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Man sitting at a desk with his laptop and his notebook beside him.
Wednesday, June 19, 2019

The power of synonyms: the good, the bad, and the in-between

When it comes to writing, every word has an impact and brings meaning along with it. In our assignments, our job is to take these different meanings and weave them together to be clear, engaging, and provide information to our audiences. Yet, when we get stumped or feel like our work is getting too repetitive, we turn to Google or Microsoft Word to help find synonyms. Sometimes this can work wonders, but other times it can have negative repercussions.

Man typing on his laptop.
Friday, May 31, 2019

Tips and tricks on how-to write a professional email

Ever email your professor or employer and click the send button, only to realize seconds later it was littered with typos and grammar mistakes?

The art of professional email writing can be challenging if you’re not too sure where to start. Learning the dos and don’ts of what to include will not only steer you in the right direction but help you develop your professional persona. Having a professional voice in writing and in speech is important because it establishes how you want to be perceived. There are so many ways you can let your professional side shine, and emails are one of them.

Hand holding a clock.
Monday, May 27, 2019

Entering the coming-of-age world one plot-point at a time

Think back in time to the you who was fresh out of high school, with the world at your feet and the presence of the unknown looming over your head. Now think about the you of today, of the person you’ve become and the milestones you’ve achieved to get to this point time. The in-between of then and now is your own personal story full of twists, turns and hurdles. All the places you’ve been, the connections you’ve made, and the knowledge you’ve acquired can all be classified under one genre: coming-of-age.

Top 10 summer reading book selections.
Wednesday, May 15, 2019

The Summer Reading List 2019 Challenge

With the promise of sunny skies, soft breezes, and warm weather on the horizon, it’s safe to say winter is finally in our rear-view. Yes, the period of hibernation is coming to a close as people are trading in their cozy sweats for swimsuits and hot cocoa for popsicles. The new season marks the time for change and the possibilities are endless.

potted flowers by a window
Thursday, May 2, 2019

May flowers: some poems that survived the winter

Spring is here. The birds are singing, the snow has melted, and flowers are poking up through the dirt, both where they are expected and where they are not. At the beginning of winter term, I wrote a blog post on freewriting with a focus on my notebook as an agent of the writing process. I’d like to come back to this general topic, but from a slightly different perspective: spring.

Blog banner with blog title and photo of the original quilt wall
Friday, April 26, 2019

Our common thread: How a year of written messages connected our campus

Picture this. The year is 2018 and you’re walking up the stairs to the second floor of South Campus Hall. You grab some food from Southside Marketplace and head over to sit in Velocity. That’s when you see it… 

A wall - full of colours and messages.

You ask yourself, “what is all this?...”

Brain-shaped word cloud saying "Psychologically speaking: your brain on writing"
Monday, April 22, 2019

Psychologically speaking: your brain on writing

Remember when you were little and just learning how to write? Just writing your name was a huge accomplishment. Yet with practice, it became much easier. The brain is not a muscle; although, in some ways it develops like one. The more you use it in a specific way, the more able it is to perform the task. So what is the brain actually doing while you write? The following are a number of brain areas that work together to form ideas and get them down on paper.

Frontal Lobe

How to get yourself in a creative mindset
Monday, April 15, 2019

The poetics of originality: how to be creative

Why is creativity so elusive? We see artists and poets and marvel agape at their powers of creation, but in truth creativity is a learned thing – a practice of insight and introspection. You too have the potential to produce art almost as good as the greats, if only you look in the right places. It doesn’t matter that no one’s listening.