Ashley Blooms turned to writing prompts as “a way to reconnect” with her writing and “do some creative healing.”
She believes that writers can be hard on themselves and prefers to emphasize self-compassion in her writing practice. “I think that creativity grows much better if you are being gentle with it,” she says, “than if you are using shame or criticism….”
Listen to the episode for more tips and a prompt that will help bring a sense of play to your writing.
About Ashley Blooms
Ashley Blooms is the author of
Where I Can’t Follow, which was named a Most Anticipated novel by
Good Housekeeping,
Gizmodo, and
Tor.com, among others. Her debut novel,
Every Bone a Prayer, was long-listed for the Crook’s Corner Book Prize.
She’s a graduate of the Clarion Writer’s Workshop and received her MFA as a John and Renee Grisham Fellow from the University of Mississippi. Her fiction has appeared in
The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror,
Fantasy & Science Fiction, and
Strange Horizons, among others. Learn more at:
ashleyblooms.com.
What is Prompt to Page?
A JCPL librarian interviews published writers about their favorite writing prompts—exercises that can help inspire, focus, and improve your creative writing. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, a novelist, essayist, or poet, you’ll find ideas and advice to motivate you to keep writing. A partnership with the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning.