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:
- Winter 2026 Semester
Monday - Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Tutoring appointments: Monday - Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. - 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 2026 Workshops and Events
| Date & Time | Format | Location | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Jan. 16 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: Resolution
Writing prompt: New year; new me?! Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? Why or why not? What would you change if you could? Describe how you or a character succeeded…or spectacularly failed!
|
| Tue, Jan. 20 10–11am |
Virtual | Online | No “Back Row” Students Here! Writing and Studying Tips for ONLINE Courses | Join this virtual workshop to learn about Writing Centre and PAC services. This workshop will also introduce attention management, writing, and studying tips tailored for online learners. Take this opportunity to revolutionize your learning journey and set yourself up for success! |
| Tue, Jan. 20 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Self-Care Toolkit: What Tools are Yours? | Join Counsellor Mark Zhang for a workshop on creating individualized self-care plans! Mark will share the benefits of self-care and tips for integrating them into busy student lives through examples and anecdotes. Students will leave with self-care “tools” for their own toolkits! |
| Fri, Jan. 23 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: TAKEOVER with Kristin Robinson
Join Counsellor Kristin Robinson for a guest takeover of Creative Writing Fridays! Kristin will share strategies for using creative writing and self-compassion to reauthor some of our stories; participants will have the opportunity to apply these strategies through reflective writing. Laughter and sparkles are guaranteed!
|
| Wed, Jan. 28 1:30–2:30pm |
Virtual | Online | I’m in my APA Era | How do I cite a photo? An email? A secondary source? A TikTok reel? ChatGPT? What if I can’t find a page number? What if a website doesn’t have an author? Join the Writing Centre for a workshop on the trickiest APA questions! Oh, and it’s Taylor-themed, just because. |
| Fri, Jan. 30 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: TAKEOVER with Mark Zhang
Writing and Feeling in Community — Mark will provide guidance and prompts for a reflective writing session that encourages emotional growth in your writing!
|
| Thu, Feb. 5 10–11am |
Virtual | Online | AI Literacy: Understanding Academic Integrity and Responsible Use of GenAI at TRU | Expand your digital literacy skills! This workshop will introduce students to what academic integrity and “responsible” use of GenAI means at TRU; outline the ethical concerns and limitations of GenAI; and explore resources and tools that support writing, research, and learning. |
| Fri, Feb. 6 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: The “Found” Poem (or Prose)
Writing prompt: Participants will draw inspiration from words or phrases they find in (provided) magazines and books to write in the genre of their choice!
|
| Wed, Feb. 11 9:30–10:30am |
Virtual | Online | “Don’t Forget About Me!”: Meet MLA, APA’s Less-Popular Sibling | This workshop will introduce students to MLA 9th Edition, including integrating in-text citations, creating a Works Cited page, and formatting/mechanics. |
| Fri, Feb. 13 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: Reading (and Writing) Tarot
Join Writer & Storyteller Alicia Ashcroft for a fun, interactive workshop to get your creativity flowing! Tarot card readings and tarot-themed prompts will encourage participants to reflect—and write—on their past, present, and future.
|
| Fri, Feb. 20: No Creative Writing Fridays due to Mid-term Break | ||||
| Tue, Feb. 24 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Understanding and Managing Procrastination | Join Counsellor Mark Zhang for a workshop on understanding and managing procrastination. Students will learn strategies that will benefit their lives at TRU…and beyond! |
| Fri, Feb. 27 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: TAKEOVER with Mark Zhang
Writing and Feeling in Community — Mark will provide guidance and prompts for a reflective writing session that encourages emotional growth in your writing!
|
|
Procrastination Awareness Week (PAW) — March 3–6 Join this FREE national event and connect with students and faculty from across Canada for inspiring keynote 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! |
||||
| Wed, March 4 2–3pm |
Virtual | Online | "Throw Your Phone On the Roof!": Improving Focus and Attention | Rather than focusing on “time management”, this workshop will introduce students to the concept of “attention management” and offer strategies for improving focus. This workshop is offered as part of the national event, Procrastination Awareness Week. |
| Fri, Mar. 6 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: Apocalypse
Writing prompt: Imagine how you or a character might navigate a significant change or disruption in an actual or metaphorical apocalyptic scenario.
|
| Wed, Mar. 11 1:30–2:30pm |
Virtual | Online | AI Literacy: Understanding Academic Integrity and Responsible Use of GenAI at TRU | Expand your digital literacy skills! This workshop will introduce students to what academic integrity and “responsible” use of GenAI means at TRU; outline the ethical concerns and limitations of GenAI; and explore resources and tools that support writing, research, and learning. |
| Fri, Mar. 13 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: Intuition
Writing prompt: How strong is your intuition? Do you tend to ignore or trust your “intuition”? Where is yours located: your “gut”, or elsewhere? Reflect on a situation where you (or a character) relied on your intuition to guide your actions.
|
| Tue, Mar. 17 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Why Writing Matters: The Power of Words with Mark Zhang | Language has the power to elicit powerful emotional responses. Join Counsellor Mark Zhang to reflect on the power of language and explore your own responses to various words and prompts! |
| Fri, Mar. 20 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: Connecting to Ourselves
Writing prompt: Participants will begin by listening to a guided meditation by TRU Chaplain, Venerable Gawa Khandro. Following this time of meditation, participants will write to the following prompts invoking their senses.
|
| Fri, Mar. 27 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: TAKEOVER with Mark Zhang
Writing and Feeling in Community — Mark will provide guidance and prompts for a reflective writing session that encourages emotional growth in your writing!
|
| Fri, April 3: No Creative Writing Fridays due to holiday | ||||
| Fri, Apr. 10 1–2pm |
In-person | OM 1411 | Creative Writing Fridays |
Theme: Sensory Freewriting
Writing prompt: Writers will practice descriptive writing in response to various sensory stimuli, such as sounds, images, smells, and tastes.
|
| Mon, Apr. 13 3–4pm |
Virtual | Online | AI Literacy: Understanding Academic Integrity and Responsible Use of GenAI at TRU | Expand your digital literacy skills! This workshop will introduce students to what academic integrity and “responsible” use of GenAI means at TRU; outline the ethical concerns and limitations of GenAI; and explore resources and tools that support writing, research, and learning. |
Creative Writing Fridays
During the Winter 2026 semester, join us on Fridays, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Jan. 16 - Apr. 10
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
Academic centre fosters sense of community for students
Tutor Mercedes Settle shares how the Writing Centre became her favourite place on campus.
Read more