When we think of “a writer,” we often imagine a person working in a solitary room, surrounded by books and papers, fueled only by the power of her ideas. But in reality, most writers, most of the time, work best by talking with others about their work. In particular, our peer group — those who are working alongside us on similar assignments and projects — can sharpen our writing, researching, and learning goals. The Writing Center provides just that: a gathering place where student writers work with other student writers in a supportive, teaching-driven, environment.

We believe that writing isn’t just about one particular paper or assignment, but a life-long learning process. For this reason, our focus is on you, the writer, rather than the paper. In a tutoring session, for instance, we are less concerned about “fixing” the paper, and more invested in teaching you solid writing techniques and practices that you can continue to use long after the session has ended. In short, we want to help you strengthen your voice, your ideas, and your personal writing process.

Our writing services are tailored and adjusted to meet your particular concerns. We can work on writing in your coursework, or for any other type of writing you wish to bring — cover letters, resumes, scholarship essays, or creative writing. We do not use standard lessons or worksheets; instead, we try to work with you and your specific assignment/project so that you get exactly what you need. You don’t have to have anything written, either: we can work with you at all stages of the writing process — from brainstorming to final revisions. Our center is multilingual: we tutor written work in both English and Spanish.

Because reading is often part of the writing process, we also offer reading support in English and Spanish at the Writing Center. Reading strategies we used in high school, in our jobs, and recreationally may not always be best suited for the kinds — and quantities — of reading we are asked to do in our undergraduate and graduate courses at Temple. As with writing, developing strategic and effective reading skills is a lifelong process, and reading for one course or major may require a fairly distinct skill set from other courses or majors. Bring in an article or other text to your session, and together we can explore strategies tailored to your reading goals.      

See the links on the left for detailed descriptions of the services we offer. These services are open to all currently enrolled Temple University undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of college or degree program. All services are free of charge.

For general information about the Writing Center, contact Stephen Kelly.