“ I hope that all students find a way to visit the Writing Center.”
—Dana McLeod, First Year Student, Undeclared

Advice on Writing from the Writing Center Staff

Gordon Fraser
Writing Consultant
Don’t hold back. Say what you mean to say clearly and immediately—you can explain it later in your paper. Good writing isn’t cryptic, pompous or inflated. It’s clear, honest and genuine.

Also, revise it until you’ve cut it down to its necessary elements. Re-read and revise as many times as it takes. No writing is finished until its author is dead, so don’t be afraid to tear your own work apart.

Finally, don’t stagnate in fear. Everyone, from Composition students to Pulitzer Prize winners, is afraid that their writing will be crap. But when you sit down to write, do so. Don’t let fear prevent you from writing the fullest, most honest work you’re capable of.

Kristen Noblet
Writing Consultant
If you have any idea of what you’re going to write prior to actually writing or typing—write it down! Whether quickly jotted notes, an organized outline or a freewrite to help clear your head, any ideas you’ve written down can be referred back to during a writing block for inspiration.

Prewriting, in any form, is a great way of organizing your thoughts and ideas. It can help you produce direction in your writing and keep your writing organized and focused. And if your computer crashes, as least you’ll still have your ideas written down!

Peter Billman-Golemme
Writing Consultant
One key to writing is having something worthwhile to say. If you believe your ideas are important, you’ll be more motivated to share them. And in sharing them, you’ll be more willing to work to say them in the best way possible. Granted, sometimes we are asked to write about topics that don’t capture or thrill us. Simply pretend you are interested in the topic, and you’ll do fine!