You can chat with us about all kinds of writing such as:

• class essays
• creative writing
• presentations
• resumes and cover letters
• artist statements
• anything else you’re composing

And there’s no need to have a draft for a live conference because our consultants love to help you brainstorm! We are here to help during any and all stages of the writing process, from brainstorming to editing. During a conference, writers can expect our consultants to be active readers. We focus on your goals and concerns and provide practical feedback by asking questions and helping you think through the possibilities in your writing.

Live consultations are available in-person or remotely using  Zoom. We begin by talking about your project, your questions, and what you’d like to achieve together. It’s always helpful when you bring any notes or drafts you’ve written, as well as having the assignment handy if the project is for a class.

Reserve a time by using our online scheduling to reserve your time. Same day appointments are usually available and we may even be able to meet with you within the next hour.

We invite our busy Cornish writers to submit drafts online; a consultant will prepare a screencast video response that you can watch and use at your convenience. In video feedback, consultants respond to a variety of writing concerns, such as:

• How can I achieve better organization in my paper?
• Does the tone of my cover letter sound professional? How could I make it more polished?
• Does the conflict between these two characters come across in my short story? What could I do with the dialogue to emphasize that?
• And many more!

We will respond to your writing within 48 hours, and we usually get back to you within one day.

WRITING CENTER MISSION STATEMENT 

We believe that writing is a means to think through and communicate about our art, and an art-form unto itself. By using collaborative, question-based, and writer-centered approaches, we support students of all backgrounds and abilities as they develop into more effective, confident writers.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Through our consultations and services, we aim for writers to achieve the following outcomes, differentiated by frequency.
We aim for new users of the Writing Center to:

• Know what the Writing Center offers and when to seek our resources
• Know that writing is a process & there’s no wrong way to go about it
• Develop new writing strategies
• Feel comfortable talking about their writing

We aim for seasoned users of the Writing Center to:

• Exercise agency in discussing and revising their own writing
• Build awareness of their own strengths & weaknesses as writers
• Recognize that writing choices depend upon audience
• Feel confident writing in different contexts

Cornish alumni are welcome to continue to use Writing Center services after graduation. They may visit face-to-face by scheduling an appointment or submit online using their Cornish email. We just ask that alumni users respect the volume of current student consultations we conduct by doing two things:

1. Be thoughtful about the frequency with which they seek feedback, especially during mid-term and finals week.
2. Be aware that during busy times of the semester we may need to prioritize currently enrolled students. In practice, this may mean it takes us a few days to get back to you with video feedback, rather than 24 hours, or we need to find an alternative time to meet with you. We’ll let you know if that’s the case.