A 7-Eleven branch opened up across the street from the boarding house I live in. It's opened up in a nearly empty building, so it's never crowded--at least, not when I'm there. It's clean, air-conditioned, has glass walls with South-Western exposure, WiFi (but it's not very good), and a sort of light bar table with bar stools up against both windows.

Since the room at my boarding house doesn't have any windows, I've gotten into the habit of sitting there just to get some afternoon sun. I bring my notebook and just scribble out stuff for a couple of hours, maybe munch on something while I'm at it.

I guess this is close to the feeling that gives small cafes such an appeal for writers. Most other branches and convenience stores have this "fast food restaurant" feel that just aren't as conducive to getting me to put a pen to paper and not stop for two hours. Even in the comfort of my own room, writing feels more like hammering something out in a forge. I guess there's more of a flow that can come about for some people, finding a slightly unfamiliar place that's still peaceful.

Have you found a place like this? I didn't think I really needed one, but I'm happy to have found this.

Good for you  Unfortunately, I only write at home or in the school library after my classes. I've tried writing in a coffee shop. It was a nice experience - definitely felt that whole writer thing, but I was too conscious of the people around me. I guess the library is the best place I can do my writing.

I don't think i have ever thought about writing any place except in my own home. there is where I can just relax and let my mind be creative usually.
Sometimes, I get  ideas when I am working out in the yard, or something like that, and then I come inside where I have something to write with and make myself notes so that i don't forget anything important.
I like having it quiet, so I think I could actually get used to writing in a comfortable place like you describe, and maybe a nice hot cup of tea while I wrote.

I think there's nothing better, more southing, more relaxing than writing out in nature. I love to do that especially in the summer time, well only in the summer time because then it's hot and get inspired at that time. When it's cold outside and if the weather is unfriendly, I stay in my apartement and write their. I usually write in bed because it's comfortable and peacefull. Ialso like writing in the garden sometimes.

For the most part, I sit at home to write because this is where inspiration hits me as well.  I can pull out the computer each time I have a good idea and get some work done.  There are times though that I want to get away and will go to my local Tully's shop for a cup of coffee and some quite writing time.  I like the Tully's because there is a fire place and couches there and so it is a nice place to go to during the winter months.

It seems like my writing ideas come to me after I have gone to bed at night, and am lying there in that "Twilight Zone" we find before we drift off to sleep. I guess this is when my subconscious opens up a little more, and ideas often just appear in my mind.
Since I am in the process of falling asleep at that point; I usually don't get back up to write them down. I am not sure if that is a good thing or not. By the next morning, sometimes the inspiration is gone, and what seemed like a wonderful story that just unfolded in my imagination last night, is now just shattered fragments of what it started out as .
I try to get myself back where the story comes easily, and sometimes that works, sometimes not. Then, I either write what I can remember, or wait for it to "resurface" again.

This is going to sound funny, but a lot of my inspiration comes to me when I am at the grocery store.  I am not sure if it is the colors or smells of food that open up my creative senses, but is is the way it happens for me.  I keep a small notebook in my purse so that I can jot down things as they come to me.

I am sure it is different for everyone.  I have a hard time coming up with ideas when I am in front of the computer; I feel under pressure or something like that. I usually stay away from the computer until inspiration strikes and then run to it at full speed.

I don't think I can write or work in a public place. I really love the silence and overall isolation I have in my room and it gives me the edge every time I try to get my creative writing juices flowing. Even if I'm writing some linear straight ahead articles I find it hard to focus when I'm in a public or noisy place.

I find that I do my best work at home, in a private, quiet space. I find it very difficult to write in a loud public place, or even with other people around. It's easier for me to tune out the outside world and let the voices in my head spill onto the page, or the screen.

