Writing Center Director

Jan Sims (ext. 1675) is the director of the Writing Center. She brings the practical perspectives of a writer, editor, and teacher to the realm of writing theory.

Jan Sims Jan received her B.A. in English from Randolph-Macon Woman's College (Lynchburg, Virginia) and her Ph.D. in English from Emory University with an emphasis on medieval literature. While completing her dissertation, she taught various courses in rhetoric and composition as well as literature. It's a short step from providing feedback on student essays to proofreading manuscripts, and she got hooked by publishing for about ten years, editing books in the popular For Dummies series. She advocates clarity, concision, and creativity in academic writing.

Jan approaches all writing as playing with words. For pleasure, she enjoys reading and writing science fiction, fantasy, children's literature, and poetry. She's also an avid contra dancer.

"Writing is a lot like dancing: you get better with practicing the basic moves, and discover that you can do those simple steps in many different styles of dance (or writing). Some rhythms come more naturally than others, until gradually you find your own steps and your own voice. Both dancing and writing can be solitary or collaborative fun."

Please send Jan suggestions for workshops, writing tips, and other info you'd like to see the Writing Center offer on this site.