Writing Support in the Writing Studio
What is the Writing Studio?
As of Fall 2024, the Writing Studio is the Writing Center’s newest pilot program, which provides individually tailored writing support for any student interested in working on their relationship to writing. The name “Writing Studio” might make you think of the kind of art studio you can find in Goodyear, with splashes of paint on the floor and groups of students clustered around each other’s artwork as they are guided through a critique. Like the art studio from which it gets its name, the Writing Studio is a collaborative space to experiment with writing and to find support in learning new techniques.
What does the Writing Studio look like in practice?
Writers who apply to the Writing Studio will have the opportunity to choose whether they want to take part in the Studio for 4, 6, or 8 weeks, or for the entirety of the semester. Then they will be paired up with trained Writing Tutors and will begin meeting with them weekly in the MWC for 45-minute sessions. Signing up for the Studio means making a commitment to meeting weekly with a writing partner. These meetings can focus on a specific piece of writing, on elements of the writing process (strategies for getting past writer’s block, what is the difference between drafting and editing, how to organize ideas, responding to feedback), on old writing assignments, or anything else related to writing. Writing Tutors will help the writer choose what topics to focus on and provide expertise in writing, but the writer will be the one setting the agenda for each session.
Who can apply for the Writing Studio?
Whether you are a senior embarking on writing an honors thesis and want to build some accountability into your writing process or are a first-year looking for someone to help you navigate all the expectations of college writing, we welcome you to join the Writing Studio! Everyone, regardless of year, writing proficiency, or major, can benefit from this resource. Any student who wants a writing tutor partner can self-nominate; faculty and Writing Associates can also nominate students who they think would benefit from more individual time spent talking about writing than can generally be provided in a classroom. Applications for the Writing Studio go through , which also contains the nomination process for students interested in applying to become Writing Tutors.
Any questions about the Writing Studio should be directed to Lucy McInerney (mcinernl@dickinson.edu), Assistant Director of the Writing Program.