ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú

Howe Writing Center undergraduate consultant Kendyl Gurren opens up about her personal narrative and experience of vulnerability as a writer in a recent issue of Queen City Writers, an academic journal of writing and composition. 

Queen City Writers is a journal housed at the University of Cincinnati that showcases outstanding student work from universities across the country. Gurren’s essay, , is featured in the and explores her personal journey with the writing process. Drawing on the cyclical relationship between writing and identity, she highlights the ways in which storytelling shapes not only her work but also her sense of self. Through the act of writing, Gurren discovers the power of authenticity, embracing her vulnerability as a source of growth and connection with others. As she writes in the essay, “I’ve realized that being vulnerable in writing makes an author more engaging; that is, through writing honestly, they foster a sense of trust between themselves and the audience, urging the reader to feel more secure about interacting with the work in a personal way.”

Gurren began work on Becoming Known as a student in Howe Writing Center Director Dr. Lizzie Hutton’s ENG 481 course (Writing Center Theory and Practice). This course is central to becoming a writing consultant. As part of their work, Dr. Hutton’s students reflect on their own and their peers' habits as writers, readers, and learners. By the midpoint of the term, students begin to put their newfound knowledge into practice, conducting with a diverse range of writers from the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú community. The center employs over 30 undergraduate and graduate students each year.

Gurren credits her time as an undergraduate consultant for the HWC as equipping her with the confidence to tackle the work that goes into publication. “I feel as though my experience as a consultant has allowed me to feel more comfortable with the revision process. I had always struggled with proofreading my own work, especially with pieces like this where I talk so openly about my identity, but beginning to assist other writers in this process helped me gain the tools necessary to view my writing more objectively.” 

Working with Dr. Hutton and the reviewers of Queen City Writers towards publication was similarly a wonderful experience of encouragement and learning, exemplifying ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú’s Teacher Scholar model of engaged mentorship and collaborative learning between faculty and students. “This was my first time submitting to an academic journal, and I am so grateful for all of Lizzie's help and support throughout the process,” says Gurren. “After several drafts, I reached out through email and QCW agreed to consider it for publication. This experience showed me that seeking publication is not as scary as I thought it was--there are so many opportunities out there for young writers if we don't let fear paralyze us into not seeking them out.“

Gurren, a sophomore at ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University, is a first-generation Honors student from Northern Kentucky studying Psychology, Education Studies, and Professional Writing. She hopes her journey will inspire other writers to pursue their writing aspirations with confidence, especially those like her who identify as first-generation. “No one is born a better writer based on their background,” she said. “Writing, like any other skill, is learned. There is always time for you to grow and become the writer you want to be.”