Writing Tips To Make Your Writing More Effective & Enjoyable

Posted on: January 4, 2022 | By: Julia Bleakney | Filed under: Invention Techniques, The Writing Center, Visiting The Writing Center, Writing Process

It’s harder to stay motivated and engaged when you lack interest in your topic. Here are 4 tips to help you get interested in your writing and to stay on task!

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Writing and Brainstorming For Any Presentation

Posted on: January 20, 2021 | By: Julia Bleakney | Filed under: Disciplinary Writing, Public Speaking, The Writing Center, Visiting The Writing Center

You are not alone if you have ever dreaded having to give a presentation, speak to a professor, or attend a job interview. However, when you know the rules and are adequately prepared, it is much easier to express yourself and impress the person on the other side of the PowerPoint slides.

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Words Enact Change: Supporting Social Justice in The Writing Center

Posted on: January 20, 2021 | By: Julia Bleakney | Filed under: Inclusion and Equity, The Writing Center, Visiting The Writing Center

In this blog post, I offer some strategies used by Writing Center consultants to work towards a more inclusive language practice in The Writing Center.

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Collaborative Writing and Group Projects

Posted on: January 7, 2021 | By: Julia Bleakney | Filed under: Group Writing, The Writing Center, Writing Process

Collaborative/ group writing projects are widely used throughout academic and corporate worlds. Drawing from my own experiences and the expertise of other writing centers, I’ve compiled a list of do’s and don’ts when completing collaborative projects.

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Staying Motivated while Writing Papers Remotely

Posted on: August 10, 2020 | By: Julia Bleakney | Filed under: The Writing Center, Writing Process

Today, many of our classes will have more online components than before as we strive to stay safe and physically distanced. It can be hard to stay motivated when we are working on online modules and at our own pace. In addition, uncertainty about what the future will look like, or whether the Covid-19 virus will spread, might impact our motivation. You’re not lazy or a bad student for this drop in motivation; however, your coursework is still important and papers still have to be written. To help spark your motivation during these uncertain times, here are five tips that help me stay motivated and focused.

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You’re Required to Go to The Writing Center. Now What?

Posted on: July 30, 2020 | By: Julia Bleakney | Filed under: The Writing Center, Visiting The Writing Center

Sometimes, when I am required to do something, I immediately want to do that thing less, even if it’s something I want to do or had already planned to do like a household chore. The Writing Center is not immune to this aversion. Occasionally you might be required to attend a Writing Center appointment even if you think you don’t want or need to. So, I’m here to talk about how to make the best of this situation and to get the most out of it.

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How to Come Up with Topics for Open-ended Assignments

Posted on: July 30, 2020 | By: Julia Bleakney | Filed under: Invention Techniques, The Writing Center, Writing Process

When it comes to writing papers for class, I have found that most difficult assignments are the ones that are open-ended. Sure, it’s nice to have the freedom to write about a topic of my choice, but when I’m juggling the work of other classes, it’s much easier to answer a specific prompt. Nonetheless, we will all continue to get assignments where we are responsible for coming up with the topic. Generating ideas is something I often have trouble with as a writer, but thankfully help is available!

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