Workshops, Events, & Writing Groups

Fall 2025

August 25: Personal STatement Workshop

Is the deadline for your personal statement approaching? 

Come to the Willis Center for Writing (MLC 370) on August 25^th at 5 p.m. where we're hosting a personal statement workshop!

We'll go over what a personal statement is, its structure, what to include in it, and how to write one. During the workshop, a writing center tutor will be there to help you and answer your questions every step of the way. We hope to see you there!

Register today in the Penji app (under events) or directly here. 

September 3: Software Translation in Multi-lingual Writing

During this age of burgeoning AI participation in writing, how is multilingual writing transformed by such technological innovations, and how can we better utilize software translation to assist our literary efforts?

In this workshop, we aim to foster a sense of support and confidence in the English-second-language writer community. During our meeting, we will look at the different roles software translation can play in multilingual writing, and discus the ties between language use, cultural nuances, and literary expressiveness. We will also rethink the detailed process of writing, and look at when and where machine translation can helpfully chime in. 

Join us on Sep. 3^rd at 5pm in MLC 370 for a lively conversation on translation software assisted multilingual writing!

Register today in the Penji app (under events) or directly here. 

September 4-November 20: Graduate Thesis Writing Group

Are you a graduate student looking for support writing your thesis? Join us Thursdays from 4pm-6pm in Park Hall 66!

Finding the time to write can be difficult. This group is designed to help mitigate that difficulty by providing graduate students across disciplines a dedicated space and time to write. During our sessions we will make some time to set writing goals and talk about our writing process. However, the majority of our group will be dedicated to thesis writing. Our goal in writing together is to establish support and shared accountability throughout the writing process.

We meet weekly Thursdays from 4pm-6pm in Park Hall 66 (Starting September 4 through November 20.). 

Register today in the Penji app (under events) or directly here. 

September 8: Writing a HuManities Thesis Workshop

Need help writing your humanities thesis? This workshop aims to help MA students with their thesis at any stage of the writing process. We will share advice on writing, provide writing time, collaborate with peer feedback, and help students feel comfortable talking about their research. We know how intimidating writing a thesis and we are here to help! 

September 8, 5-6 pm, MLC 370.

Register today in the Penji app (under events) or directly here. 

September 10: Write Like A College Student (Building on High School Writing)

Do you struggle to understand what your professors are asking for in your writing? Do you feel like you don’t even realize what a college-level paper is supposed to look like? You aren’t alone or behind! This “Write like a College Student” Workshop Series will help answer those questions by helping you bridge the gap between high school essays and the expectations of college writing. 

Each session will focus on a key topic like: 

1. How to form a solid research question (and where to find the sources to answer it).

2. What makes a thesis statement effective? 

3. Body paragraphs that build your argument instead of weighing it down.

4. “So What?”: How to make your paper matter?

5. How to stop saying “I’m just not a good writer”

Feel free to come to all the sessions or the ones that just speak to you, but regardless, we hope you walk out of it feeling more confident in your writing ability than when you walked in. 

Sessions will consist of a quick 5 to 10-minute interactive chat, followed by some hands-on writing time. Bring in a current paper, a rough draft, or just your ideas, and get support from trained writing consultants while you work. 

College writing can be hard, but you don’t have to figure it out alone.

September 10, 5-6 PM, MLC 370

Register today in the Penji app (under events) or directly here. 

September 17: Tackling Transitions in Academic Writing

Looking to enhance the flow of your writing? Then join us for a workshop on transitions 5pm, September 17, 2025 in MLC 370.

Students who participate in this workshop can expect to learn what makes an effective transition. We will begin by reviewing the purpose of transitions. Then, we will explore different transitional words and phrases thinking carefully about how transitions relate to your writing’s rhetorical situation. Finally, we will practice writing transitions together! Be it an email to your boss or an essay for your professor, writing an effective transition will enhance your writing.

Register today in the Penji app (under events) or directly here.

september 24: Write with Jimmy Baldwin

september 26: How to sumbit to Literary Journals

Want to see your writing published? This hands-on workshop will guide you through the ins and outs of submitting to literary magazines and journals. You’ll learn how to find the right publications for your work, craft a strong bio and cover letter, and avoid common submission pitfalls. By the end, you’ll have practical tools to kickstart your submission journey.

Stay tuned for announcements on additional Fall workshops and events coming soon!

Summer 2025

June 30: Writing Accountability Workshop for Grad Students

Looking for support while you complete your summer writing? Join us for an accountability workshop on June 30, 2025 from 11am-1pm on Zoom. 

Students who participate in this workshop can expect to set a writing goal that they will share with their peers at the beginning of the workshop. After setting goals, the group will engage in two pomodoro sessions of silent writing in between which there will be a ten minute break. At the conclusion of the session we will reconvene to reflect on the progress made on our writing goals. 

This workshop is designed to be a space where graduate students across disciplines can find mutual support while they tackle their summer writing projects. Our goal in writing together is to find community through writing while helping each other dedicate time to our writing goals. 

To register, please navigate to the events page on UGA’s Writing Center Platform Penji: UGA WCW Penji Community.We hope to see you there! 

July 9: Terry Statement zoom Workshop

Past Workshops and Events

APRIL 29: LONG NIGHT AGAINST PROCRASTINATION: A COLLABORATION WITH UGA LIBRARIES

Work on your final writing projects on Reading Day with support from Willis Center for Writing Consultants + UGA Research Librarians. Free donuts and drinks! 

