Where to write in Dublin?

lounakin

Hey all,
I'm looking for cafés in Dublin city centre that would let you sit there and write without getting dirty looks... somewhere cosy and conducive... any suggestions?

EileenG

McDonalds. I know, not exactly cosy, but no-one cares how long you spend working, and all the noise blends into white noise that is almost soothing.

I also like writing in the Food Emporium in Abbey Street. I write my sex scenes there.

cobsie

How about a good, old-fashioned library? The National Library in Kildare St has a fantastic reading room - wood panelled, green domed table lights and definitely no one minds how long you stay...you get a 'readers ticket' at the main desk and it's good for 3 years. It's a great resource - and you can take a break for coffee without leaving the building

http://www.nli.ie/en/vt/virtual-tour-reading-room.aspx

Kinski

Cafe-bar in the IFI is good for that sort of thing; no-one seems to care how long you stay. I've seen plenty of patrons in there writing.

lounakin

Thanks for all the replies! Lol, EileenG... what a coincidence, I was in that food emporium not that long ago helping a friend writing a sex scene!
As for libraries... well I work in one and I don't find them particularly helpful. I like to be surrounded by people who are enjoying themselves, eating, drinking...
McDonalds is a brilliant idea actually, and it opens really early... it's also a very amusing to watch people there.
The IFI... I find you are a bit too exposed, and they always seem to close the upstairs.
In the meantime I found an amazing place: upstairs in Foam café, a new place off Capel st. It's so insane up there you'd have to see it to believe it. I think they created that place just for writers!

EileenG

How did the sex scene go?

Personally, I don't like libraries, I get distracted by all the books around. I like the lighting in McDonalds, you never need to squint at your keyboard, and sometimes you hear conversations that deserve a whole scene in your novel.

lounakin

Sex scene: I wasn't able to get my friend to open up and write something worthwhile! I guess I'm not a good teacher!
Yeah I must try mcdonalds... a whole world there...

EileenG

Might be harder with you there. I always have a glass of wine first and then develop a "Feck it, no-one is going to read this so I can go full belt on the kink" attitude. I don't think I could do it with someone else watching.

Antilles

EileenG wrote: »

Might be harder with you there. I always have a glass of wine first and then develop a "Feck it, no-one is going to read this so I can go full belt on the kink" attitude. I don't think I could do it with someone else watching.

That's the kind of attitude that gets Anita Blake novels published year after year!

The Mad Hatter

OP, I think you might be sorted, but there's a cafe in Rathmines called Moda that I love to write in. I've spent hours in there drinking the occasional token coffee and tbh half the time it seems like the staff forget to check the tables. It's usually very quiet.

lounakin

Thanks, I always welcome new ideas! But I found my niche for now

Antilles

lounakin wrote: »

a new place off Capel st. It's so insane up there you'd have to see it to believe it. I think they created that place just for writers!

Can you elaborate on this a bit?

lounakin

Antilles... I'm worried all of you are going to show up and cramp my style! Ha ha...
It's called Foam Café and it's really cosy, the decor is... you really can't explain, you'd have to see it. No words can do it justice! But it's a great place to hang out and write.

Actually, there are photos on the web, though not of upstairs where I usually go.

Arfan

I'm not allowed write sex scenes anymore. People kept falling asleep and banging their heads.

I will be checking out the café however. I tend to do a lot of writing in Maynooth or Trinity.

Antilles

Slight tangent, but I'm going to be in London for two days next month with nothing to do. I don't suppose anyone knows somewhere nice to go and write there?