ACE is excited to launch ACE Writes: Writing Support Groups for our Advising Community!

Are you thinking of working on a writing project, such as a statement of advising philosophy, a reflective blog, a book review, a conference proposal, an application to a graduate program, or an academic article? Are you having a hard time just getting started? We are aware that there are many obstacles to writing, and time is one of them. We hope that cultivating writing group support will connect you to other writers on campus, and motivate you to write on! Writing support groups also enable you to give and receive valuable feedback, to maintain accountability, and to grow as writers and scholar-practitioners within a community of advisors.

We intend to organize groups according to your writing projects and your needs within the writing process. The ACE Writes sub-committee plans to dedicate time for participants to come together and write in a productive and quiet space with your writing community, to meet with writing groups on a quarterly basis, and to offer support to each’s groups facilitators.

Groups will be autonomous and can plan subsequent meetings based on each group’s needs. Groups will be divided into three categories:

  1. Project Creation
    Meet with a writing group to discuss ideas about potential writing projects or research studies.
  2. Project Development
    Meet with a writing group to share an idea or ideas that you think would make a great writing project or research study and move it forward effectively.
  3. Project Drafting and Revision
    Meet with a writing group if you have an initial draft of a writing project, thesis, journal article, or research study, and need feedback, or if you want critical feedback on what you have written and developed.

Testimonials

ACE Writes is such a caring and welcoming community of researchers, scholars, and writers! It has been so helpful to have dedicated time for writing and reflection, opportunities to learn from all the amazing work my colleagues are doing, and authentic support and encouragement for my own projects.

- Doug Worsham

I really appreciate the time I’ve spent in ACE Writes. It’s an extremely supportive group, where members with a variety of experiences and backgrounds share our ideas, successes, and challenges in our research and writing projects. I’ve received helpful feedback that has kept me motivated, focused, and kind to myself as I work.

- Michelle Brasseur

Especially during this very challenging past year, ACE Writes offered me the supportive environment of time and space I would not have made for myself.

- Janel Munguia

I am so thankful for ACE Writes and the impact it has had on both my personal and professional life. ACE Writes helped me finally commit time in my week to write about grief and gratitude- something I always wanted to do, but had trouble finding time to do. Feedback from colleagues, quiet time to write, and consistency led to having enough material to start a blog and also gave me the confidence to do an ACE Talks titled “Growing Around Grief”. I can’t wait to see what the next year will bring!

- Megan Lebre

For more information, or to join a writing group, email ace@college.ucla.edu.