“When I’m stuck and feeling overwhelmed (or underwhelmed for that matter) by my writing, my thoughts go right to water. I think I’m looking for the equilibrium of simply being whelmed, of being right in the flow of words, immersed in story. If I have the time, I’ll drive to the beach, float on the waves for a while, then pop in my earbuds and take a long walk with one of my favorite singer-songwriters like Joe Henry or Jason Isbell or Rose Cousins. I gravitate toward lyrical writing, so music helps me drown out mundane life noises and pinpoint emotional beats I’m missing. Of course, beach trips aren’t always practical or possible. Sometimes I have to settle for a nice hot shower. I even have a portable speaker in the bathroom and a waterproof notepad suctioned to my shower wall just in case I get that spark of inspiration. When it comes to the writing itself, I work best in complete silence.”
—Susan Bernhard, author of Winter Loon (Little A, 2018)