Notes from Crew Quarters: Time and Place

This week, we asked our editors: Where and when do you like to write?

Stephen Wardell, Associate Poetry Editor

Late at night, in my bed. I share this bed-writing attribute with Truman Capote, though I wish I shared other attributes with Truman Capote.

Sara Ryan, Associate  PoetryEditor

This isn't me, but I knew a girl who would drive for miles and miles with a voice recorder sitting on her center console. She would just think out loud for hours while driving. Then, she'd drive home and listen. She'd write some really brilliant stuff from those recordings. I would love if this were my process, but I can't afford that much gas.

John LaPine, Associate Nonfiction Editor

I write on my laptop on campus, on my desktop at home, and on my phone when I'm on the bus or standing around somewhere (thanks Google Docs). The "when" varies but I like to jot down my thoughts on events after they impact me.

Amy Hansen, Associate Poetry Editor

My husband and I call the spare bedroom in our house The Creeping Room, and that's where I make poems and creep, usually in the early evening.

Jason Teal, Associate Poetry Editor

On top of Mt. Fuji in the snow. Facing away from the telescreen.

Jacque Boucher, Spoken Word Poetry

Late afternoon, on my laptop, in an uncomfortable seat, with comically large headphones piping very loud rain and thunder noises into my ears. The cocktail of stress and unpleasantness has to be juuuust right.

Matt Ftacek, Associate Poetry Editor

At night, in my bedroom, in a notebook, pacing back and forth. If I'm not pacing, it's probably not a good poem.

Alex Clark, Associate Nonfiction Editor

At a desk. I really need to be in a place where I can't get distracted. I like to write things out, but I usually end up typing because hand cramps.