Writing Center Staff - St. Norbert College

Writing Center Staff

		Laura Neary Adjunct Assistant Professor of English Interim Director of the Writing Center Location: James B. and Miriam J. Mulva Library Room: 303 Phone: (920) 403-3754 Fax: (920) 403-4076 laura.neary@snc.edu Advice for writers: Spend the time to formulate a good thesis, but don't be afraid to change it if you discover it isn't right. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Once I have a solid thesis, I jump right to the body of the essay and worry about creating my introduction later. What I write in my essay's body can often inspire my introduction in ways I couldn't imagine earlier in the process.				Mara Aparnieks Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2012 Major: Education Minor: Spanish Advice for Writers: When you first start writing your paper, don't worry about every sentence being perfect. Just write, write, write. Any problems can be fixed later in the editing process. How do you get started on a writing assignment? If I have no idea where to start a paper, I make giant list of all my ideas and points I think I should include in the paper. This usually helps me to think about what I want my main points to be when I see the similarities between my ideas. Then, I just start writing!

		Jenn Barrette Junior; Consultant since Fall 2012 Major: English Minor: History Advice for writers: Be passionate about your topic! Try to think of writing as a way of expressing your ideas to other people--if you think of it as just a dumb assignment, you'll find yourself unwilling to put forth much effort, and the quality of the writing will suffer. If you don't agree with the topic, share your opinion--don't be afraid of venturing into the unknown. Your reader will appreciate it! How do you get started on a writing assignment? I make to take detailed notes on the required material. Compiling notes from inside and outside of class always helps me to develop fresh ideas and new perspectives that I know no one else will have.				Maria Dzurik Senior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: Biology Advice for Writers: Don't put writing off until the last minute. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I always start out with a detailed plan, where I write my thesis and find all my evidence. Once my plan is finished, I use that as a guide to write my paper.

		Kari Fritsch Senior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: English; Theater Design Advice for Writers: Start working on your paper early and read it out loud. You'll be able to see any interruptions in flow in your paper much more easily. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I work on my thesis until I am confident in it before gatherin research and outlining. Sometimes, I need to edit my thesis due to my research.				Rachel Gintner Junior; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: English Minor: Religious Studies Studying Abroad Fall 2012 Advice for Writers: Eliminate all 'is's and 'are's; instead of blanket statements, focus on making the verb more descriptive of the message you are sending. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I mostly focus on the opening paragraph by pointing out a controversial topic so that paper is unique.

		Colin Herzog Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2012 Major: English Minor: Communications Advice for Writers: Try and get started on a paper shortly after it’s assigned; after all, you’re going to need time to get those revisions in—as I’ve learned, the first draft will always have room for improvement! How do you get started on a writing assignment? First I figure out what your thesis is and what your main points are (an outline of some kind will be helpful here), then I typically try and hunt down the information to back up my points; if I can’t find enough, I revamp; rinse, dry, and repeat until I feel I have enough to get started.				Maria Howe Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2012 Major: Religious studies Minor: Peace and Justice Advice for Writers: If you're having trouble starting out, just try to throw an idea on the paper. It can be the most vague thing you've ever articulated. A good writer doesn't always know where his or her paper is going when they get started. What makes a writer good is the willingness to edit, and then edit, and then edit some more. Your first inklings trickling out onto the page don't have to be full sentences, or be dazzling, or even make sense. This might seem like the barest of bones, but you have to give your ideas the time and nonjudgemental space to blossom. You might be surprised at the quality of work you can come up with if you just give yourself a chance! How do you get started on a writing assignment? When I start a writing assignment I get as comfortable as possible. As strange as it sounds, my writing process begins by physically setting myself up for success. I make sure that I'm not hungry or thirsty. I make sure that I have nearby access to a bathroom. I set the stage for writing a good paper by setting up my battle-station in a comfortable area with virtually everything I would need to write this particular paper. Not only does this odd ritual put me in the mood for writing, but it minimizes any distractions and puts every resource I need at my fingertips. Let's be honest, how much quality work are you really going to get done if you're hungry, thirsty, tired, and constantly coming up with excuses as to why you can't write a good paper?

