Writing Consultant = Facilitator

I have to say, Straub's article on the dynamics of the teacher-student relationship, is right on point with how I feel we must act as writing consultants. Given how 'personal' writing is, we must always be conscious of taking away ownership from the writer. While a consultation must be collaborative in the sense that it is an open conversation, and that both individuals must work together, the essay itself is not; a assignment must remain the work of the writer.

It is much easier to simply recognize this in theory, than it is to implement in a practical scenario. As subjective as writing is, it presents quite a challenge to resist the urge to interject based solely on the bias of your own style. David Fuller puts it well, "I let the student see the effect the text had on me and
make decisions based on that". That insight is what impacted me the most from the article, it incorporates many of the themes we have been discussing all year long. In this method, the consultant enables the writer to see how the piece is perceived by his/her audience. Learning to write based on the demands of your audience is crucial in producing effective writing. The quote is also a testament to the importance of letting the writer, understand the critique, make the decisions, and write the paper.