Ashley Schumacher Inspires Young Writers

North Dallas resident and published young adult fiction author, Ashley Schumacher, held a presentation called “From a Brain Trickle to a Brainstorm,” centered around gaining inspiration for artistic works.

 In her captivating presentation, this inspiration came from a variety of areas including famous books and movies, as well as real life and personal experiences.

To kick it off, her presentation started off with a casual volume check, which I feel established an easygoing environment and a connection with the audience. No one likes to sit through an hour of someone droning on just reading off slides, so this was an encouraging early sign.

Instead of the presentation feeling stiff or overly scripted, Schumacher would talk to the audience like they were in a conversation. She would also reference her own life experiences and stories in the ideas she was sharing. This was helpful as it gave concrete examples as to how the audience could practically apply the tips she was providing.

Even though Schumacher was there to share her tips from an author’s standpoint, she fit in some advice for different types of students, such as students who may not desire a future in writing. These included tips for college essays and applications as well as general school writing assignments.

Similarly, she adapted her presentation to fit the interests of the audience by including multiple TikTok videos to keep it engaging, and referencing apps and language that my generation would relate to, which I appreciated because it made me feel like she was paying attention to the group she was speaking to.

Towards the end of her presentation, Schumacher handed out an optional worksheet to break down the process of looking for inspiration, as well as passing out “eraser buddies,” fun, animal shaped erasers that could accompany students during the writing process. She made the experience even more enriching by playing whimsical music from “The Chronicles of Narnia” during the worksheet time and a little after.

Wrapping up her presentation, Schumacher talked about her own books, “Amelia Unabridged” and “Full Flight,” and where she grasped inspiration for her own works, which helped us see the main point of her presentation in action.

Finally, she finished with a Q&A session where she answered questions, and then asked the questions back to the audience which was an engaging activity that creatively flipped its traditional format. This kept her presentation interactive while still reaching the goal of being informative and helpful.

As someone who has thought about pursuing a creative career, her tips were insightful, especially coming from a published figure in the field.

Moreover, her information holds value because she has experienced the hardships of writer’s block. Professionals in certain job fields sometimes warn audiences that their profession is not for the weak hearted, so the fact she was open and encouraging about the struggles was comforting. It was like she was a physical representation of the ability to overcome the creative challenges.

Schumacher should return next year, as I enjoyed not only her presentation and the information she was sharing, but the way she shared it. She was personable and a comfortable presenter who was overall very encouraging to the audience to pursue not only writing but any form of creative expression, even if it’s just on a personal level.