Meet the Staff: Paul

Name: Paul Sims

Major: Adult Education

Year: Second year master’s 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.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you about writing?

“Don’t 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. Don’t second-guess yourself at the start. Push past the fear and say what’s 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, it’s letting go when I don’t think I got through to or connected with a client; I’m 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?

I’ve 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

Continue Reading

Meet the Staff Monday: Jake Clawson

Consultant: Jake Clawson

Major:  PhD in History

Year: 3rd year

What do you like doing best in your spare time?  
I ran college cross country and track when I was an undergraduate, so I still enjoy going out and running every day.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you about writing?
The first thing that comes to mind is Hemingway’s line about “the first draft of anything,” but that’s probably a little too crass for the blog.  So, I’ll go with the second best piece of writing advice anyone has ever given me.  I had turned in a book review for a class during my first semester of graduate school, and next to my summary of the author’s argument my professor wrote, “Get to the point.”  It was the best advice I’ve ever gotten because it was so blunt that I’ll never forget it, and because I think being clear and concise are the marks of a good writer (at least for writing history).

What has been the most rewarding part of your job at the Miller Writing Center?  
I’ve really enjoyed getting to work with writers from a variety of disciplines.  Obviously, I’ve worked with a lot of the freshmen in the composition classes, and that’s been fun.  Also, though, I’ve enjoyed working with other graduate students who are in disciplines much different from my own, like business and science.  I learn something new every time, and I get to talk to other people about how they go through the writing process.

Is there anything challenging about your job? If so, what is it?
Working with science writing.  I can’t get used to passive voice

Hidden talent?
I can touch my nose with my tongue.  Does that count?
(Staff response: That definitely counts.)

Any good book recommendations?   
Right now I’m reading Edmund Morgan’s American Slavery, American Freedom:  The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia.  Morgan addresses the salient paradox of early American history, specifically, how colonial Virginians could be so insistent on maintaining their liberties and freedom as Englishmen while also basing their society on African slavery.  Morgan has a keen eye for historical analysis, and he’s a great writer.  Although I’m a Civil War historian, it’s probably the most important book written about American history in the past 50 years.

You can work with Jake in our Athletics location of the Writing Center on Monday from 5-9PM, Tuesdays from 5-6PM, and Wednesdays from 5-7PM!

Continue Reading

Meet the Staff Monday

Consultant: Courtney Hewitt

 

Major: French and German.

Year: Junior

What do you like doing best in your spare time? I love to bake all the amazing recipes I find on Pinterest! And watch foreign films

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you about writing? "Just write." I'm one of those people who tries to write the sentence perfectly the first time, but one of my high school professors told me to just write everything that came to mind and worry about making it sound perfect later. So I always get a brief outline written, and then word-vomit. And edit later, of course!

What has been the most rewarding part of your job at the Miller Writing Center? Repeat appointments! It really feels great when people come back over and over again- it shows that 1) you're a pretty cool person and 2) you're really helping them out!

Is there anything challenging about your job? If so, what is it? The hardest part of my job is balancing it with my 20 credit hour week of classes and my other job at SI. Time management is one of the most difficult skills to master, but it's great practice!

Hidden talent? I'm pretty good at lucid-dreaming...where you realize you're dreaming and then can control how the dream plays out.

Any good book recommendations? Well, it's a classic, but East of Eden is possibly my favorite book of all time.

If you want to visit Courtney for writing help, she is available from 9AM-12PM on Tuesdays in the Multicultural Center in the Student Center!

Continue Reading

Meet the Staff Interview: Ben Croomes

Ben Croomes

Major: SociologyYear: Junior

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I have a lot of hobbies. I've been an amateur carpenter for a few years.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you about writing?

I was in a group of writers that consisted of myself and 5 elderly women. After reading one of my short stories, the oldest of the group said, "It doesn't make sense. It should make sense." The simplicity of her statement killed me, but it's also stuck in my head.

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

The people I've met. Every client I've had has shown me a new way to look at writing, a new way to relate to people.

Is there anything challenging about your job? If so, what is it?

Working with dissertations in hard science fields.

Hidden talent?

I have a degree in culinary arts.

Any good book recommendations?

"Less Than Zero" by Bret Easton Ellis. I'm fascinated with the excess and ruthlessness of the Reagan 80s. This book captures the depressing nature of the popular drug culture during that decade and its juxtaposition with the overwhelming desire to be something more.

Ben is a priceless member of our all-star Miller Writing Center team! He is qualified to work with all writing, but his specialties are creative writing, literary analyses, and essays. Hope that you’ll come visit him in the RBD location of the Miller Writing Center on Tuesdays from 4-7PM and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5-7PM!

~Ashley

Continue Reading