		Ashley Kennan Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2012 Major: English/Secondary Education Advice for writers: Make sure your support always connects back to your thesis, and don't be afraid to edit. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I make a rough outline and try to get some initial thoughts down on paper. When I finally do begin my paper, I have something tangible I can reference and my ideas are that much stronger than if I just began writing.				Rachel Koltz Junior; Consultant since Fall 2012 Major: Biology/Biomedical Science Advice for writers: Give yourself enough time! Often first drafts are not our best work. If you give yourself enough time, you have room to add new ideas that may be better than ones that you started with. You also will catch easy mistakes that could cause a downfall if they are undetected. How do you get started on a writing assignment? List all of the things that you know about a topic before writing about it. It is often easier to write about a topic that you know a lot about versus a topic that you will eventually get stuck on later. Also, when you are writing about what you know, the process seems more efficient and easier.

		Miles Lamensky Senior; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: Computer Science; Philosophy Advice for Writers: Be confident. There's no need to get discouraged. Writing is a complex subject matter but still remains an art. Express your voice through your words and the paper will have the necessary personal feel. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I try multiple approaches to my first paragraph as it sets the tone for the entire paper. I force myself to sit down with no time limit; the only objective is to finish the first paragraph and the rest will flow.				Megan Monahan Junior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: Political Science; History with an emphasis in Middle Eastern history Advice for Writers: Always make a plan before you begin writing and take periodic breaks to re-read what you've written to make sure it's coherent and flows. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Have a plan and do all research well in advance. Have your notes organized.

		Monica Platten Senior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: English;Spanish Advice for Writers: Write what you believe or are passionate about. Don't write something if you don't believe it. Also, don't procrastinate! Start on assignments ASAP. Even if it's just a little bit each day. Really. Procrastination will kill you. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I usually try to think everything through in my head before I start writing. But that never quite works, so after I can gather some thoughts around my main ideas, I write an outline. After my initial outline, my best ideas usually come when I'm laying in bed, or in the shower. So if I get stuck, sometimes I do one of those two things.				Hannah Schmitt Senior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: English/Women's and Gender Studies Advice for Writers: Get as much input as you can for your writing but remember that not all advice is good advice. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Re-read the assignment sheet, re-read the work, and start thinking about any parts that either interest or don't fully make sense to you.

		Katharine Stel Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2012 Major: English Minor: Religious Studies Advice for Writers: Try to make stronger verb choices and avoid using "is" and "are" too frequently. Using more powerful verbs makes your writing stronger and the meaning clearer. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I try to come up with a list of main ideas and look for frequently recurring themes or patterns, then formulate a thesis. Usually I end up revising my thesis somewhat after doing some research and finding support.				Carrie Trina Junior; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: Biology; Secondary Education Minor: English Advice for Writers: When writing a paper, remember who your audience is and always try to connect with them. This will make your paper more interesting. Writing is just like any other form of communication so let your personality shine through. How do you get started on a writing assignment? When I start a piece of writing, I like to decide on my main point before doing anything else. Then, I outline my paper, including details that support my main point. I use this to guide me as I write.

		Sasha Zwiefelholfer Junior; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: International Business Minor: Spanish Studying Abroad Fall 2012 Advice for Writers: Care about your topic. There's almost always a way that you can put a spin on your topic so that you're writing about something that you're interested in. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Just start writing; you can always go back and fix what you wrote. It's not absolutely necessary to start with your introduction.				Tara Lovdahl Junior; Consultant since Spring of 2013 Major: English with a Creative Writing Emphasis 2nd Major: Fine Arts Advice for Writers: Organizing your argument is critical, so don't be afraid to approach this process from multiple perspectives. I like outlines, but writing with different colored pens, putting thoughts on notecards so they can be easily rearranged, and expressing ideas aloud to others are just a few ways to gain some confidence in your argument. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I try to find a thesis I can support and then once I have some reasons to enforce it, I focus on strong quotes to insert into my paper. Once I have all these elements of my paper together it's just a matter of disciplining myself to write so I have something to redraft and revise.