Click the Schedule Picture
To make an account or an appointment, click on the schedule picture on the left!
Face-to-Face Appointments: 0-5 pages 25 minutes; 6-10 pages 55 minutes
E-Tutoring: (Reserved for online and mixed-mode classes): 0-4 pages 25 minutes; 5-9 pages 55 minutes
Live-Online-Tutoring: (Reserved for online and mixed-mode classes): 0-4 pages 25 minutes; 5-9 pages 55 minutes
For papers longer than 9-10 pages:
- Please make an additional appointment
- Up to 18-20 pages per day can be tutored (depnding on appointment type)
- You can make up to two, 1-hour appointments per day, and up to 10 appointments per week.
- Please leave at least a half hour between appointments for longer papers to give you and the tutor a breather
*For online appointments, please be sure your paper is uploaded by your appointment time. Otherwise, it will be marked as a no-show
Short how to videos:
How to Make an Account How to Make an Appointment
What's Happening in the Writing Center?
Scroll through our menu for information about the writing center, our events, workshops, and resources! If you can't find what you are looking for, give us call 810-766-6602. We would be happy to help you.
About Us
Tutors are highly trained writing tutors from many majors. We don’t just train and hire English majors. All majors can make great writing tutors. If you’re interested in being a tutor, stop by and talk to us.
Tutors work with undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines, as well as faculty and staff!
You don’t have to struggle with writing to use the Writing Center. We work with strong writers as well as those who might find writing difficult. Even professional writers get a second pair of eyes and ears on their work.
We work with all types of writing including:
Academic writing
Resumes and Cover Letters
Scholarship and graduate school essays
Presentations
Personal writing
MYTHS ABOUT WHAT WE DO:
Edit and fix papers: Sorry, this won't help you become a stronger writer.
WHAT WE DO HELP WITH WRITING:
The University of Michigan-Flint is as an institution learning. Therefore, the Writing Center is here to help you become a stronger writer and editor for your own work. Here’s how we can help with that:
Be a sounding board as you bounce ideas around with us
Offer tips or feedback about outlines, brainstorming, and generating ideas
Provide feedback on drafts about how it sounds to us as a reader
Help you take a look at the opening, body content, and conclusion of your paper for organization and flow
Offer resources and support for research and citations
Help you notice patterns of errors or awkwardness in grammar and style so you can spot them more easily in your work
Be a cheerleader or a sounding board for those writing days when things are going well or not so well
TYPES OF TUTORING:
Face-to-face: 0-5 pages, 25 minutes; 6-10 pages, 55 minutes
E-Tutoring: Digital feedback using Word comment feature
Live-Online: Video Chat with a tutor on a shared screen
0-4 pages, 25 minutes; 5-9 pages, 55 minutes
NEW SERVICES:
Tutor Chat: For quick questions to help you get back on track, log into a video chat session with a tutor on Monday-Wednesday nights from 5:00-7:00pm.
Drop-in Tutoring: Mon-Thurs. 12:00-5:00, we’ll have an extra tutor on for drop-in tutoring, taken on a first come first serve basis. However, to make sure you get an appointment, consider making an appointment ahead of time.
EVENTS AND PROGRAMS:
Creative Writing Group: Writers’ Circle, Wednesday nights, 5:30-7:00p.m.
Love Stinks Writing Contest: Deadline for submissions Feb. 7th, winners announced Feb. 12th.
Valentine’s Day Open House: Meet the tutors and enjoy free snacks and activities! Feb. 14th from 12:00-4:00p.m. Open to students, faculty, and staff!
Scholarship Cram and Pizza: Feb. 15th from 1:00-3:00p.m. Limited to first 20! RSVP
For more details and to sign-up, visit the homepage of our website: https://www.umflint.edu/writingcenter
Appointments: How to Videos
Creative Writing Contests
Coming soon
How to Become a Tutor
From Director Jacob Blumner-
There are four basic requirements to enroll in this course:
1) You must have completed English 112 or its equivalent.
2) You must have a faculty member nominate you. A nomination is simply an email to me stating you would be a good candidate for the course; it does not need to be a letter of recommendation.
3) You must provide a writing sample, preferably something academic.
4) Read the following explanation of the course:
English 363/563 is a course designed to prepare writers to become tutors in the Marian E. Wright Writing Center. Because the course fulfills a requirement for undergraduates and graduates, I have no expectation that students in the course intend to become tutors. The course covers both the theory and practice of tutoring and how they are applied in our Writing Center. In the course you will write at least three short papers and one longer, research paper that takes theory and finds a way to apply it in the M.E.W Writing Center. You can expect the workload to be equivalent to other 300/500 level courses.
