I like to begin a session with conversation: before even looking
at the writing in front of us, the writer and I just talk about his
or her ideas, research, interest in the topic, and ultimately, what
the writer wants to say to his or her readers. Then, we can
approach the paper as a medium of communication rather than just an
assignment. I focus on clarity and maintaining the writer’s voice
above all else in the session, whether that means talking about
organization in order to make sure that the reader understands the
writer’s logic, or basic grammar and sentence structure. I try to
learn as much as I teach in my sessions, and as a writing
consultant, I have learned so much toward improving my own writing
process.