Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Meet the Staff: Paul

Name: Paul Sims




Major: Adult Education
Year: Second year masters degree candidate

What do you like doing best in your spare time? I like to hang out with my wife and daughter. We laugh a lot and have a great time more often than not.

Whats the best advice anyone has ever given you about writing?

Dont self-edit. Alice Sullivan, a book editor I know. I think this advice can be applied in just about every form of writing when you are just trying to get words on the paper. Dont second-guess yourself at the start. Push past the fear and say whats on your mind and heart. Let the editing take place later.

What has been the most rewarding part of your job at the Miller Writing Center?

I truly love light-bulb moments – times when clients begin to catch their own mistakes, or make some other form of improvement without my direct guidance.

 Is there anything challenging about your job in the Writing Center? If so, what is it?

Sometimes, its letting go when I dont think I got through to or connected with a client; Im left wondering if there was something more I could have done. 

When and where do you work at the MWC?:

I work in the Learning Resources Center in 3408 Haley Center from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays.

If you had a super power that you could only use in the Writing Center, what would it be and why?

Like Spider-Man shoots webs, I would like to turn up my wrist and sling a net of confidence over my clients; not so much that they become impossible to live with, but just enough to get them over their most common and damaging fears, and it would liberate, not shackle.

Any good music recommendations?


Ive been a longtime fan of the Canadian rock trio Rush. I deeply admire their professionalism, craftsmanship, and integrity. They frequently test the limits of their own creativity and skill. They can do this because a long time ago, they let the world know they would not compromise who they were and what they wanted to do. Permanent Waves is a great starting album.

- Paul

0 comments:

Post a Comment