s unlike most bowling alleys. I never knew they could be swanky, but this one is.

I’m a coffee-holic, and for me writing seems to go hand-in-hand. If you’re a part of my Instagram family, you’ve no doubt seen my collection of coffee shop stickers plastered on my Chromebook (Yes, I prefer Google’s system—sue me. I also press the space button twice after a sentence. I’m old). I love coffee, and it apparently loves me back since it drains my bank account.

I’ve noticed most of the Shut Up and Write participants use earbuds while writing. I can’t. My brain is too distracted by the music; however, the background noise of a coffee shop is like Adderall to me. My writing just jives with java houses. I’ve tried writing at home, but the distractions in a quiet house are too severe. What distractions? Laundry, dishes, phone, but mainly my own mind. I enjoy the proximity of people. I can’t help it. You’d enjoy it too if your 40+ hour job was inundated by 25 people in a 500 square foot room.

Maybe someday I’ll create a space in my house where I’ll write for hours, but I’m not there yet. I need money first. I need gumption second. I need a De’Longhi third.