What to Expect During a Writing Consultation

The writing consultants look forward to working with you to improve your writing. To help you get the most out of your drop-in session or appointment, we would like to offer the following suggestions:

  • When possible, make an appointment ahead of time.
  • You do not need a full draft in order to schedule a consultation. Our consultants are eager to help you at any stage of a writing project—from generating ideas to organizing your thoughts and from integrating research to polishing style.
  • For class assignments, be ready to share a copy of the assignment and any notes or comments your professor has provided for you.
  • If you do have a draft, be prepared to read it out loud. Reading aloud helps you identify areas needing revision that you might not notice when you are reading silently to yourself.
  • Plan to work on no more than 5 pages of writing per consultation session. 30-minute consultations that address smaller excerpts of writing are likely to be more useful than longer sessions. If you are working on a longer project, we encourage you to sign up for multiple appointments before the assignment is due.
  • If you are interested in working with a consultant on a longer project (such as comp chapters or seminar papers), you may want to consider signing up for a matched consultation.
  • Get excited to learn something new! Writing consultants don’t “correct” or “proofread” your papers; rather, they teach you strategies and skills that will help you become a better writer. Each time you visit a consultant, you will learn strategies that can help you improve upon your work as a writer.