In Time Out's books section, they have a weekly 'How I Write' feature, which is usually pretty interesting (unfortunately they don't seem to put it on their website).

This week's one is Will Ashon, who says he wrote his first novel on the underground (first draft) travelling to work in rush hour. Once he got a decent enough advance for his second novel to go part-time, he found he couldn't write at home, so now he always sits on tube trains to get first drafts down.

I can identify with that as I've often felt quite productive writing on trains. It's actually made me consider doing a similar thing! I think it's something to do with the sense of momentum, the not being so relaxed you want to be lazy and not write and obviously not having the distractions of home. I read better on trains too.

Anyone else have any thoughts/experiences to do with this?

Cath

A friend of mine (crime fiction author) wrote his first novel commuting an hour and quarter each way to his job in London. When he got the book deal he was able to ditch the job, and the commuting - and dedicated that frist book to Network South East!

Rosy

Sounds like a great idea. I'm interested in what you say about that relaxed but alert state when tube travelling. It sounds like an optimal frame of mind in which to write.
I once wrote a story on a bus and it had a distinctive rhythm to it, which I'm sure was due to the motion of travelling.
Will you let us know how it goes?

I also think that the casual stimulation you get from being in a public place can help with inspiration. At home it's you and four walls, depending on your circumstances and how cloistered you make yourself. If you're on a tube train, or in a cafe or a library, things are happening around you and people are changing, which I quite like.

I don't mean it will affect your storyline - it just provides a backdrop of stimulation which could add colour to your writing.

I've known some lovely libraries where I could have written (though at the time was studying), but our local library is horrid and I couldn't write there.

Deb

I always fell asleep on the tube, so doubt it would have worked for me.
Tried the library once, but kept getting distracted by interesting titles. Ended up with a large pile of books ontop of my notebook.
Tried the coffee shop in Waterstones once. ditto but with cakes.
I think it's best if I stick with my blank wall.


- NaomiM

There’s something Pavlovian about it, though, isn't there? For years I had no room for a desk so I wrote sitting on the sofa with a laptop. Now I have a desk and a PC, but I’m still far more productive on the sofa with my laptop.

Dee

Yes, I'm a four-blank-walls person when it comes to getting the first draft down, though I sometimes do quite good thinking in coffee shops. I find anything else going on too distracting, but then, I've never tried to do it consistently. I'm sure I'd get used to it: when I first moved my study from the back to the front of the house I thought the really very few cars and so on coming down this road would drive me nuts, but now I hardly notice if I'm deep in something.

Emma

Coffee shops, coffee shops - but only ones with no music and where I can't understand the conversations (cos they're in a forgein language). Gives me a great feeling of cosiness but also apartness, which is perfect for writing. there's a lovely tiny portugese one just down the road which I find very useful, and a trendy Italian bookshop/cafe which i can go to after that, and of course my beloved Exki chain (bit like Pret a Manger with good coffee).

where I can't understand the conversations

That's my other reason for not writing except at home - I'm too busy eavesdropping.

My sister and I went to see 3 Sisters on Hope Street last night (highly, highly recommended, by the way - Chekov translated to Jewish 1947 Liverpool) and barely spoke over the post-show pizza - the conversations round us were so Chekovian.

Emma

feeling of cosiness but also apartness

Yes, that's it exactly! That's what I like.

Deb