Lattes and Laptops

In the pre-laptop era, Hemingway penned “The Sun Also Rises” at La Closerie des Lilas in Paris. Dorothy Parker held court at New York’s Algonquin Round Table. And J.K. Rowling conjured Harry Potter in an Edinburgh cafe. But where do L.A.’s scribes plug in and tap out screenplays, teleplays and the occasional novel?

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BOURGEOIS PIG

Clean and well-lighted? Uh, no. But the owners have made strides to make this goth-decorated cave of a coffeehouse more writer-friendly: increased lighting, softer music, electric outlets aplenty, wireless Internet access, and the cushy Moroccan back room, where fatigued wordsmiths can nap. Forest Whitaker writes here, and it’s rumored that Jon Favreau, who once lived across the street, may have written “Swingers” within these all-too-hip walls. Open until 2 a.m. 5931 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles.

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SEATTLE’S BEST COFFEE

Struggling artistes might scoff at the idea of meeting their muse in Starbucks’ corporate cousin, on tony Montana Avenue, no less. No secondhand velvet couches here, and funky local art is supplanted by slick “blended drink” ads. Yet the spot serves as an office for several successful scribes. The library-like quietude, abundant outlets and a staff tolerant of “campers” have given rise to scripts such as the upcoming “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and “The Mask” sequel. 1015 Montana Ave., Santa Monica.

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STIR CRAZY

Sparse and no frills like a log cabin, this quiet hole-in-the-wall is “more New Yorky and less sceney,” says one of the barristas. Maybe that’s why Charlie Kaufman digs it. Word around the shop is that Chuck wrote “Being John Malkovich” here. Beverage of choice: the bottomless cup of joe--strong, Italian stuff--for two bucks. 6917 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles.

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COOGIE’S BEACH CAFE

You’ll catch plenty of stars eating at this bright, airy, bustling family restaurant in the ‘Bu, but during off-hours you might also spy plenty of local dream-weavers. Legend has it that the late Shel Silverstein wrote his final book, “Falling Up,” here. 23750 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu.

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LULU’S BLUE PLATE (FORMERLY LULU’S ALIBI)

This coffeehouse-turned-restaurant hosts several writers groups, as well as bigwig habitues such as author/TV writer Jerry Stahl (“Permanent Midnight”) and author/screenwriter Hubert Selby Jr. (“Last Exit to Brooklyn”). A writer herself, owner Luana Flippin puts a premium on her customers’ privacy; employees are strictly forbidden to hand out head shots or manuscripts. In need of a sugar fix? Try the deep-fried Twinkies in strawberry Grand Marnier sauce. 1640 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles.

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THE NOVEL CAFE

One of the few funky, boho hubs left in the gentrified Venice/Main Street area, this cafe/used bookstore attracts countless aspiring screenwriters and novelists. The die-hard regulars--many as dusty and musty as the old tomes that line the walls--can be quite territorial. Whether or not it’s for wannabes, it’s rumored that more than a few scripts (“Shadow Conspiracy,” for one) have been born here. Open until 1 a.m. 212 Pier Ave., Santa Monica.