The Writing Centre
Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, the Writing Centre welcomes you to book an appointment and receive feedback from a tutor. We offer assistance and peer-to-peer conversations at any stage of the writing process: understanding an assignment, generating ideas, creating an outline, developing clear and strong arguments, researching and citing sources, revising for grammar and punctuation, and developing other writing-related skills.
Our goal is to encourage students to realize their strengths, question and understand their writing choices, build relationships, discover their authentic voice, and recognize all forms of improvement in the ongoing, imperfect process of writing!
We offer in-person (face-to-face) appointments in OM 1411, as well as online appointments: synchronous (video call) and asynchronous (email feedback).
- Location: OM 1411 view on map
- Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Note: The office is open until Wed. Apr. 30 for the Winter semester, and our office will reopen on Monday, May 12 for the summer semester. - Phone: 250-852-7673
- Email: [email protected]
In the Writing Centre, we are actively working towards decolonizing academic writing processes and spaces. Part of this includes acknowledging – and pushing back against – the impacts of colonialism and systemic/institutional racism. Drawing inspiration from Chavez (2021), we seek to listen, to focus on relationships, to inspire students to develop their authentic voice, to diversify our resources and our thinking about writing structures, and to redefine what “improvement” or “success” looks like in writing. We also consider the words or language we use carefully: as writing centre tutors and staff, we recognize the power – and danger – of words. Acknowledging territory in a way that is meaningful is important…as long as it is tied to action. We hope this spoken word poem (arguably, a format that is the antithesis of “academic” (read: white, mainstream) writing) land acknowledgement encourages YOU to think about language, your positionality and responsibility…and popping into the TRU Writing Centre to say hello!
Winter 2025 Workshops and Events
| Title | Date | Content |
|
Understanding and Managing Procrastination |
Thurs. Feb. 27, 3:00 to 4:30 |
Please join Counsellor Mark Zhang for a workshop on understanding and managing procrastination. Students will learn strategies that will benefit their lives at TRU…and beyond! |
|
Creative Writing Friday TAKEOVER! Playwriting Tips with Chris Lindsay |
Fri. Feb. 28, 1:00 to 2:00 |
Please join Writing Centre Support Specialist and playwright Chris Lindsay for a guest takeover of Creative Writing Fridays! Chris will share his experiences writing plays and having them performed. |
|
Procrastination Awareness Week (PAW) |
March 3 to 7 |
Monday, March 3 – Friday, March 7 is Procrastination Awareness Week (PAW)! Join this FREE national event and connect with students and faculty from across Canada for inspiring keynote presentations, study halls, and daily workshops on time management and planning, procrastination and motivation, learning strategies, academic integrity and citation, the writing process, and wellness! Register here for the event. |
|
Become an APA champion in 50 minutes |
Fri. Mar. 7, 10:00 to 11:00 |
As part of Procrastination Awareness Week (PAW), join Writing Centre Coordinator Jenna Goddard for a virtual APA workshop. Register for this FREE national, week-long event here and join the APArty! |
|
Creative Writing Friday Theme: “The found poem (or prose)” |
Fri. Mar. 7, 1:00 to 2:00 |
Participants will draw inspiration from words or phrases they find in (provided) magazines and books to write in the genre of their choice! |
|
Creative Writing Friday TAKEOVER! Rewriting the Narrative with Counsellor Kristin Robinson |
Fri. Mar. 14, 1:00 to 2:00 |
Please join Counsellor Kristin Robinson for a guest takeover over Creative Writing Fridays! Kristin will share strategies for using creative writing and self compassion to reauthor some of our stories; participants will have the opportunity to apply these strategies through reflective writing. Laughter and sparkles guaranteed! |
|
Understanding and Managing Procrostination |
Thurs. Mar. 20, 3:00 to 4:30 |
Please join Counsellor Mark Zhang for a workshop on understanding and managing procrastination. Students will learn strategies that will benefit their lives at TRU…and beyond! |
|
Creative Writing Friday Theme: “Superpowers” |
Fri. Mar. 21, 1:00 to 2:00 |
What is your (or a character’s) “superpower”? How do you (or they) use it? What is the cost? How do you (or they) recharge? |
|
Creative Writing Friday Theme: “Finding inner peace” |
Fri. Mar. 28, 1:00 to 2:00 |
Participants will begin by listening to a guided meditation by TRU Chaplain, Venerable Gawa Khandro. Following this time of meditation, participants will write to the following prompts invoking their senses. |
|
Creative Writing Friday Theme: “Forever bonds” |
Fri. Apr. 4, 1:00 to 2:00 |
Some connections last forever. Sometimes these bonds are meaningful, positive connections; other times, they are created from shared wounds. Explore a “forever bond”, either positive or negative, that you (or a character) are impacted by. |
Creative Writing Fridays
- Calling all creative writers! During the Winter 25 semester, we have drop-in creative writing sessions. No registration required.
- Fridays from 1:00 to 2:00 pm (Jan. 10 to Apr. 4)
- Join a community of fellow writers for tea, snacks, and encouragement! Students will have the opportunity to write to a prompt, work on their own writing projects, and receive feedback.
What students can expect from the Writing Centre
The Writing Centre acknowledges that the writing process is "an inherently imperfect, ongoing process fraught with insecurity" (Chavez, 2021, p. 172).
Writing Centre tutors are trained to:
- ask questions
- listen carefully
- highlight your strengths
- encourage you to build your writing skills by providing explanations, examples, and resources
- avoid "editing" or "correcting" an entire paper
News (RSS Feed)
Embracing process over perfectionism
Writing Centre tutor Kayla Oerlemans argues that progression is far more important than perfection.
Read more
Co-op not just career shaping, it’s life changing
Mackenzie Warner, a third-year student in the Bachelor of Arts program, discusses the power and potential of co-op.
Read more
Beyond the screen: Why face-to-face tutoring matters
Palmer Vaughn from the Writing Centre reflects on the efficacy of in-person learning versus artificial intelligence.
Read more
Academic centre fosters sense of community for students
Tutor Mercedes Settle shares how the Writing Centre became her favourite place on campus.
Read more