A JCPL librarian interviews published writers about their favorite writing prompts. These exercises can help inspire, focus, and improve your creative writing.

Brought to you in partnership with the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning.

Listen to Episode 57

Do you feel too distracted to write? Poet and nonfiction writer Lucy Oquaye believes prompts can help. “What’s most beneficial about using prompts,” she says, “is really that you’re just taking time to write.”

Lucy says that writing for 20 minutes in a notebook—without phones or computers—has transformed her college students’ writing. She notes, “ That kind of focus is really beneficial to anyone’s writing practice.”

So grab a pen and paper and try Lucy’s favorite writing exercise. Listen below!

A JCPL librarian interviews published writers about their favorite writing prompts. These exercises can help inspire, focus, and improve your creative writing.

Brought to you in partnership with the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning.

Listen to Episode 56

 Author Eugenia Johnson-Smith believes writers should focus on getting their thoughts down in a first draft and worry about grammar and style later.  ”Don’t be too critical,” she says, “because you’ve got to get the words on the page.”

Eugenia shares some of the prompts that help her and her students write without pressure or judgment. She also discusses the Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative, including her new role there. Listen below!