Kimberly Abels, Ph.D., currently directs the Writing Center. She is responsible for the Center’s long-range planning, programming, outreach, and collaborations. Vicki Behrens, Ph.D., is the assistant director. She offers professional guidance and training to the graduate students who tutor in the Writing Center. Gigi Taylor, Ph.D., is one of the Writing Center’s ESL specialists; she helps tutors, faculty, and staff provide effective writing support for ESL students. Percival Guevarra, M.A., the Writing Center’s second ESL specialist, conducts workshops on English language and American culture for UNC’s international students and scholars.
Many of the Writing Center’s tutors are graduate students from a wide variety of disciplines. They have been chosen as staff members based on their superior teaching skills and have undergone more than 60 hours of training in the teaching of writing.
In the fall of 2011, our first group of undergraduate tutors have joined the Writing Center team. These tutors took a three credit hour class, English 402, to prepare them to work with their peers.
Since each tutor has an individual approach, we suggest trying out several tutors in order to find the tutoring style that works best for you. You can learn a little more about some of our tutors by reading their responses to the question “What is writing like for you?”
| Alex | Writing is like…a likeable likening of likened likes to likers likely liked by likelier lichen and likeliest likings alike—in all likelihood, a lifelike likelihood of misliked mislikers misliking unalike lookalikes and unliked likenesses likewise. |
| Anne | Writing is like . . . getting dressed for a special event. You begin with a mental image of how you want to look and what you hope your finished image will convey to others. In your head, you select the various parts of the outfit, thinking about the specific dress, the lingerie, the shoes, the jewelry, the hair style. Then comes the actual process of putting these elements together, which may involve a great deal of standing before a mirror to rearrange and substitute different things: maybe the silver metallic sandals will work better than the black pumps. Perhaps the chandelier earrings make a stronger statement than the plain pearl earrings. Gradually, bit by bit, piece by piece, a drop-dead gorgeous outfit comes together, just as a piece of writing eventually does, as a result of a series of decisions and debates over alternatives. |
| Caela | Writing is like an onion— multilayered, spicy and something you have to brush your teeth after… uh wait, that metaphor has been we’ll say “well used”. OK, starting over. For me, writing is like cleaning the toilet. There’s a whole process of avoidance and procrastination, followed by a session of whining (to myself), cleaning everything else in the bathroom around the toilet, and then finally I begrudgingly get down to business. Afterward, while staring down at my commode so sparkling that it would make Mr. Clean jealous, I always wonder what the big deal was. That’s what writing is like, except without bleach. |
| Chris | Writing is like dancing. First I have to ask for the dance, to convince you to spend a few pages with me. We move together, writer and reader, as my words connect with your interpretations. We share weight and support each other as we negotiate meaning, learn each others’ styles, play with tension, and surprise one another with the occasional flashy spin. That this dance can never be synchronous only deepens the game as we imagine each other across the text. When it’s done, we’ll each take away something new to share with our next partner. |
| Claire | Writing is like traveling to a foreign country. It can be confusing, exhilarating, adventurous, or boring. You never know what’s going to happen until you get started! Having a map is usually a good idea, but you’re not always lucky enough to have guidance. Dealing with surprises along the way can be pleasant and rejuvenating, but it’s more likely tedious and complicated. Either way, you can’t help but learn something new about yourself, and how you respond to challenges. Each time you travel you incorporate the lessons you have learned, and hope for a smoother journey! |
| Danbi | Writing is like drinking coffee. I don’t like to drink coffee. Actually, that’s not true. I can’t drink coffee because of its bitter taste. But, I have always enjoyed coffee through other mediums such as coffee ice-cream or frapppucinos. And now as I continue to drink coffee through different ways whether that is learning to mix the coffee with hot chocolate or to crave a more bitter taste when eating coffee ice cream, my taste buds are starting to enjoy the bitter taste. One time, I even drank a cup of coffee! (Even if it were an accidental order). The future date of when I can be one of those coffee drinkers is near. In the same way, writing is not always enjoyable from the very beginning. Even though you may enjoy other types of writing-our ice-creams and frappucinos- you still don’t like writing. For me, I didn’t like academic writing from the beginning, but I always enjoyed writing through other mediums such as reading or journaling. But, by constantly exposing yourself to writing, it will become a lot more enjoyable. To push the coffee analogy a bit further, just like how everybody has their own unique favorite of coffee, everybody has their own approach to writing. So, don’t let the bitter taste stop you, it’s time to go find our own “white chocolate mocha soy without the whipped cream”! |
| Gigi | Writing is like rock climbing. As I approach a climbing site (or a writing project), I have a goal, some tools and tricks, some experience, some enthusiasm, some trepidation. I study the rock for a while, figuring out how to approach it, and as I climb, there’s progress…and getting stuck and backtracking and rethinking (…and, I confess, some slipping and swearing and a bit of panic now and then). And there’s always a belayer—a fellow climber who can offer feedback from a very different perspective. And when it’s finished, there’s immense relief and satisfaction at the top. |
