Writing is Thinking II: Taking It to the Next Level

March 1st, 2013

Writing is Thinking II: Taking It to the Next Level

In spring 2011 we organized the first, extremely successful, Writing is Thinking workshop. The focus then was on how to make writing part of daily life, how to get down to writing, how to think of oneself as a writer, and how to generate a lot of prose.

This spring, we take the next step. For once we actually do generate a lot of prose, how do we figure out what to keep and what to throw away? How do we revise without fear and without tears? Among the key questions this spring are:

how to be your own editor
how to cut without fear
how to peer review
how to make your writing clearer

Writing is Thinking II provides a unique opportunity for graduate students and other young scholars at Duke to develop their craft and to get inspiration for their future life of writing and thinking. Because Writing is Thinking II is also The 4th Annual Young Scholars Workshop, it contains a public morning event and an afternoon workshop limited to 16 participants.

MORNING SESSION: FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Taking It To the Next Level
Five public presentations on writing, rewriting, and the writing life:

Aaron Sachs (History, Cornell University);
Bernie Rhie (English, Williams College)
Nancy Bauer (Philosophy, Tufts University)
Kristen Neuschel (Thompson Writing Program, Duke)
Toril Moi (PAL/Literature, Duke)

There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion.
Breakfast and lunch will be offered to all participants.

AFTERNOON SESSIONS: LIMITED TO 16 PARTICIPANTS

The 16 participants will get a unique opportunity to develop their writing strategies by working in small groups focused, as far as possible, on their own writing needs and interests.

1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Revising Your Writing (Life)
This session, led by Jennifer Ahern-Dodson, Director of Outreach for the Thompson Writing Program, and Monique Dufour from Virginia Tech, will focus both on improving your writing strategies and cultivating a sane and productive writing life. This session will teach you a model of the writing process that will empower you to analyze and overcome the challenges that arise in every writer’s life.

4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Writing In and Across the Disciplines
Aaron Sachs, Bernie Rhie and Nancy Bauer will each run a group focusing on participants’ own individual writing samples.

DINNER
We will end this exhilarating day with a stylish dinner for the afternoon workshop participants and the faculty.