MARIAN E. WRIGHT WRITING CENTER

Serving students and faculty since 1971

Lists Are Great: Pre-writing for the organization-phobic

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

I admire organized people.  I really do.  They have planners and charts and spreadsheets and pay their bills on time, and generally seem to have their stuff together.  That’s probably pretty cool.  I am not an organized person, so I wouldn’t know.  I spend a lot of my time at the ragged edge of disaster,

What the heck is “The First Five Minutes”?

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

If you’ve been to UM-Flint’s Marian E. Wright writing center before, you might be aware that the tutor will often ask you about your day or about the assignment before we begin going over the paper. Why do we do this? At the writing center, we call this “The First Five Minutes”. The First Five

Spooktacular Flash Fiction Contest Short Story Winner

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

We would like to congratulate Ronan Streby for their winning short story, as part of our Spooktacular Flash Fiction contest! “The Coldwater Incident,” by Ronan Streby My Dad never liked 4th of July much. While everyone else ate barbeque and blew stuff up, he mostly just sat inside and read. He’d never say why, just

Spooktacular Flash Fiction Poetry Contest Winner!

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

We would like to congratulate Meghan Bleck for her winning poem, as part of our Spooktacular Flash Fiction contest! Looming, by Meghan Bleck It lurks in the shadowsIt disturbs all my peaceIt strangles me with silenceIt torments like a beast. The sounds it makes both trouble and startle Hitching my breath, was that a gurgle?

Writing Resources: Thesis Statements and Research

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

Hello! Are you struggling to write a clear thesis statement? Are you trying to figure out how to collect, organize, and make sense of all your research?  The Writing Center has two great resources for you! Visit our Writing Resources and Tips page for two great handouts: Thesis Statement Generator Tip Sheet Information Management Chart Each of

Finding Your Resources

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

For as long as I can remember I have never had a problem with my writing. I would always excel in my English classes growing up and I never felt like I had a problem with how I structured my papers or how I got my information. When I hit my junior year at the

Creative Writing Hacks

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

How many of us have stared at a blank computer screen, desperately willing the words to flow effortlessly from our brains to the page? And how many of us, resigned, are forced to admit that it only rarely works that way?  Inspiration strikes without warning. It’s fickle and capricious, coming and going randomly. It’s impossible

The importance of expression

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

Sometimes, things are hard. Especially right now, when we’re all self-isolated due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. As we all know, in tough situations like this, it’s sometimes difficult to process our thoughts and emotions. I would argue, however, an effective way to do this is creative writing. There are no constraints in creative writing,

Love Stinks Writing Contest Short Story Winner

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

We want to congratulate Carmelle-Arianna Roanski, who wrote the winning short story for our 6th Annual Love Stinks Writing Contest! I Was Culpable By Carmelle-Arianna Rozanski “What do you think?” I’m cognizant enough to recognize that a question had been asked. As to whether I care? “Yeah, that sounds like a good plan.” I don’t.