| Jessica | Writing is like making enchiladas. Before I get started, I have to figure out who I’m making them for. Some people like red sauce and some people like green sauce. My friend Emily is allergic to the red sauce—so it’s extra important that I accommodate her preference! Similarly, people have preferences about onions, olives, guacamole, spicy or not spicy, etc. Once I get a sense of what ingredients are “off limits,” I get to shop. Of course, this goes better if I write a list in advance—but sometimes I’m in a hurry or sometimes I forget the list at home. At some point in the process, I have to decide what level of “love” I’m going to put into the enchiladas. Am I going to make the sauce by hand—or just buy the Las Palmas? Am I going to shred the cheese myself—or buy the pre-shredded kind? There are a lot of factors that go into these choices. For example, I consider how much time I have to spend prepping and cooking; how each choice will influence the cost; and whether the extra work in the process is going to change the flavor of the enchiladas enough to warrant that added work. Every time I make enchiladas, I enact a ritual that I’ve performed thousands of times. And yet, each time I make them there is always something a little different. I have so many good memories attached to making and sharing enchiladas. However, sometimes I really have to talk myself into making them; I know how much work it takes to make them just right. Writing too, is a process that involves thinking about others; making choices about “ingredients” and time; doing the same thing, only slightly differently; and overcoming my need to get things just right so that I can just start. |
| Jordan | Writing is like a board game. Before you start, you have to know the rules, but even if the manual’s gone, the fun is in playing around. Every time is completely different, though initially the same, and with each move and turn, you plan. There’s a rhyme and reason for everything, but if there’s not, it’s purely luck how it turns out. Whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game, even if that means slapping away the pieces in frustration and pouring yourself a glass. But the game happens, and you choose to do it. You have that choice, so at least enjoy it. |
| Kari | Writing is like trying to solve a mystery. You’ve got a puzzle in front of you, and to solve it you need more than a simple answer – you also have to prove why your solution is right. So in order to figure out what’s going on, you collect evidence. Sometimes it’s clear what you need to do: find out what this thing means, research what that thing is, etc. And then sometimes you get stuck – all of your “clues” have been dead ends, you don’t know what to do now, and you end up going back to the beginning. |
| Katie | Writing is like playing hide-and-seek – without cheating. First, you spend practically an eternity sitting and staring at a blank screen or page because your mind insists you count to a billion while it hides all your ideas. Then when you feel you are finally done counting, you run around frantically, always looking in the craziest places first as you brainstorm and jot down even the most outlandish ideas. Eventually, you have to stop and think about the most logical place your ideas could have hidden. Soon, you fall into a rhythm and it becomes methodical as you discover the hiding places within the recesses of your mind and seek out all the important components to your paper. Of course, your ideas could still get jumbled as they all run to home base, but you’ll just have to begin counting again and start another round of the game. |
| Keren | Writing is like taking an unplanned road trip. You sort of know the general direction where you are heading, but are not quite sure how you will get there. You can go on a road trip alone, but it is much more fun to have companions in some locations on the way. You start your morning with a map and with the understanding of where you are and you slowly make your way towards the end of the day. It is not about getting somewhere; it is about the paths, roads, cafes and people that you meet along your route. I always feel that my writing is taking me to places I never knew existed. In the end I usually end up close to where I planned, but never in exactly the same place. |
| Kim | For me, writing is like grocery-shopping. It’s a familiar routine for which I have developed favorite strategies over time; yet each time, it’s a new experience with new needs, products, and timing to negotiate. I like having a list, and often do, although I’ve learned that making the list is its own exercise. I usually need to brainstorm menus, review what’s in the cupboards, and find out if my family’s cereal and lunch box preferences have changed. With list in hand, I tuck my cloth bags in the cart and wander up and down the aisles filling the cart. I revise my menu as I see what vegetables look good, what’s on sale, and what new ingredient I might like to experiment with this week. When there’s no time for a list, I wing it with a strategic scan of the shelves and a “reminder” march up every aisle to help me think through what we need. While grocery shopping is a chore, once I’m cruising the aisles, tasting the free samples, I enjoy the process of making choices and imagining the cooking ahead. |
