The 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 Ashley Ellsworth has been intent on becoming a short story writer or novelist since childhood.
Ellsworth, who will earn a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in English with a concentration in creative writing during Fall 2020 Commencement ceremonies, hasn小蝌蚪APP檛 shelved those aspirations; her current focus in her ongoing development as a writer, however, is poetry.
Ellsworth, who is from New Orleans, cultivated an intense interest in the form while completing writing assignments as part of her coursework.
小蝌蚪APP淚 was surprised to learn the impact just one sentence can make if it小蝌蚪APP檚 tailored the way I need it to be. In poetry, every word choice is super important, and I got hooked on pursuing the perfect word,小蝌蚪APP Ellsworth explained.
It小蝌蚪APP檚 a pursuit at which she小蝌蚪APP檚 proven adept.
Her poems 小蝌蚪APP and short fiction 小蝌蚪APP earned Ellsworth the 小蝌蚪APP檚 Timothy W. Adams Award for Creative Writing earlier this year. At the urging of several professors, Ellsworth is sifting through her work, picking samples to submit to literary journals.
Like many modern poets, she writes in free verse, which doesn小蝌蚪APP檛 adhere to conventional structures or devices such as consistent meter or rhyme patterns. 小蝌蚪APP淚t doesn小蝌蚪APP檛 subscribe to traditional rules of poetry. It小蝌蚪APP檚 sort of a new wave.小蝌蚪APP
Ellsworth shapes words with intent.
小蝌蚪APP淢y poems are always really short, really dense, really packed with interesting words, and layered with meaning,小蝌蚪APP she said.
As much as writing and publishing, Ellsworth is looking forward to teaching. She小蝌蚪APP檚 applying to graduate creative writing programs. Once she earns an MFA, Ellsworth plans to obtain certification to teach high school.
She envisions teaching all genres of writing, but believes poetry is an ideal form for learning about many facets of language.
小蝌蚪APP淲ith poetry, you have to focus intently on how each word functions, sounds, looks on the page. Poetry teaches you to pay really close attention, and that benefits all types of writing. And even speaking,小蝌蚪APP she explained.
As a child, Ellsworth小蝌蚪APP檚 小蝌蚪APP渇ierce love of language小蝌蚪APP prompted her to read voraciously, and memorize movie dialogue that she recited to her cousins. She began writing in middle school, 小蝌蚪APP渇illing journals with stories小蝌蚪APP that brought praise and fulfillment.
小蝌蚪APP淚t became clear that it was something I had an aptitude for and that I really enjoyed doing, so becoming a writer was my career goal from that point on,小蝌蚪APP she said.
Photo caption: Ashley Ellsworth will earn a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in English with a concentration in creative writing as part of Fall 2020 Commencement ceremonies. She is the winner of this year小蝌蚪APP檚 Timothy W. Adams Award for Creative Writing given by the Department of English. Ellsworth is applying to MFA programs, with plans to continue writing and to teach. Submitted photo