“If I waited for perfection … I would never write a word.”
—Margaret Atwood
Despite ourbest intentions toknuckledown andwrite productively on a regular basis, competing demands and distractions—both personal and professional—can make it difficult to stick toa writing routine. Likewise, the pressure to produce the clear,coherent, andelegant prose that is the hallmark of an accomplished scholarcan alltoo oftenstymiethe writing process.
To help you address these challenges, we have conceived of this "Writing Commons" as a space in which communitiesof writers cansupport each other. At this time,the Writing Commons will offer a space in whichto write in the company ofothers and a platform to exchange tips and strategies for writing productively. The Writing Commons is an evolving initiative, so we welcome your ideas for future endeavors.
In the past, we have organised these kinds of activities:
- Daylong "Just Write" Sessions (Downtown and Macdonald Campuses)
- 100 Minutes of Writing (Downtown and Macdonald Campuses)
- Half-day "Rise and Write in the Morning"
Our structured writing sessions follow a modified Pomodoro model that includes a mix of 10 minute breaks and 40-60 minute writing blocks.
Current Schedule - Fall 2024
Monday Meet and Write | Mondays, | T |
Downtown campus (Redpath Cybertheque) | 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm | No need to indicate which Monday date(s) you can attend; by registering once, you will have access to join any of the meetings. |
September 9, 16, 23, 30 | Public: Holidays - No Meet and Write | |
October 7, 21 28 | Thanksgiving, October 14 (Canadian) | |
November 4, 11, 18, 25 | ||
December 2 | ||
Rise and Write in the Morning | Tuesdays, | |
ONLINE |
9:30 am - 12:00 pm | No need to indicate which Tuesday date(s) you can attend; by registering once, you will have access to join any of the meetings. |
September 10, 17, 24 | ||
October 8, 15, 22, 29 | ||
November 5, 12, 19, 26 | ||
December 3 | ||
60 Minutes | Thursdays, | |
ONLINE | 9:30 am to 10:50 am | No need to indicate which Thursday am date(s) you can attend; by registering once, you will have access to join any of the meetings. |
September 12, 19, 26 | ||
October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 | ||
November 7, 14, 21, 28 | ||
December 5 | ||
120 Minutes of Writing | Thursdays, | |
ONLINE | 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm | No need to indicate which Thursday pm date(s) you can attend; by registering once, you will have access to join any of the meetings. |
September 12, 19, 26 | ||
October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 | ||
November 7, 14, 21, 28 | ||
December 5 |