Writing Studio Provides Writing Resources for Students
Jasper Everingham | December 6, 2023
This time of year — with classes coming to a close and finals rapidly approaching — can be an academically daunting time for students at Warren Wilson College (WWC). However, the members of WWC’s Writing Studio Crew are committed to being a resource to anyone looking for feedback on what they have written.
Located on the library’s lower floor, the writing studio is open afternoons and evenings almost every day: 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Writing Studio Crew supervisor Julie Wilson said that the crew is multifaceted and diverse in its approach to supporting writers on campus
“We [provide feedback for] research-based writing and creative writing, and we try to do events and publications and just meeting with people one-on-one,” Wilson said. “The crew is always trying to think of creative ways to do outreach and get out in the community and see what people want from their writing studio and how we can be the most relevant support for students.”
Photo by Maya Bartleson.
Wilson added that a student looking to meet with someone from the writing studio has three options: an in-person appointment in the writing studio, a synchronous virtual appointment (where they meet online with someone from the writing studio) or an asynchronous virtual appointment (where they send in a draft and receive written feedback at a later date).
Moth Emrick, a senior on the Writing Studio Crew and a creative writing major, said that the Writing Studio Crew works with what their writers need at every step of the way.
“It's very writer-lead,” Emrick said. “They [the writer] will come in and say ‘I'm at this stage of the process’, we help with…brainstorming, [anywhere from] ‘I got this assignment sheet and I don't know what to do’, to ‘I have my paper, I have all my sources, I have everything that I need to do, I just want another pair of eyes to look over it’ and everywhere in between.”
Emrick and Wilson both added that they feel like more people would visit the writing studio if they knew what it was and how to take advantage of the help it offers. Wilson said that a lack of confidence is one factor that can make people hesitant to come to the writing studio.
“I think some people feel hesitant to come because they, especially people who might feel like they need support with writing, might feel embarrassed about their writing,” Wilson said. “But in reality, I think everybody can benefit from having someone read over their work [and] give it a second set of eyes. So we try to get the word out that the writing studio is for everyone. If you are more shy about your work, you could submit a draft for written feedback rather than meeting face to face.”
Conversely and perhaps paradoxically, Emrick said that she feels like overconfidence among writers is one contributing factor to people not visiting the writing studio.
“I'd really love to see more creative writers come in and get help,” Emrick said. “I wonder how many of them are like ‘Oh, well, I'm a writing major, right? I'm good at writing, I don't need to come into the writing studio. That's for like freshmen or whatever.’ And that's just not true.”
In the end, Emrick and Wilson both urged people to schedule a time to get feedback regardless of how they feel about their work. Emrick added that it is better to sign up sooner rather than later as the writing studio’s times operate on a first-come, first-serve basis and there tends to be an influx of sign-ups around midterms and finals.
Wilson emphasized that the writing studio is a place for everyone on campus to use, whether they are actively receiving writing support from the crew or not.
“We want people to feel comfortable using the space,” Wilson said. “People can come in the morning and early afternoon and just hang out and do their work here, it's a very nice space. We have lots of natural light and we have a tea kettle if people want to bring tea.”