Meet our team series
Welcome to the Writing Centre’s Specialists blog series: Meet YorkU’s Writing Centre Team. Over the next few months, we will be highlighting some of the writing experts and specialists at the Writing Centre so you can get to know them better and see how they support students at the Writing Centre!
As part of the Writing Centre's Specialists blog series, today's blog post will be highlighting the Writing Centre’s digital specialist, Dr. Rich Shivener!
Dr. Shivener specializes in English, digital writing, composition, and rhetoric in his Ph.D. and teaches digital writing courses in the Writing Department's Digital Cultures stream.
During Dr. Shivener’s interview, he discussed how he supports students with writing strategies, prompts, and resources during the live stream sessions. At Get WRIT, students can expect to learn how to use a variety of digital writing resources and receive help with their multimedia writing projects!
Dr. Shivener says,
What I'm trying to do in the Writing Centre is offer expertise, resources, and advice on any kind of multimedia writing projects that students might be doing. If they're trying to move their essay to a website, whether it's Google Sites or Adobe Spark, or if they're looking to do it in audio form, or video form, I can offer them some resources.
Dr. Shivener has introduced a new YouTube Livestream series to the Writing Centre this term called “Get WRIT.” During the live stream sessions, Dr. Shivener provides digital writing strategies, resources, and more to help York students with their digital writing projects.
You can join the Get WRIT Livestreams on the YU WRIT Live YouTube channel every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST during the Fall term. You can also visit YU WRIT Live on YouTube to check out previous live stream sessions!
There are programs that are beyond Microsoft Word and Google Docs, like Scribbler, or Ulysses—and just trying to bring those things to the surface in a way that feels much more like [a part of] York and the Writing Department.
— says Dr. Shivener.
During Dr. Shivener’s interview, he discussed how he supports students with writing strategies, prompts, and resources during the live stream sessions. At Get WRIT, students can expect to learn how to use a variety of digital writing resources and receive help with their multimedia writing projects!
"What I'm trying to do in the Writing Centre is offer expertise, resources, and advice on any kind of multimedia writing projects that students might be doing,” said Dr. Shivener.
“If they're trying to move their essay to a website, whether it's Google Sites or Adobe Spark, or if they're looking to do it in audio form, or video form, I can offer them some resources."
All you need to join the free YouTube Livestream series is a computer, phone, or tablet! Dr. Shivener will also be introducing a variety of emerging digital writing platforms that students can use for their writing projects.
Shivener noted that "I've tried to become very familiar with a range of multimedia resources you can use in relation to writing that are either free or paid, depending on what you want to do. There are programs that are beyond Microsoft Word and Google Docs, like Scribbler, or Ulysses—and just trying to bring those things to the surface in a way that feels much more like [a part of] York and the Writing Department."
“I love watching the project come alive, or take a new turn, based on those kinds of conversations."
What's great about the Get WRIT Livestream series is that you can tune in on previous sessions at any time on YouTube at YU WRIT Live! Live streams will continue for the Fall 2021 semester until December 1st. Requests for topics are most welcome!
To view the Fall schedule and learn more about Get WRIT, visit the Get WRIT webpage on the Writing Centre's website!
Hopefully, I get people inspired to write by just doing writing. If I'm writing for a bit on the screen, they can see everything I'm doing, and see those kinds of nuances and imperfections that sort of come out.
— Dr. Rich Shivener
What I'm trying to do in the Writing Centre is offer expertise, resources, and advice on any kind of multimedia writing projects that students might be doing.
— Dr. Rich Shivener
Learn More
To learn more about one-to-one appointments, please visit our registration page. The Writing Centre's online resources will continue to grow all year! You can also visit the Writing Centre’s blog!
Connect with the Writing Centre on social media! You can follow us on Facebook @writyork, Twitter @yorkuwritcentre, and Instagram @yorkuwritcentre.