Consultant Bios

Cade

My hobbies include DJing, music production, disc golfing, kite flying, and going to the gym. My favorite thing about writing is that it gives me the opportunity to more fully explore thoughts and feelings that I want to communicate far better than I tend to be able to with words. When I am trying to avoid writing, I imagine the disappointed look on the face of my faculty advisor. I tend to not avoid very long.

Elizabeth

I love painting, playing the flute, cooking, reading, and long nature walks. I love trees and if I’m not painting them, you’ll probably find me walking amongst them and admiring the foliage. My favorite thing about writing is how my writing process helps me crystallize my thoughts. I enjoy seeing how the sundry of thoughts in my head can tumble out as neat prose on paper. When I’m trying to avoid writing, I paint or play my flute or go for a long, wandering walk.

Emily

Ernest

My hobbies are language learning, playing the piano, and reading science fiction. My favorite part about writing is that it allows me to clarify my thoughts about the topics I research and write about. When I’m trying to avoid writing, I often find myself reading and documenting myself beyond what is essential for the writing task at hand.

Evan

Outside of the Writing Studio, I really love to read (I’m always on my Goodreads) and am currently trying to get better at sewing. I love to talk about movies, musicals, books, or TV shows, so please share your opinions or recs! The best part about writing for me is being done with it, and being able to look back on my work and what I’ve done with a feeling of accomplishment. I enjoy how writing allows you to express yourself with a little more thought, creativity, and care. When I’m trying to avoid writing I will clean my room, watch videos on YouTube, and do absolutely any other work other than the assignment I should be working on.

Jamie B.

When I'm not writing, I'm usually reading or watching science fiction, cooking spicy food, hanging out under the full moon, or thinking about climate change. My favorite thing about writing is when I finally get something down on paper that's been banging around inside my head for days. When I'm trying to avoid writing, I usually go outside and watch some animals.

Jeslyn

When I’m not writing, I often read Mitch Albom books, cook Thai food in the dorms for my friends, volunteer with Duke APO, or explore new hobbies (wakeboarding and knitting, among many). I enjoy the writing process as it allows me to share my thoughts and insights with my professors, friends, and parents. For me, the brainstorming stage is one of the most rewarding parts of writing. I seek inspiration from traveling, people-watching, or just sitting in the Duke Gardens, hoping an idea will strike. When trying to avoid writing, I like to talk to other people about their pieces in hopes of gaining inspiration or learning something new about their area of study.

Jocelyn

If I’m not writing poetry and flash nonfiction, I’m probably going on a run with an audiobook, walking my rescue Olive, or coaching youth basketball. I love writing because it’s a thoughtful way to communicate with people with intention and a bit of personality. As Scout Finch said “I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.” Writing, then, must simply be my exhale… though I avoid writing philosophy papers by spontaneously making plans with friends instead to lakes/trails around Durham or new ice cream spots

Luma

Some things I enjoy are reading (especially fiction and history), walking (especially in the woods), cooking and eating Indian food, and spending time in the mountains or with my wonderful cat. My favorite thing about writing is using visual techniques, such as concept mapping and color. Laying things out visually really helps me with all kinds of writing process and problems, including brainstorming and organization. When I’m trying to avoid writing, decluttering my apartment becomes appealing. If I’m avoiding writing it usually means I’m feeling stuck, so I try breaking the writing task into smaller parts. (pronouns: she/her)

Maggie

When I’m not at school or writing, I love riding horses or spending time with any sort of animal, as well as watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, listening to Bowie and Byrne (David implied), and playing the guitar badly. My favorite thing about writing is the deeper understanding it has given me of myself, but when I’m trying to avoid it I usually will go outside and not return for an indeterminate amount of time.

Margaret

Michelle

Outside of being a writing consultant, I do nuclear and particle physics research, photonics research, am a LabRAT in the POD, and enjoy reading and baking during my nonexistent free time. I write about what my professors tell me to write about–I am yet to explore creative writing. When I am writing I try to avoid overthinking, because I do not have time to overthink.

Morayo

Outside the writing studio, I enjoy going to the gym and learning more about the intersection of brain and exercise. I would say that writing is an outlet for me–a way to express myself and my thoughts. I value being able to communicate ideas with people that may come from different backgrounds and experiences. It is exciting to be able to read other people’s work because writing styles are so different and there is always something you can learn from someone else. I actively avoid writing assignments by spending extra time with friends, watching basketball (or really any sport), and spending too much time outlining my thoughts.

Sage

Outside of the Studio I can be found crushing 3-D printed cylinders in the basement of Hudson Hall, running simulations for the Duke AERO rocketry team, or assisting engineering freshmen with their design projects. Writing allows me to make sense of myself and the world at large. I also love how prose can move hearts and change perspectives. Ways that I productively avoid writing include creating overly-detailed mind maps or jogging between campuses.

Sam

When I’m not writing, you can usually find me shredding on the piano, doing math/coding/suffering, baking, or playing Dungeons and Dragons! Avoiding writing is also a great pastime for me, and whenever I have writer’s block, I’ll go on walks around campus, or play piano in the dark so it’s just random creative output. If I’m avoiding it so hard I’m not even trying, I might also be playing some video games or hanging out with some friends. My favorite part about writing, when I actually do it, is the ability to control everything about how my writing relates to itself. Setting up an argument that comes back pages later, or bringing something full circle with a punchline or a revelation, is immensely satisfying, and way easier to do when writing than when speaking.

Tomas

I enjoy playing guitar, soccer, and running. I like to solve crosswords with my dad. I attempt fiction writing, mostly short stories and screenplays. I think one of the powers of writing lies in the author’s ability to deliberately instill emotion in a reader; an author’s feeling, perhaps thought of as ineffable prior to the writing, is now accessible, and so planted in the reader’s mind like a precious gift. I avoid writing by lazing at the beach.

Yeonwoo

My hobbies include watching movies and doing yoga. My favorite thing about writing is when I reach a new idea I'd initially not thought about. I also love the moment when I finish a piece of writing too. When I'm trying to avoid writing I usually eat a snack or take a nap.