Living in Costa Rico for a year or two

You can't apply for a longer term visa if you a citizen of a country that 'routinely' gives a 90 day visa and I doubt that the cost to apply for Temporary residency would be worth your while. It is 'easy' to exit the country by visiting the bordering countries for a few hours or days, as long as you follow the 'rules' of how it is done.

A change of scenery may help your writing

While I don't know your budget, it isn't that cheap to live here, any more.

Thanks.

MANY MANY MANY people stay longer by catching a cheap bus to Nicaragua for a few hours , turning back into Costa Rica and asking for another 90 days to Tour their lovely country..I know HUNDREDS  who have done that for years if their  permanent Residency status takes a while (My friend with my help got his YESTERDAY after just 5 months wait..A LOT of charm and who you know helps a lot...The Ugly American (or Canadian attitude sometimes gets in the way of a nice easy ride here...BUT there will ALWAYS be the "Prophet of Doomsters " on these sites..Let us know more and MAYBE you will have a lucky ride AND if you are NOT  an extravagant nor HEAVY drinker it is NOT as expensive for you nor me as it is for MANY on this site ..Good Luck and tighten your belt JUST a bit and you will do fine..Rents in NICE areas like here in Heredia are approx. $500 very nice 1 bedrooms Fully furnished NO CAR Needed Buses at our gates... Remember my motto "Where there's a will there's a way..." I literally DROVE my friend yesterday to the Immigration office in Heredia AFTER hearing the  voice on the other end of the phone from Immigration Office,  telling him on his speaker cellphone that he would need to wait another NINE months just for another appt there with Immigration..
I  jumped in my car, drove him there , spoke to s couple of people and VOILA I have the photo of him on my cll phone in total belief Holding HIS CEDULAR CARD ..so  go figure! I also know <ANY Gringos Still waiting after  many YEARS and paying Mucho $$$ with that Canadian company  forget the initials..who charges a fortune and they never seem to get their residencyIF any doubters out their I can try to  post the photo I took if him in Immigration office yesterday IF allowed PM me and tell me how to post it, He is still  "jumping up and down like a flea" ... he says LOL ...NOW I do  not promise this can happen to you but I do believe in Positive Thinking..and maybe God blessed me with many friends here also as far as Caja goes also..I am hearing that people are charged $400 plus per month I wonder why I pay !8,000, colones  (do the Math  ) I also got my friend Israel his  CAJA  card same day... He is paying 22,000  colones on the
"Voluntaria  Caja  payments ... NOW surely I am Not the ONLY person who is so lucky here  or am I???
MAYBE different for you, as ot seems to have been for  some people on this site, ..who knows?
OBTW Thank you for asking my Pals here LINDA:)?
Obviously I am OK, a bit of a health scare but thanks to my sweet doctors I am OK...Thanks for Asking  "Linda Loo  " HUGS

oops sorry bout that deleted duplicate..hope I did not delete original

Just wanted to back up what kohlerias said: the 90 day visa is all you can get.

Once your 90 day visa is up, (well, right before it's up) you can take a bus, fly or drive to Panama or Nicaragua or any other country to renew for another 90 days, just by leaving to the other country then turning around and coming back. There is no 3 days required to be outside the country, as some used to say online.

Depending on where you go, the border guards (like at the Nicaragua Las Tablillas border) will say that you have to spend at least 2-3 hours in Nicaragua. That is I'm pretty sure just their own rule, it's not the law, but you kinda have to do what they say or close to it. We returned in under 2 hours and they let us back through though. But probably wouldn't let you back through in 15 min. like they should...

Don't know how it is in Panama. I have heard Panama can be sticky as well at times for one reason and another, but generally it's no big deal to go across one of these 2 borders and come back to get another 90 day visa in Costa Rica.

Of course you could fly to Florida or somewhere and return as well, but if you do you'll have to buy a one way ticket to Costa Rica then another one way ticket back to FL (or anywhere in the US) right before you come here, then cancel it within 24 hours.

Many people do this as pebs said and it's not a huge deal. If you have a little money flying is probably easier OR you can get a bus tour and spend a day or two or 3 at a nice place in Nicaragua or Panama. A flight to Panama City for example is not very expensive.