| Marvin | Writing is like a snowball rolling down a snow covered mountain. At first, it seems that it may never amount to anything. However, as the snowball gains momentum, it begins to grow in size and increase speed. Then, it becomes capable of downing trees and unsettling even the most entrenched mounds of snow. Just as this snowball becomes destructive, writing becomes something capable of making waves and moving mountains. The power of an idea can be realized through effective writing. We just have to get through the initial confusion and haziness to gain the ability to have this drastic effect on ourselves and others. In short, writing is an often underestimated tool that has the power to do more than we perceive. |
| Olivenne | Writing is like directing a children’s musical. After the initial excitement of selecting the perfect musical or writing topic the real journey begins. In both projects all elements must fit to together and it is important consider the needs and expectations of the audience. And, of course, there are the roadblocks– children forget their lines and refuse to attend rehearsals. In the writing process sometimes you get stuck. Despite the challenges, even before the final project is presented I’m bursting with new ideas ready to begin the next journey. |
| Percival | Writing is like visiting Los Angeles. For tourists, there are plenty of places to visit, but it’s impossible to do everything in one trip. For natives, only a few hotspots are frequented. Although those places may have similar attractions or are relatively close to each other, driving is unavoidable. For tourists, this means hours of traffic, possibly gridlock. For natives, this means using a variety of strategies: avoiding rush hour, using the carpool lane, or taking a side street. After arriving at the destination, even more decisions present themselves. Tourists are likely to overspend, trapped by superficial attractions. Natives know how to weigh decisions to make economic choices, while at the same time take some risks. At the end of the trip, some tourists will never return, while other tourists may come back. With each trip, returning tourists will find and learn something new. Over time, these tourists will be indistinguishable from natives. |
| Russell | Writing is like cooking. Anyone can learn. Everyone can improve. Books and friends can provide helpful tips, but learning to cook requires regular time in the kitchen, even when I’m tired. Sometimes what I cook isn’t very good. That’s okay. I just throw it out, learn from my mistakes, and try again the next day. It’s good to make cooking social, sharing the product with others as well as cooking with friends and family. Sometimes I make a big mess and then clean it up at the end; sometimes I tidy as I go. It’s better if I’m not rushed, but sometimes I’m running late and just need to get dinner in the oven before guests arrive, so I sprint to the finish line. Some tools are essential for any cook, others only useful for particular styles. Too few ingredients is bland; too many is an overwhelming mess of flavors. |
| Sam | Writing is like… planning an event. You might be assigned the task, or take it on for fun. Either way, the first step is to narrow down your purpose: what’s your topic? Why are you gathering people, or telling them the information you’re about to relay. Then address the audiences: who is this for, and what does that imply for my event? Is this for my professor, or a conference audience? Will my grandma, who surely cares about my tone, be there? Or is this strictly for friends, meaning informal speech is to be expected. What mood do I want to set for my paper? Is it a formal reception or a casual picnic? Then comes the planning! What are the elements I need to include (outline), why am I having the party (thesis statement), and when do I need to have it done by? Working backwards from the deadline, you can plan, act, and adjust as many times as necessary. But once party time comes, you have to let the planning go, trust all of your preparation, and relax and enjoy the results of your hard work! |
| Sarah | Writing is like getting somewhere. If I have a lot of energy and feel confident about where I’m going, I might propel myself off the ground to run, jump, or leap! But most of the time, I walk, each step leading to the next. I could change direction with any step, but if the paths are familiar, paved, or well-worn by the steps of others, I hardly notice the steps I’m taking. Other times, when I think I’ve found a short cut, or I’ve decided to take the scenic route, or I want to explore new territory, I go off the path. At these times, I might think about each and every place I set my foot. At the end, my steps create a new path for my reader to follow, and if I haven’t left too many obstacles, crossroads, and empty expanses, we’ll meet at around the same spot. |
| Vicki | Writing is like making a piece of pottery. I have all kinds of ideas about what I’d like to create, and I can spend hours daydreaming about what a beautiful bowl or plate or vase I’ll have when I’m done—but at some point I have to sit down with a big, slimy lump of wet clay and get to work. Bending over the wheel can be tiring, and it’s discouraging when an almost-finished piece collapses in a heap. After the basic form has dried, it’s time for my favorite part—decorating and glazing it in preparation for the final firing. I have to remember to leave myself enough time to get the details just right—it may take several tries to make a good handle for a mug or find an appealing combination of glazes. The object I end up with may not match my vision perfectly, but it’s usually functional, and sometimes it’s even kind of pretty. |
| Virginia | Writing is like learning to play a difficult piece of music on the piano. I usually have some idea of how the piece will sound, so after gathering all the tools I need—the printed music, a pencil, and other musicians’ recordings of the song—I sit down at the keyboard and work through it from beginning to end. After I finish a (very) rough “draft” I work carefully on each section, adding my own musical interpretation before stringing it all together again. Finally, I polish the whole piece to make what I hope is a beautiful song. |