One part of the course, unusual to English courses, is an observation component, akin to a lab in science. You will need to observe in the Writing Center once a week for a 2-hour block. There is some flexibility with when you can observe, but I need to assign you to a mentor tutor, so you need to have some time available during open Writing Center hours. You will keep a notebook of your observations. Additionally, I am considering incorporating a community outreach component into the course that would involve limited tutoring in the community for just a few hours over the course of the term. This additional time would be offset with some time off of the practicum in the Writing Center.
I encourage you to talk to current tutors in the Writing Center to learn more about the class and working in the Center.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I can be reached via email at blumner@umich.edu or by phone at 810-762-0655.
Course Description for: ENG 363/563 - Seminar in Collaborative Writing Theory and Practice
Consent of instructor - 4 credits. This class is offered in fall semesters only.
The Seminar in Collaborative Writing Theory and Practice allows students interested in tutoring to study the theory and practice of a university writing center. Through discussion, practice, and observation, you will begin to make connections between theory and practice to develop your own tutoring skills. Two hours of observation in the Writing Center per week is required in addition to class periods. ENG 363/563 is taught every fall semester.
Resumes and Cover Letters
The Writing Center has resources and tutors who can support you as you work through writing your resume and cover letters. Whether you need help just getting started, or just want feedback on a draft, make an appointment with one our tutors. We would be happy to help you.
Scholarship Tips
Tips for writing a scholarship essay
Scholarship essays provide committees with a picture of who you are based on the questions they’ve asked. Often, these questions are meant to reveal where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going in the future. It’s also about learning how and why your experiences are important to you. For information about UM-Flint scholarship guidelines, visit: https://sis.umflint.edu/prod/zrpappl.p_step0. Deadline for UM-Flint scholarships is Friday, Feb. 15th.
Before you begin drafting, brainstorm to generate material about the following:
What does the prompt ask of you?
Make a list of each thing that’s asked of you
Next to each: list several very specific examples from your life that fulfills that category. You may or may not use them all, but it helps you to find the strongest, most compelling ideas if you go beyond the surface
Key: Be specific. Saying, “Ever since I was a child, I’ve always known I wanted…” to a reader this can sound boring, vague, and even if true, many people try to rely on this type of opening. So, why sound like everyone else? Find specific experiences that are interesting and unique to you.
Example of a specific experience: “When I was 14, I visited a snake exhibit. I learned that snake venom was not only deadly but also a lifesaving cure. A herpetologist at the nature center demonstrated how they milk snake venom to create antidotes to treat deadly snake bites. I was fascinated and studied more about it in my high school biology class to understand how this was done. As a result, I realized I wanted to become a herpetologist, too. To achieve my goal, I am currently majoring in biology at the University of Michigan-Flint.
This example is specific and unique to this writer. It also shows what happened in the past to influence what the writer is doing now and wants to be in the future. What’s your unique story?
What might the committee also be expecting that’s not listed in the prompt?
First, who might your committee be and what might they be looking for?Professors: your academic aptitude, engagement as a learner, dedication, and your thoughtfulness and professionalism in writing. Consider showing examples from:
Specific classes and/or class projects that connect in some way to your goals or interests
What you value about your education and why
A clean essay that demonstrates your maturity and professionalism in writing
Donors: want to make a difference in some way to the field, the world, or a student’s education. They create scholarships to help that difference come true. Show them you can make a difference they can believe in. They are looking for your passion for the field, demonstrated interest in your education, and/or strong goals. Find examples that fulfil the prompt questions that come from:
your life, work, volunteer, personal interests, education etc.
A great reason why they should choose you
Once you’ve completed your brainstorming, you’ll have a much better idea of what you want to say and why. Organizing it can sometimes feel a bit daunting, but think of your essay like a picture, rather than a laundry list. Each step you’ve taken has led you somewhere. Show the cause and effect of the experiences and life choices you’ve had or made. Even if you’ve had challenges, they may have given you the opportunity to re-examine your life and make different choices. That shows learning and growth, just as much as the successes.
Try creating an initial draft or going to the Writing Center to talk with a tutor. Sometimes, having someone to talk to can really help you see what you want to say more clearly.
NaNoWriMo
Coming soon
Up-coming Workshops
Coming soon
Writer's Circle
Coming soon
Writing Tips and Resources
Coming soon