I really need to get a specific place to write, like a little home office or something like this. Right now I write at the kitchen table or on the couch in my living room and it all feels like borrowed space. It is my house and my furniture, but I do not have a specific desk that I can use to keep my papers or anything in order. Right now, things are kind of scattered around my house and I keep all of my writing documents in folder. It is not very efficient. We have a play room that the kids never use, so I think I am going to end up taking it from them...or at least half of it so that I can have a space that is all my own to write and do my craft projects. I need to have a creative little space that I can decorate and feel inspired when I go to it.

I prefer being home, alone and quiet, usually without any music or anything.  I focus best with silence.  For me even music can be a big distraction because my mind wants to follow the music rather than stay focused on what I am supposed to be doing.

Rosyrain; I can totally relate to your plan of waiting for an inspiration to hit, and then running like a maniac for the nearest computer or even a piece of paper to write it down before it disappears !

The other day, my son had posted a facebook picture of the old school house where he had gone to school in first and second grade. It was the same school house where I had gone to school. He wrote under the picture about having to walk all the way to school, and it was uphill both ways; so I added that I also had to walk to school, uphill both ways, and in 3 feet of snow !

Well, that started me thinking about what winter was like when I was a kid in north Idaho back in the early 1950's; and helping my dad shovel snow around the whole house as deep as we could, and that was how we insulated the house from the freezing blizzard winds that we got all winter long. 
I realized that this is an ideal topic for my family blog, so now I just have to get it written down before I lose the inspiration for the story.

Oh Happy I can't wait to read about that story on your blog. It reminds me of about 5 years ago when we lived near Kent. We got dumped on with snow that winter and I refuse to drive in it. After about 3 days of doing nothing but stay in the house, I had decided I had had about enough of it and packed up my daughter for a little adventure down to Walmart. We walked the entire 2 mile trip in 2 feet if snow just so we could get out of the house for a while. The bad part was that I had forgotten we walked when I was doing my shopping and we had to carry the bags 2 miles back because my husband was not home from work yet and could not pick us up. My daughter and I still laugh about my temporary insanity.

(Laughing to myself as I read your story) Rosy, I can just see you doing that, and it sounds like something I would do; and I am thinking that at some point , I DID do that and forgot that I had to walk home, too.  (or I just didn't realize how heavy it was going to be until I started carrying it home.)
Even just a bag or two would be a real challenge carrying it for two miles and trudging through all of that snow !

My son is going to make us a Flicker account where the family can all post their pictures, and then I can use some of those to add to my blog as I write the stories. I had thought that with all my moving, and then the heart problems, that giving all of the old pictures that I had to the kids was a good plan; but now, I am wishing I had some of those to use for my stories.
I wish that I had asked my parents for more of the family history while they were still alive. Many of the old pictures are unlabeled; and even when they have information, it says something like "Sally and the twins", so if you don't know who Sally was, or remember any twins; the label doesn't do us much good.
That is why I want to write down as much of the family history as I DO know; so that at least that part of it will not be lost, too.

Family history is one of the most valuable things you can give your kids as it tells the story if how they came to be and where they came from. I am trying to get my mom to write down some of our family history one of these days so I can pass it along to my kids.

I am sure my kids will have a lot of funny stories when they get older as I am quite the adventurous one. If I am on a mission to do something, no bad weather will step in my way.

Rosy, you are so totally right about family history, and I wish that i had realized that back when my parents were still around to tell me more about it.
All I have is what i can remember from theold stories, and what we can glean from looking at the old photographs that my mom took.
It is wonderful that your mom is writing down what she remembers of her family history, and I am glad that I am able to start writing down at least some of the stories and information for my grandkids to be able to read.
If you can sit down with your folks and look through the family photos together, and make sure they are properly labeled, that will be a lot of help in the future, too.

That is a good idea Happy, I will make sure that my mom has everything labeled nicely for us kids. The one thing I need to get better at doing is actually printing out the pictures I take and storing them somewhere. I have a lot stored digitally, but you never know when something is going to crash and you lose them all. I like to have paper back ups of everything.