More than writing – University Writing focuses on well-being

Writing is a fundamental part of every profession, but it can be challenging and time-consuming, leaving writers feeling stuck and defeated. Auburn University writing experts say these feelings are normal and can be managed with resources that support writers’ well-being.      

For Auburn writers, that support can be found at University Writing. Located in Ralph Brown Draughon Library, the unit is a vital resource that offers programs designed to support students, faculty and staff in written and oral communication. University Writing is home to the Miller Writing Center, Writing Across the Curriculum faculty support, and graduate student programming. 

Director Christopher Basgier and Associate Director Katharine Brown collaboratively emphasize well-being throughout University Writing’s programs. They say that to write well, the writer must be well. Encountering feelings such as anxiety, fear and resistance related to writing are not uncommon. In response, staff members incorporate well-being practices throughout their work with writers. Well-being involves cultivating social, emotional, psychological and intellectual health through mindfulness over the long term.

“Students often need additional support to develop healthy writing habits and recognize themselves as writers,” Basgier said. “Practicing well-being exercises can help expand their understanding of what writing is and how they can be flexible, not fearful, as they move through courses with sometimes vastly different (and often unclear) expectations for writing.”

University Writing works to counteract counterproductive feelings and set students up for success through a culture of compassion and well-being. Their goal is to help students, faculty and staff develop healthy relationships with writing through a focus on the whole person.

Cultivating Compassion

By fostering an environment of well-being across all programs, the unit empowers students, faculty and staff to communicate their thoughts in effective ways. Well-being concepts are initially introduced to the staff through discussions and practices in meetings and training sessions.

For example, in the Miller Writing Center, staff members start each year by discussing a Charter for Compassion, a document that lays out the centrality of compassion in the organizational culture. Practicing compassion is an integral part of being well; compassion means recognizing the struggles and stresses we all go through while developing the capacity to accompany one another through those difficulties. Basgier describes the Charter for Compassion as a promise about how team members act towards themselves and each other.

“This Charter includes several concrete actions that our staff considers weekly in various meetings, such as ‘affirming that everyone is an expert in their own experience,’ or ‘listening to understand rather than respond,’” said Basgier. “These actions then inform how they work with the writers who visit the Miller Writing Center.”

Compassion informs programs like WriteFest, which emphasizes graduate students’ well-being while writing. A four-session collaborative writing environment, WriteFest helps graduate students set writing goals, write regularly, write mindfully and sustain writing progress. Additionally, through mindfulness techniques, students learn to stay in the present moment and reframe negative thoughts about their writing abilities.

Brown stated, “I developed WriteFest based on my own experiences as a graduate student who experienced self-doubt while writing. Through developing WriteFest and applying its concepts while writing my dissertation, I was empowered to approach my graduate writing with a growth mindset that embraced challenges as valuable learning opportunities.” To this day, the program empowers graduate students to build healthy writing habits and productive mindsets about themselves as writers.

Writing Well

In the MWC, peer consultants offer encouragement, good listening, and project management tips which are all connected to student well-being. The consultants also empower students by guiding their thinking about how they're using evidence, citation styles, visual design, and sources, depending on where they are in the writing process. Peer consultants like Colby Axelberd work with students to help them brainstorm, generate ideas and organize thoughts.

A junior majoring in History, Axelberd enjoys connecting with students and describes the relationships created with students as a balance of expertise and partnership.

“I love seeing people’s reactions when they see their ideas come to fruition and make sense on paper,” said Axelberd. “We think of it as leaving the pen in the hand of the writer.”

The MWC’s 38 peer consultants commonly blend question-asking with suggestions for revision to produce a balanced approach during appointments that empowers writers and helps them feel successful.

“It’s been my experience that the client is proudest when they have done the work of making the changes,” Axelberd said. “Sometimes I must show how to do something or options for ways of saying things, but with that guidance, they are able to figure out the best option on their own.”

To receive writing feedback from a peer consultant, students can schedule a 50-minute face-to-face or online Zoom appointment, or they can upload documents online and receive written feedback. A guide to making appointments is available on University Writing’s website.

Shaping Faculty Wellness

In addition to helping students build positive relationships with writing through the MWC, the unit also provides resources for faculty to address their well-being.

Currently, University Writing is taking a deeper dive into well-being with faculty by emphasizing mindfulness techniques in a pilot program: the Writing and Wellbeing Fellowship. The program aims to help faculty experience greater well-being in their own writing and to introduce activities they can adapt in their classrooms. Some topics addressed include journaling, meditating, and befriending their inner critic.

“Through partnering with faculty, we hope to nurture a wider culture of well-being at Auburn,” said Brown. “In the Fellowship, we share our writing experiences, successes, and struggles with one another, building a community of practice in the process. We also consider pedagogies and practices that support students’ well-being while writing.”

Building a healthy relationship with writing while easing the emotions of anxiety and fear is achievable by tapping into University Writing. Visit the University Writing website for more information about programs and resources.