Writing is at once two steps away from conversation and a return to conversation. We converse; we internalize conversation as thought; and then by writing, we re-immerse conversation in its external, social medium.” (Bruffee, p. 641)
The Pilcrow Studio Writing Retreat offers writing studies’ scholars the opportunity to write in community with colleagues from across the country. Proposals should involve research projects intended for publication in the fields of writing centres or writing studies, with a view towards writing pedagogy.
May 24th – May 27th, 2020
Bluewater, Ontario
Call for proposals closes Monday, Feb. 3, 2020
The idea for this came from a deep desire to create small scholarly writing retreat. As writers and scholars, we have little time to write. And when we write we often write alone, in between classes, or on Saturday afternoons between children’s swimming lessons and play-dates. There’s not enough time at conferences to share in writing. At a retreat we can have a practice together that can result in strengthened thinking, shared ideas, and important contributions to the literature of writing centres and writing studies.
A retreat provides space for tutors, program administrators, instructors, and researchers to write, discuss, enjoy, and share in developing and moving writing projects forward. We know, as scholars of composing process and writing pedagogy, conversation is central to writing and the construction of knowledge.Being together in a space for three or four days, this conversation happens on paper and screens, and around tables and evening fires.
The retreat is a significant expansion of the Canadian Writing Centres Association/l’Association canadienne des centres de rédaction, aiming to grow the culture of publication among the community of writing centre professionals in Canada, to provide opportunities for tutors to grow and develop their scholarly work, and to facilitate collective storytelling about Canadian sites of writing tutoring and mentorship.
We need a culture of support for publication within the scholarly community of writers in the field of Canadian writing centre studies. In community, we can provide mutual support and mentorship for our colleagues as writers, provide content for the CWCR/RCCR and the CJSDW/r special issue, provide further programming and opportunity for CWCA/ACCR members, and facilitate the successful launch of a new blog, CWCR/RCCR, with quality submissions.
The retreat will take place May 24th – May 27th, 2020, prior to the CWCA/ACCR conference to reduce travel costs for participants. For this first year, the retreat is capped at 6 participants. Each participant will be expected to provide a guided writing session for each other. Registration fee is $250.00, which includes lodging and breakfast and lunch.
Call for proposals is now open
image via Blueways of St. Clair