Anyone ever really struggled to concentrate at home?
Like everybody seems out to disturb you? whether it's the bin men, the neighbours or just your psycho brother trying to jump through the floor boards?
well that was me the other day, so I grabbed my laptop and went on a wander, ending up in starbucks I thought wow this really does make me feel like a writer... sitting with a coffee... well cup of tea, with my laptop writing...
except i couldn't write... either the servers were making too much noise with those goddamnned blenders or I just felt like a pretencious prick...
so yea failure.
Where would you all recommend? other than the library ofc... the local librarian scares me :|

Just saying that I've moved this because I thought it would be more appropriate in the Q&A area.

Take a little trip to the countryside. There are plenty of places in the wilderness to find solitude and quiet. The only sounds you will hear are the sounds of nature which are louder in some places than others. Find a quieter one and concentrate there. However, that is more of an option if you're using pen and paper. You could take a laptop if it has decent battery life. I know mine is several hours, though I have never truly tested it to the point where it's so close that it must be shut down or plugged back in.

1) Find a friend with a quiet room
or
2) Soundproof your bedroom
or
3) Kill (or at least maim) anyone who disturbs you
or
4) both 2 & 3


Kit

Hi, excuse!

This is a very similar discussion to what's your ideal writing environment. It definitely sounds like you need peace and quiet to write.

What are your reasonable options? If home and the library are out, what about a park (though that's very seasonal)? Alternatively, have you considered investing in a pair of ear muffs or ear plugs? It sounds like noise is your problem at home, so rather than eliminating the noise, find a way to make sure you don't hear it

Virginia Woolf said what you need is "A room of one's own and 500 pounds a year".

That figure would have to be increased considerably for inflation.

I would try writing with pencil and paper instead of with your laptop if you need to escape to quiet places to write. I personally cannot stand complete quiet, it's far more distracting than noise.

Tim suggested the country side, but eh, I would never stray too far from home alone into seclusion to write.. I'm too chicken for stuff like that, but when things get too loud or something at home and you own a large private property then picking a nice spot on that would be fine.

For me, I get some of my best work done when I'm at Starbucks because of the noise, though I sometimes get into the mood where I need some form of seclusion. When that happens I throw some ambient music on and just type away.

Also never force yourself to write because that can be the biggest distraction IMO. I know taht when I force myself to write, I can't because it comes out choppy and not all together there.

But the best thing would be to just hop outside or somewhere you think would be good for you.

Many older university libraries have small rooms with nothing but a desk and a chair for students working on papers and preparing for exams (or looking for a quiet, cool place to make out ).

At my old school, you could reserve one of these "studies" for a week at a time.

LOL i like the sound of number 3...

besides if it doesnt go too well i guess the solitude of a prison cell would give me enough "quiet time" to concentrate.

Ok so i messed up there

I'm the same, especially with a laptop... i mean id either get lost or be mugged... not entirely inspirational incidents lol



Totally agree, my proof reader is also one of my best mates... he tries to push me into writing so i can update faster... not so much of a good idea, always mess the plots up. theres a local park with an old willow tree, itd be a really nice area... if it stopped raining...



OOH i might go have a look around my uni library... shame its an hour away, but if i went in early i could spend all day there.

Cheers for all your advice guys

That's *almost* the situation I'm in now -- I have a room of my own, here in Germany; and I'm paid for an internship that actually doesn't take all of my time. I'm still not producing masterpieces of literature, and I'm chalking that up to the fact that, er, well... I'm not Virginia Woolf.

Have you tried earplugs, excuse? I find that I don't mind noise so much as I mind people: I get paranoid and keep thinking they're staring over my shoulder, condemning me for writing instead of doing Useful and Important Things.

Maybe what you are missing are the voices she heard in her head.

He can have mine for a while. They get so bad sometimes I can hardly hear myself plotting world domination and the downfall of my enemies.

Glad to know i'm not the only one

But to get back on topic, I also found another spot is my backyard. I auctually cleaned it up and made myself a spot where I type away Though you would have to rely on the weather, I love it.

Given as how I'm not likely to wander off to a park or the nearest Starbuck's, I usually take frequent naps during the day so I can stay up later to let the muse out.

Sometimes even that isn't possible, however, what with the phone calls and doorbell and fax machine and email and... You get the idea. When that happens I resign myself to the fact that I'll have to try again tomorrow.

I have to have peace and quiet when I write (talk, or read). I can't stand much if any background noise, especially if it's 'verbal' noise (like people talking, a song, television, etc.). It's not as bad if it's nature sounds or even mechanic sounds, but people sounds drive me up the wall if I'm trying to concentrate.

It all depends upon my mood really, although I guess so long as i've got a brew its all good... calm me down i guess... hence why i havent gone on a killing spree

and to think, it's summer in England

Be nice, Matty. I was in Hobart last week, so I know what your weather is currently like. England would still be nicer, even with the rain.

If anything, shut the door, lock it, while making sure you have your drink of choice, pull out the cd/tape/mp3 player (whatever) and ignore the world. It takes time and practice, but very effective. I do it all the time, though, not with the door closed. Room gets to hot to do that.

English summer sucks! especially with the whole looming climate change scare... it's fairly obvious that the weather has changed... but yea it was actually chilly today... i had to put the central heating on :|



again i wish i had the problem of my room getting too hot... lol
It's a good job i just fitted my new room with a mortice lock
bwaha I may actually get something done now.

Here in Vermont where I live, I like to go to the lake for the quiet time.

Yes, It does take practice, but I still get easily distracted with the music (I end up dancing or singing along leaving my laptop/notebook on the bed while I flit around like a humming bird )


Sounds like a nice place to go... I goto Riverside Park in Red Bank if I want a similar experience

I'd love to see that

ditto

Haha, Music can help as well or maybe find a place just to write down notes then type it up.

I tend to carry a little notepad where ever i go... just because i can be forgetful and its useful to jot things down... big mistake trying to write ideas for a story down on a weekend trip to amsterdam... half of the stuff didnt make sense... and the rest was aloada drivvle about how hungry i was.

Many scientists suggest that with "Global Warming" will come changes in ocean currents so that the net effect would be for Britain to be colder as the planet as a whole warms up.