Being a good writer is not the same as being a good writing consultant.

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As a consultant at the writing center, I have the privilege to closely observe how other colleagues work with their clients. The followings are two good consulting strategies or practical responses that stood out to me during this last semester while I was observing a consultant, Matthew, working with a client.

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1. Avoid arguing about expressions used specifically in a professional field.

Since the client's writing was in a very different major from Matthew’s, Matthew told her in advance that he was going to trust her on the professional words, phrases, or expressions she used in the writing. I think that is a smart and reasonable clarification beforehand 1) for using the time efficiently on writing technical issues rather than word checking; 2) free himself from tangling about something he is not familiar with/learning new expressions that might not be very relevant to this writing consulting.

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2. Reading the writing out loud.

I used to think that reading aloud can only help you realize some writing errors/typos that you can’t realize when reading silently, but not efficient. Nevertheless, using it as a consulting strategy, I am surprised at how effectively it can speed up the revision process.

After applying the same strategy to my own consulting sessions too, I find reading the writing out loud instead of silently is making a difference to the client. It is more engaging and pleasing. It has many outstanding benefits:

For clients, when they are listening to us reading their own writings, they may pick up on places where we seem to stumble or get lost, and those may be places where the client needs to make things clearer for the readers.

As listeners, when the client hears his/her writing read out loud, he/she may recognize that the need to re-order the information in it or realize that there are gaps in your explanation. Listeners also need transitions to help readers get from one point to another. When his/her hear your paper, his/her may recognize places where you have moved from one topic to another too abruptly.

Hearing your paper can also help you get a sense of whether the tone is right. Sometimes hearing your words helps you get a more objective sense of the impression you are creating as listening puts you in s the position your reader will be in as he/she moves through your text.

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Moreover, I have a deeper comprehension and application of our writing center's motto - "All Students, All Writing”. It is necessary for us as writing consultants to accommodate ALL students in the aspects of not only discipline and culture but also physical and mental conditions. As long as we keep an open mind and be sincere and genuine to improve a writing center session for any kind of student, we will be doing our job.