I'm totally with you on this, I adore beautiful spaces that are meant to be conducive to writing, especially the grandeur and majesty of libraries. BUT...(uh oh, there's always a but!) I've often struggled to produce my best work in such lovely venues. When I was at Edinburgh, I tried but consistently failed to get any work done at the National University of Scotland.
You, and others, might kill me for admitting this, but I get so much good writing done in pubs and cafes, and perhaps it's the hustle and bustle and general everyday noise I thrive off (I never wear headphones). Even worse, here in Vienna, despite all its wondrous cafes, I did a lot of my best writing for my first book at...[gulp...] Starbucks, even though I'm not a fan of their coffee anymore.
Maybe I'll take my chances at the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek for my next book!
This is interesting and also takes me back to my university years (VERY far back!). I remember that the university libraries were always steeped with an anxiety (exam preparation, hapless attempts at translations) that I don't need to contend with in my adult life. Perhaps this is why I love libraries now: they're comparatively relaxed.
I'd never judge anyone for enjoying a pub! Starbucks however...! How lucky you are to live in Vienna – a truly wonderful city.
This is a really interesting question and, I too, have found spaces to work which, at the time, felt more conducive to creating. Often, they were libraries and when I was living in Manchester I would frequent the John Rylands library where I could nestle down into a study nook and work alongside ghosts of students past. That place oozed dark academia vibes!
There's certainly something in the history of a place that gets the imagination going! Perhaps a deeper feeling of community? The JR library sounds wonderful.
I'm totally with you on this, I adore beautiful spaces that are meant to be conducive to writing, especially the grandeur and majesty of libraries. BUT...(uh oh, there's always a but!) I've often struggled to produce my best work in such lovely venues. When I was at Edinburgh, I tried but consistently failed to get any work done at the National University of Scotland.
You, and others, might kill me for admitting this, but I get so much good writing done in pubs and cafes, and perhaps it's the hustle and bustle and general everyday noise I thrive off (I never wear headphones). Even worse, here in Vienna, despite all its wondrous cafes, I did a lot of my best writing for my first book at...[gulp...] Starbucks, even though I'm not a fan of their coffee anymore.
Maybe I'll take my chances at the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek for my next book!
This is interesting and also takes me back to my university years (VERY far back!). I remember that the university libraries were always steeped with an anxiety (exam preparation, hapless attempts at translations) that I don't need to contend with in my adult life. Perhaps this is why I love libraries now: they're comparatively relaxed.
I'd never judge anyone for enjoying a pub! Starbucks however...! How lucky you are to live in Vienna – a truly wonderful city.
This is a really interesting question and, I too, have found spaces to work which, at the time, felt more conducive to creating. Often, they were libraries and when I was living in Manchester I would frequent the John Rylands library where I could nestle down into a study nook and work alongside ghosts of students past. That place oozed dark academia vibes!
There's certainly something in the history of a place that gets the imagination going! Perhaps a deeper feeling of community? The JR library sounds wonderful.