Tuesday, April 29, 6-9 pm; MLC Third Floor (367, 368, 369)

March 12: Writing with Jimmy Baldwin

Looking for ways to improve your writing? Learn from the greatest! In the “Write with Jimmy Baldwin” workshop we will read excerpts from James Baldwin’s essays and learn how to tell our own stories. 

We will discuss the writer’s strategies and analyze their effects on readers. We will also engage in fun and low stakes brainstorming exercises to explore the potential of his strategies and gain confidence in our own writing. The workshop will primarily focus on learning to communicate personal experiences in a compelling and effective way. As you engage in the writing activities at the workshop, you figure out which of them work specifically for you. These strategies will come in handy when you need to write a cover letter, statement of purpose, or any other application. Please see the workshop details below. 

Date: Wednesday, March 12 Time: 5 pm to 6:30 pm Location: MLC 370. Registration in Penji app. Both undergraduate and graduate students are welcome!

March 12: Beyond the Blank Page: Navigating Writer's Block and Writing Anxiety Workshop (Online)

Join the Graduate School Peer Support Network (GPSN) and The Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing for an interactive workshop on understanding and navigating writing anxiety and writer's block. This workshop helps graduate students reflect on their current writing habits and reframe their perceptions of academic writing using practical tips and mindfulness strategies.

Time: 12:00-1:30; Online; register here.)

March 13 & April 17: Literature Review Workshop

What are the standard elements of a lit review, and how should we effectively engage with our selected handful of texts? In this workshop, we aim to demystify the task of lit review writing. 

We will go over the steps for you to build your own text base when writing a literature review, and fortify your skillset for research-oriented reading, writing, and critical analysis. 

The workshop will take place on Thursday, March 13th from 5 to 6pm in MLC 370. All graduate students are welcome to attend. Another workshop session will be offered on April 17, 5-6 pm in MLC 30. 

Pen and paper will be provided at the workshop, but please bring your laptop if you want to share and discuss your own sample project during the focused free-writing session toward the end of our meeting! Register today in Penji.

March 13: CURO Poster WorksHOP

Are you preparing a poster for UGA's CURO Symposium in April? This workshop will help you get started in telling the story of your research. We'll cover the basics of the poster genre and walk you through a series of generative exercises so that you leave the workshop with a poster draft underway. 

This workshop is in collaboration with UGA's Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities and is limited to those active in the CURO program.

Time: March 13, 3-4 pm

Place: Moore Hall, Room 116

Register: see QR code in flyer to register or email curo@uga.edu with questions

March 14: From Search to SyntheSis: STEM Writing Workshop in Collaboration with UGA Libraries (online)

Join our workshop series for STEM students to enhance academic writing, master citations, and practice ethical paraphrasing. Boost you research and writing confidence!

Zoom: 11:00 am

Register here

March 20 & April 10: Personal Statement Workshop

Personal statement deadline coming up? Come down to MLC 370 for our personal statement workshop! We’ll provide an overview of what a statement includes as well as its "dos and don’ts." 

As tutors at the writing center, we have experience helping students of all majors with various types of statements, and we’ll be there to answer questions and provide writing exercises that will better prepare you for your own applications. 

This workshop will be available on two dates this semester: 

March 20th and April 10th

5:00-6:00 PM. 

Register on Penji today!

March 24 & April 21: Citation and Research SKills WorkShop

Need help formatting quotes and in-text citations? Are you having trouble with navigating the research process? 

The Citation and Research Workshop will cover everything from how to conduct library research to citation formatting. On March 24, from 5:00-6:30 in MLC 370, students will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with writing center consultants to tackle secondary sources and tricky citation formats. We work with students from all disciplines and all course levels, both graduate and undergraduate students alike! 

Another workshop session will be offered on April 21, from 5:00-6:30 in MLC 370.

We provide:

· Citation worksheets: Practice different citation styles that you can implement in your papers!

· Research resources: Learn skills in incorporating primary evidence and secondary sources in your own writing! 

Register today in Penji.

March 28: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Academic Conferencing: A Conversation and Workshop with Heather A. Love

Friday, March 28 @ 10-11:30am, MLC 369 

Coffee and snacks

During this two-part workshop, Professor Love will talk with us about everything from writing the conference abstract (she'll share her very successful formula with us!), to the delivery and style of presenting, to networking during the conference, to creating your research "elevator pitch," to organizing panels in your field to benefit your own professional development. The first part of the event will focus on Professor Love sharing her expertise and answering questions based on what attendees most want to know, and the second part will involve a hands-on writing activity where attendees will bring their own working projects, have the opportunity to practice her abstract writing formula, and receive feedback from Willis Center for Writing consultants. Please join us for part or all of the event! You can register in person or in advance on Penji. 

April 9: Writing with Jimmy Baldwin

Looking for ways to improve your writing? Learn from the greatest! In the “Write with Jimmy Baldwin” workshop we will read excerpts from James Baldwin’s essays and learn how to tell our own stories. 

We will discuss the writer’s strategies and analyze their effects on readers. We will also engage in fun and low stakes brainstorming exercises to explore the potential of his strategies and gain confidence in our own writing. The workshop will primarily focus on learning to communicate personal experiences in a compelling and effective way. As you engage in the writing activities at the workshop, you figure out which of them work specifically for you. These strategies will come in handy when you need to write a cover letter, statement of purpose, or any other application. 

Wednesday, April 9, 5:00-6:30 PM, MLC 370

Registration in Penji app. All UGA writers are welcome!