Successful Semester of Writing

1. Planning a Successful
Semester of Writing
Summer 2015 Brought to you by the
UMKC Writing Studio
http://medium.com

3. Take 5 to Reflect on your
Writing Process
 What are your thoughts, fears,
emotions, and beliefs about writing?
About your own writing ability?
 Discussion

4. Common Reactions to Writing
When thinking about college writing now, do
you feel…
O Anxiety
O Excitement
O Boredom
O Daunting
O Overwhelming

5. Consider…
O What caused these mindsets?

6. O What are the rules of writing an essay?
O Brainstorm
O Write on whiteboard

7. Writing can also…
O Inspire
O Generate more ideas
O Teach you about yourself
O Improve your mood
O Generate more opportunities
O Improve grades

8. Adopting Writing-Friendly
Habits
O Keep a journal.
O Write creatively.
O Read for pleasure as well as for class.
O Be mindful, curious, and aware.
O Find a peaceful place to work.
O Don’t be afraid to try new things or make
mistakes.
O Start!

9. Adopting Academic-Writing Friendly Habits:
Generating Ideas
• Connect to what you write about.
• Passion and interest are first steps to great writing.
• Read widely in your field.
• Read as a writer.
• Identify techniques the author uses to persuade
you.
• Reflect on class concepts and keep notes on your
reactions.
• Make an idea web, brainstorm, or free-write.

10. Adopting Academic-Writing
Friendly Habits:
The Assignment
O Familiarize yourself with your discipline and your
professor’s expectations.
O Know what your strengths and weaknesses are as a writer.
O Use an outline
O An organized visual of your thought process
O Research in advance.
O Keep notes on sources.
O Redrafting is key.
O You are not your first draft

11. Adopting Academic-Writing Friendly Habits:
The Assignment Continues
OSeek feedback early
O Professors, classmates, and the Writing
Studio
OWhat works best for you?
O Do you think then write, or write then
think? Both?

12. Adopting Academic-Writing
Friendly Habits:
Keeping Stress to a Minimum
O Identify your expectations for the semester.
O Set specific goals and timelines based on:
O Assignment due dates
O Class
O Work
O Exercise/Yoga/Stretching
O Extracurricular activities
O Family, friends, etc.

13. Keeping Stress to a Minimum
O Take breaks to rejuvenate your mind.
O Live a balanced life.
O Visit the MindBody Connection on Campus
(Downstairs @ Atterbury Student Student
Success Center.)

14. Writing Reaps Many Benefits
• Therapeutic effects
• Positive health effects
• Improves executive functions of the Brain
• Promotes Creativity
• Promotes Reading, Speaking, and Listening
skills
• Helps in all classes and in life

15. Reflect on and Share Your
Writing
O Encourages Ownership
O Encourages Reflection
O Concludes a process, makes a full circle
O Encourages more writing
O Expands your social network.
O Keeps you up-to-date within your field.

16. Ideas on where to share:
O Undergraduate English Council Spring
Symposium
O Undergraduate English Council Poetry Readings
O Submit to campus journals: The Sosland,
Dossier, Number One
O Participate in Creative Writing Wednesdays on
The Writing Studio social media.
O Visit your academic field’s homepage to find
more options

17. This is the Semester that I will
Learn how to…
O Identify 3 ways in which you want to improve and
practice your writing this summer.
O What are some first steps to accomplish your goals?
O Productivity Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd7wAithl7I&list=
PLzm2lHmtOJLtZxmRH-v7yo30UYEIZrdz8&index=2

18. Writing Prompt
O Tribe prompt