We found Ashley amid a mass of books, papers, and post-tailgate coolers in her office, which she shares with her husband and fellow instructor Scott, seeking some much needed quiet in her hectic life. The Memphis native and mom of two tells us her favorite class to teach (it’s not at all what you’d think) and how exactly she writes really great poetry. A fabulous writing teacher, Ashley creates a safe space for student writers to critique each other in this fall’s advanced poetry workshop, all while having fun and not taking herself too seriously. Ashley did her undergraduate work at the University of Memphis before saying what the heck, packing her car and hitting the highway for New York City. She bummed around NYC temping, writing, and living. Her postgraduate degrees include a M.A. from the University of Memphis and an M.F.A. from The University of Alabama. (Side note to you collegiettes™ worried there are no good men in English/Writing graduate school programs: Ashley and Scott met here in the M.F.A. program.)
In addition to being the Director of Undergraduate Creative Writing program, Ashley also teaches an honors section of British Literature (EN 216) and a section of the second freshman composition class (EN 102). She shared with us that her favorite class to teach is actually Brit Lit, a surprise given her position and that she’s a published author! You can find her poems in both her book Whitework, published in 2009, and in various literary magazines. When asked about her writing process, she said, “I do a lot of research. I become engrossed in a topic and then left it riff.” She said she tends to write sporadically but sticks to a tighter schedule when doing translations. Currently, she is working on French translations of Knudsen and Greta. We asked Ashley for her biggest piece of advice for young female writers. She said, “Make yourself work. If you cannot make work happen for yourself, read. Either do one or the other at all times. By reading you are getting inspired by others work. Always be absorbing. Never stop.”
If you ever find yourself in need of a stellar English professor or advice on graduate school or simply want to be regaled with tales of life in the Big Apple, stop by Ashley McWaters’s office in Rowand-Johnson Hall. This charming poet and professor is always willing to lend a helping hand to a student in need.