Various studies have shown the environment we live in affects our thought process and the ability to become a good writer. Not only our writing but the cities we live in can have a profound impact on our emotions and the way we look at the world. A lot of writers prefer to live in places that are suited to their writing styles. Some of them would love to be in the middle of the hustle of a big city like New York whereas others would prefer to stay away from the limelight and connect with their creative mind in a place like Pocatello, Idaho.
Many famous writers / authors love to write at local cafés where they can spend hours at the same place, same table with their favorite coffee and without anyone disturbing them. It’s important for writers to have their own space where they’d be comfortable to unleash their creative ideas and convert it into meaningful articles, books or other forms of publications. Writers love to live and stay at places from where they can draw inspiration and a lot of it reflects in their writing. We list here the 10 greatest places for both established and aspiring writers to live and weave their wordly magic.
- New York City, NY: Considered as a hub for writers since ages. You’ll find a lot publishing companies and agencies that thrive in New York City. Possibilities for networking are endless with hundreds of workshops, lectures, events and classes being organized day in and day out. You’ll gain a lot of professional exposure by interacting with like minded people from the city.
- London, England: Major publication houses from around the world have their offices in London. This speaks volumes about the popularity of London among writers. For inspiration you could visit Charles Dickens house or check the various plays in theatres around London.
- Iowa City, IA: Iowa offers many benefits and sops to encourage aspiring writers and help them achieve their dreams through popular programs such as Iowa writer’s workshop. The administration does their part to attract writers by offering tax deductions and giving poets complete exemption on vagrancy laws
- Chicago, IL: If you’re a writer on a budget and can’t afford the high living expenses in cities like New York and London than Chicago is the home away from home you’d be looking for. It has some awesome book stores where you can start scripting your first book or novel. Other factors like friendly people, local universities, libraries, art and architecture, quiet places and you might just have a winning formula.
- Hay-on-Wye, Wales: A quiet and serene town in Wales hosts the annual Hay Festival that attracts literary minds and creative’s from across the globe to network, share ideas and showcase what they had been up to the past year. This coupled with the fact that it has the largest number of book stores per capita in the world and you have a community around you that you’ll love.
- Edinburgh, Scotland: Sir Walter Scott, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson were Edinburgh’s gift to the world. It has achieved the reputation of producing top quality literary mind over the years. Also, Edinburgh is home to the renowned Man Booker Prize.
- St. Louis, MO: St. Louis has a lot of things going for it. It can be a great writer friendly city with the support it receives from the St. Louis Writers Guild. Living expenses are reasonable and there are lots of local coffee shops to pick your favorite spot. The Scenery and the breathtaking forest park makes this city a go to destination for a lot of writers. T.S. Eliot and Jamey Stegmaier are some notable writes from St. Louis
- Asheville, NC: Asheville earns its spot because of the small town feel and the beautiful scenery all around. The annual Asheville Wordfest attracts some talented writers from the US. It’s a great place to head out for a few months with your laptop and creative mind. Some of the famous authors from the city are Charles Frazier, Thomas Wolfe and F.Scott Fitzgerald.
- Istanbul, Turkey: Istanbul’s location provides a perfect fusion between European and Asian cultures. The annual Istanbul Tanpinar literary festival witnesses some beautiful cross cultural exchanges from writers across the world. It’s a great place for young writers who are starting their career because you’ll find a lot of like minded people in the city who are looking to make their mark.
- Paris, France: One of the top literary cities in the world, Paris is a hotbed for writers. The writing community in Paris is a thriving one. You will never run out of inspiration and motivation in this city of love. Famous monuments, coffee shops and public libraries and its writers delight. Budding writers can hone their skills at Les Deux Magots, a café frequented by Ernest Hemingway.