Libba Bray: Digging for the Truth

Libba Bray is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Gemma Doyle trilogy; the Michael L. Printz Award-winning Going Bovine; Beauty Queens (a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist); and the Diviners series.

Libba, for many years, attended a writing workshop where the group wrote to from prompts, uncensored. Writers could then share but then only receive positive feedback because it was all new writing.

Libba takes this room of writers on that same journey.

Libba reads a poem titled: Where I'm From

The first prompt starts with the line: "Where I'm from..."

Set your own timer now and write for 10 minutes.

"I love to see all of your heads bent in concentration. That is amazing."

Brave readers share with the room.

Ready for one more? 

Write a piece that begins with the words, "Have you forgotten me?"

I'm going to be honest with you, Blog Friends, I'm not sure...scratch that, I know I can't do this one without falling to pieces. This is a clear indication that Libba is getting this room of writers to get to the truth, because when you feel it viscerally, in the question alone without even putting one word on the page, something powerful is happening. 

Libba listens intently.

Illustrator Katherine A Taylor approached this prompt through illustration.

Sometimes just setting a timer for ten minutes and writing and telling yourself that you're not going to sensor yourself allows you to create amazingly powerful work. Trust me, we heard the power in the room. Just wow!