"What is your view of yourself as a writer?"
In a lot of ways, I believe we tutors pose this loaded question to every writer we encounter; each brings a personal history and language to the center, a specific point of view that carries over to how they write and express themselves; and when tutor and writer come together to examine the text, a conversation unfolds to discover the meanings behind the form. When someone asks, "What do you mean to say?" it generally equates to "Where are you coming from?" It is not just a process of inquiry, but a moment when the writer articulates his feelings and thoughts in connection to the lines he has composed; he sees his ideas—his voice—in the writing. It is a voice that sets him apart from others, a vital piece of his personal identity.
My basic approach has emphasized always the notion of exploration and discovery: the creative habit. As a tutor, I help writers to think critically and creatively—to own the words on the page by asking questions and reacting to what they have written. As a graduate from the UW Seattle Comparative Literature program, I love to explore connections in order to understand how art, literature, and cinema negotiate/shape our social values, attitudes, and beliefs. I really enjoy working with others to not only create new ideas but find fresh ways to express them through the writing process.
