How did you become a writer?

I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing! It’s always been something I loved, and a huge part of how I interact with the world. Growing up, our next door neighbor was legendary LA writer Eve Babitz, and as soon as I could hold a pen she encouraged me to write things down. My parents still have some early examples of my childhood “novels” on their bookshelves, complete with hand drawn cover art! Writing has always been my way of processing and responding to my experience of the world, and I’m so lucky that I get to do it professionally.

Name your writing influences (writers, books, teachers, etc.).

The writer who made me want to write was Francisca Lea Block. Her dreamy, propulsive prose was such an inspiration to me as a young writer. As an adult, my biggest influences and supporters have definitely been my teachers--including my mentor Ivy Pochoda who is always such a font of professional inspiration and advice, as well as David Gates, Jennifer DuBois, and the inimitable Karen Russell. I’m always blown away by the genuine spirit of solidarity that animates the writing world. That creative generosity is such an inspiration to me in my work, and how I try to interact with my own community.

When and where do you write?

Before Covid, my kitchen table in the morning was where I did all my work. Now my husband, who teaches high school history, uses it as his classroom, so I head over to my parent’s house every day to write in my treehouse “office.” It’s not a bad arrangement! I spend the early half of the day writing at a desk that looks into a thicket of bamboo where hummingbirds like to congregate, before moving on to journalism and teaching stuff in the afternoon. I always feel closest to my source of inspiration in the mornings.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a kind of spooky book about a young couple who buy an abandoned summer camp and the various strange occurrences that happen out there in the woods. It’s very different from anything I’ve written before, and has been a really fun, challenging experience. I love projects that force me to use new parts of my brain, which this definitely does.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block?

Of course! It’s such a natural (if unfortunate) part of being a writer. What always helps me when I’m experiencing writer's block is to look for the source of my reluctance. It can mean that there’s something I’m resisting in the work or trying to avoid, and forcing myself to articulate what that something is generally gets me over the hump. It could also be the case that the section I’m trying to force myself to get through just isn’t working, and I need to walk away for a while, or try another approach. Listening to what the block is telling you is key! Remember that the call is coming from inside the house.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Karen Russell once told me to find what brings me joy in the work and follow that spark. That advice is something I return to again and again in my own practice. Ultimately, we are the ones who have to spend the most time in these universes we create. Not our readers, not our audiences, not anyone but ourselves. Remembering that source of joy is such a precious and critical thing, a kind of literary spirit guide.

What’s your advice to new writers?

Growing up, my mom always told me that the perfect is the enemy of the good, and I think that there’s nowhere this is truer than in writing work. Don’t let yourself get too bogged down in the pursuit of perfection in any particular section of your work. Remember the big picture, and the unity of your vision, and the pieces will fall into place. 

Emily Beyda is the author of The Body Double. You can find her on Instagram @emilybeyda.