The best and worst writing scenarios

The summerhouse at the bottom of the garden was secluded, and far enough from the house to avoid distractions. Painted a pleasing shade of vintage blue, the large windows along three sides let in the light on even the gloomiest of days. Surrounded by trees as it was, I could hear the birds tweeting as I wrote, and the trickle of water from a nearby fountain helped the ideas flow. Relaxing back into the large leather sofa I plumped up a furry cushion next to me and called for my cat to join me. On my lap was my Bluetooth keyboard; my iPad stood proudly on its stand on the large oak coffee table in front of me, along with a steaming mug of strong tea and a plate of chocolate digestives. To the left of the table was a matching bookcase holding some dictionaries and a smattering of my favourite books, and on the wall was a large print of Monet's waterlilies. As I began to write I smiled as one of my favourite songs on my writer's playlist began to play in the background. Today was going to be a good day.

The train was crowded, people hanging on to each other in the aisle as they swayed from side to side. I was fortunate: I'd managed to get a seat, but there wasn't enough room on the airport-style table for my A4 notepad and I was trying to write with the book on my lap. The large man next to me was asleep, rasping noisily, his ragged breath punctuated now and then with an unhealthy snort. Behind me a small boy kept kicking the back of my seat in a staccato rhythm, and somewhere further along the carriage a baby was wailing inconsolably. The signs on the window indicated this was meant to be a designated quiet carriage, but I could make out at least three different songs, their tinny beat far too loud to be listened to comfortably through headphones, and the woman opposite me was on her third phone call since the train pulled out of Paddington. I started to write. Snap! The lead tip broke off, leaving me with nothing but a harsh pencil stub. I rummaged around in my bag but could find no replacement. Silently fuming, I put away the notebook and pulled out my phone. If you can't beat them ...