As we enter the new semester and are faced with a host of new experiences and challenges, writing can become a key strategy to help cope with stress. Getting your thoughts onto the page can be hugely beneficial in a number of ways, and help support your mental health as you adjust to new situations. … Continue reading Ways to Get the Benefits of Writing
We at the Writing Center know that writing is not always something you do alone. VCU offers clubs for writers to engage with peers to discuss writing in fun and stress-free ways outside of the classroom. Maybe you’re minoring in creative writing or you’re an engineering student who doesn’t want to give up writing. The … Continue reading VCU Creative Writing Club
Oftentimes when I speak to writers who are struggling, they mention how much life can get in the way of their writing. “I just can’t get into the groove!” they say. The Emperor's New Groove (2000) And they aren’t alone. Sometimes writing itself isn’t difficult, but the circumstances around it — work, limited time, energy … Continue reading Building a Writing Routine
Anyone who has tried writing knows that it can be hard. And that goes for any type of writing; an academic essay or scientific thesis, a creative piece, or that novel you’ve been chugging away at. No matter the genre, any writer is likely to lose steam or hit writer's block at some point during … Continue reading Gamifying Writing
This is part 2 of a blog series. Click here to check out part 1, which is about overcoming perfectionism in writing. Have you ever sat down to write an argumentative research paper and had no idea how to proceed? You’re not worried about finding the ‘perfect’ word choice (i.e. how to write), but you … Continue reading Overcoming Barriers to Writing: Part 2 – A Lack of Content
This is the second part of a two part listicle. Click here to read the first part, which explores the process of creating a research problem, finding sources, and structuring your writing. 4. Writing about research Once you’ve determined the direction of your research and collected a solid foundation of knowledge, it’s time to dive … Continue reading Research Writing: The Listicle (Part 2)
Have you ever sat down to start a paper and been frozen in place, unable to type a single sentence? You know your content and the argument you’re going to make, but you can’t bring yourself to type anything. What stops you from writing? For many of us, the pressure for our writing to ‘sound … Continue reading Overcoming Barriers to Writing: Part 1 – Perfectionism
Okay, picture it: the week before that big paper, or essay, or creative piece is due. It’s probably late at night and your computer is far too bright in your face. You have to revise this paper or essay or whatever. You want to revise it, but the Writing Center is, sadly, closed and your … Continue reading Solo Revision Tips
Before my freshman year of college, I knew I wanted to study psychology. I had always been interested in behavior and emotion, and I felt most drawn to the discipline’s eclectic blend of theory, science, and unanswered questions. I was not, however, drawn to the world of psychological research. I felt I had fought my … Continue reading Research Writing: The Listicle (Part 1)
Qualifications: So, you have a bachelor’s degree or you are about to graduate. The first qualification to the next step in your journey is being poked with 20 questions: What’s next for you? Have you found a job? Are you going to graduate school? These are the stressful questions from family members, friends, or coworkers … Continue reading Job Title: To be Determined
Author’s note: This is part one of a short series about how I overcome creative dread. The piece is a bit abstract, but I’ve inserted my inner thoughts (italic type) to create transparency. I hope there is something within that you can use for yourself. If not, that’s okay, too. I’ve led enough writing process … Continue reading On Creative Dread and Trusting my Process: Part I
Imagine you’re a detective. A local citizen has hired you to solve a problem: One of her neighbors has been yodeling loudly in the street every night for the last week. She wants your help to figure out who the culprit is, so she gives you a list of neighbors to question. One of the … Continue reading Research in the Right Direction
With a new semester underway, there are undoubtedly lots of to-dos requiring your energy and attention. Check out the conclusion to our series on rest to find some relaxing and restorative activities to help you take care of yourself this school year. If you’ve read our previous two posts on rest (Rest for the Restless; … Continue reading 19 Ways to Rest Actively
If you read our last blog post on rest, welcome to part two! We've talked about the importance of rest—why we need it and why it's hard. Now, we want to discuss why rest sometimes feels evasive even when we have an abundance of downtime. The truth is, it's easy to have the illusion of … Continue reading True vs. False Rest
“Tired.” That’s been my routine answer to the standard greeting of “how are you?” We ask that question by default, even if we don’t expect an authentic or complex answer. How about you? Are you tired? Despite the fact that most of us spent the last year in our homes, rest seems evasive. As one … Continue reading Rest for the Restless
Dress up your writing, I still remember my seventh grade writing teacher telling us. That afternoon, I sat in Panera with my mom as she helped me write my next three paragraph essay, filling the page with “interesting” word choices and “vivid” descriptions. You may know those literary and academic buzzwords, the ones designed to … Continue reading You’re Not Here to Prove Yourself: Overcoming Academic Perfectionism
from the writing center at virginia commonwealth university 