The Writing Centre
Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, the Writing Centre welcomes you to book an appointment and receive feedback from a tutor. We offer assistance and peer-to-peer conversations at any stage of the writing process: understanding an assignment, generating ideas, creating an outline, developing clear and strong arguments, researching and citing sources, revising for grammar and punctuation, and developing other writing-related skills.
Our goal is to encourage students to realize their strengths, question and understand their writing choices, build relationships, discover their authentic voice, and recognize all forms of improvement in the ongoing, imperfect process of writing!
We offer in-person (face-to-face) appointments in OM 1411, as well as online appointments: synchronous (video call) and asynchronous (email feedback).
- Location: OM 1411 view on map
- Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Note: The office is open until Wed. Apr. 30 for the Winter semester, and our office will reopen on Monday, May 12 for the summer semester. - Phone: 250-852-7673
- Email: writing_ctr@tru.ca
In the Writing Centre, we are actively working towards decolonizing academic writing processes and spaces. Part of this includes acknowledging – and pushing back against – the impacts of colonialism and systemic/institutional racism. Drawing inspiration from Chavez (2021), we seek to listen, to focus on relationships, to inspire students to develop their authentic voice, to diversify our resources and our thinking about writing structures, and to redefine what “improvement” or “success” looks like in writing. We also consider the words or language we use carefully: as writing centre tutors and staff, we recognize the power – and danger – of words. Acknowledging territory in a way that is meaningful is important…as long as it is tied to action. We hope this spoken word poem (arguably, a format that is the antithesis of “academic” (read: white, mainstream) writing) land acknowledgement encourages YOU to think about language, your positionality and responsibility…and popping into the TRU Writing Centre to say hello!
Winter 2025 Workshops and Events
| Title | Date | Content |
| Grad Connect: Speed Meet & Greet with Tutor Kayla | Wed. Feb. 12, 2:00 to 3:00 | This informal social event will connect undergraduate students with graduate students who will share their experiences. |
| If Only We Had Known with Tutor Alana | Fri. Feb. 14, 12:00 to 1:00 | Learn best writing, studying, and being-a-student-in-general tips for success. |
| Creative Writing Friday | Fri. Feb. 14, 1:00 to 2:00 | Hosted by Writer and Storyteller Alicia Ashcroft. Tarot Card Readings and tarot-themed prompts to write on your past, present, and future. |
| Understanding and Managing Procrastination | Thurs. Feb. 27, 3:00 to 4:30 | A workshop hosted by Counsellor Mark Zhang. |
| Creative Writing Friday | Fri. Feb. 28, 1:00 to 2:00 | Chris Lindsay will share his experiences in writing 10-minute plays and having them performed. |
| Procrastination Awareness Week (PAW) | March 3 to 7 |
Inspiring presentations, study halls, and daily workshops on time management and planning, procrastination and motivation, learning strategies, academic integrity and citation, the writing process, and wellness! Register here for the event. |
| Become an APA champion in 50 minutes | Fri. Mar. 7, 10:00 to 11:00 | Register for this FREE national, week-long event here and join the APArty! |
| Creative Writing Friday | Fri. Mar. 7, 1:00 to 2:00 | The found poem or prose. Draw inspiration from magazines and books. |
| Creative Writing Friday | Fri. Mar. 14, 1:00 to 2:00 | Rewriting the Narrative. Counsellor Kristin Robinson will discuss reflective writing. |
| Understanding and Managing Procrostination | Thurs. Mar. 20, 3:00 to 4:30 | A workshop hosted by Counsellor Mark Zhang. |
| Creative Writing Friday | Fri. Mar. 21, 1:00 to 2:00 | Theme - Writing characters with superpowers |
| Creative Writing Friday | Fri. Mar. 28, 1:00 to 2:00 | Hosted by TRU Chaplain, Venerable Gawa Khandro. A guided meditation on finding inner peace. And creating characters who experience joy. |
| Creative Writing Friday | Fri. Apr. 4, 1:00 to 2:00 | Explore a forever bond -- positive or negative -- that you or a character is impacted by. |
Creative Writing Fridays
- Calling all creative writers! During the Winter 25 semester, we have drop-in creative writing sessions. No registration required.
- Fridays from 1:00 to 2:00 pm (Jan. 10 to Apr. 4)
- Join a community of fellow writers for tea, snacks, and encouragement! Students will have the opportunity to write to a prompt, work on their own writing projects, and receive feedback.
What students can expect from the Writing Centre
The Writing Centre acknowledges that the writing process is "an inherently imperfect, ongoing process fraught with insecurity" (Chavez, 2021, p. 172).
Writing Centre tutors are trained to:
- ask questions
- listen carefully
- highlight your strengths
- encourage you to build your writing skills by providing explanations, examples, and resources
- avoid "editing" or "correcting" an entire paper
News (RSS Feed)
Embracing process over perfectionism
Writing Centre tutor Kayla Oerlemans argues that progression is far more important than perfection.
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Co-op not just career shaping, it’s life changing
Mackenzie Warner, a third-year student in the Bachelor of Arts program, discusses the power and potential of co-op.
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Beyond the screen: Why face-to-face tutoring matters
Palmer Vaughn from the Writing Centre reflects on the efficacy of in-person learning versus artificial intelligence.
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Academic centre fosters sense of community for students
Tutor Mercedes Settle shares how the Writing Centre became her favourite place on campus.
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