By Blake Bowles and Carey Smitherman Clark
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As an undergraduate tutor and a writing center director (respectively), we’ve always seen our space as more than just a tutoring hub—it’s a dynamic, public space where writers gather, ideas evolve, and meaningful conversations unfold.
Writing centers are not confined to the transactional model of fixing papers; they serve as vibrant intellectual communities where writing is shared, tested, and revised in the presence of others.
But what does it mean to truly embrace the writing center as a public space?
Nancy Grimm, in Good Intentions: Writing Center Work for Postmodern Times, challenges us to rethink the role of writing centers in fostering inclusion and engagement. Rather than isolated, neutral spaces, writing centers can be sites of public discourse where writers grapple with complex ideas and engage in collaborative meaning-making. This perspective invites us to consider how writing centers function as public spaces—places where writing takes on social and civic dimensions.
A public space is defined by participation, dialogue, and exchange. In a writing center, these elements emerge in a variety of ways: through peer consultations, group writing sessions, and even informal conversations about writing struggles and successes. When students read their work aloud or even discuss it informally in a session, the writing enters into a communal space where it can be questioned, revised, and strengthened. The moment a student shares their work – whether in a tutoring session, a student publication, or a workshop – they are engaging in a form of public writing, making their ideas accessible and subject to response.
One way to enhance the public nature of writing centers is to create opportunities for writers to engage beyond one-on-one sessions. Deborah Brandt, in Literacy in American Lives, highlights the importance of literacy sponsorship—how institutions, mentors, and communities shape a writer’s development. Writing centers can embrace this role by sponsoring public writing initiatives such as campus-wide writing events that bring students and faculty together to discuss writing challenges and successes, student-run publications that encourage writers to share their work with broader audiences, collaborative writing projects where students co-author articles, blog posts, or community-focused pieces, and workshops on writing for public audiences, teaching students to craft op-eds, personal essays, or professional documents.
Physical and digital writing center spaces should reflect our commitment to public writing. Hosting open-mic sessions, publishing student work on center blogs, or even displaying excerpts of student writing in common areas can reinforce the idea that writing is meant to be shared. Moreover, digital spaces—such as online writing groups or social media initiatives—can expand the public reach of our centers beyond campus walls. But fostering public writing isn’t just about space—it’s also about cultivating a mindset that values writing as a communal act. This is where the idea of literary citizenship becomes especially relevant.
Stephanie Vanderslice, in Rethinking Creative Writing in Higher Education, introduces the concept of literary citizenship—the idea that writers have a responsibility to engage with and contribute to the literary community. Writing centers can cultivate literary citizenship by encouraging students to participate in the broader conversations that shape public discourse. By fostering spaces where students not only refine their writing but also share it with real audiences, we help them see their work as part of a larger ecosystem of ideas, voices, and civic engagement.
By fostering literary citizenship, writing centers establish themselves as dynamic public spaces where students engage with writing as a communal practice.
In one sense, writing centers embrace the same role as other public spaces—such as common areas, libraries, coffee shops, and lobbies—which is to offer available environments where active conversations about writing can take place. But more importantly, writing centers encourage and promote these conversations, offering a safe and inclusive space for students to develop literary citizenship without any requirement or barrier for entry. The writing center intends to set itself apart from other public spaces by promoting itself as a testing ground for ideas through a collaborative and communal process. This aspect requires tutors to combine pedagogical work with a genuine passion and love for writing, while also inviting students to take an active role in shaping conversations and contributing to the center’s intellectual community.
Ultimately, writing centers thrive when they embrace their role as public spaces where writing is more than a solitary act—it’s a communal practice. By fostering an environment where writers share their work, engage in dialogue, and contribute to larger conversations, we reinforce the idea that:
writing is not just about individual expression but about participation in a larger discourse.
How does your writing center function as a public space? What initiatives have helped create a culture of public writing in your community? Let’s keep the conversation going and continue expanding the ways we support writing as a shared, social act.
Works Cited
Brandt, Deborah. Literacy in American Lives. Cambridge University Press, 2001.
Grimm, Nancy Maloney. Good Intentions: Writing Center Work for Postmodern Times. Heinemann-Boynton/Cook, 1999.
Vanderslice, Stephanie. Rethinking Creative Writing in Higher Education. Professional and Higher Partnership Ltd., 2011.
About the Authors
Carey Smitherman Clark is an Associate Professor of Writing, Rhetoric, and Information Design at the University of Central Arkansas, where she also serves as the Director of the UCA Center for Writing & Communication. With over 25 years of experience in writing centers, Carey’s journey began as an undergraduate tutor. She is passionate about fostering collaborative, inclusive spaces for writing and communication. In addition to her academic role, Carey is the current President of the South Central Writing Centers Association. Outside of academia, she enjoys working on community-driven projects, spending time with her family, and indulging in outdoor adventures like hiking, camping, and exploring new places.