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Madison Writing Assistance

The Madison Writing Assistance (MWA) program offers free, one-to-one writing support for community members at library branches throughout the city. Our friendly, experienced writing coaches are happy to help with writing projects across a wide range of genres, including resumes, cover letters, application essays, grant proposals, fiction writing, memoirs, and more.  Learn more about the partnership between the Library and the Madison Writing Assistance Program.

MWA is back this Fall for in-person assistance from September 15 - December 6! You may meet with an MWA instructor on:

  • Mondays 4-7pm at Lakeview Library
  • Tuesdays 1:30-4:30pm at Goodman South Madison Library
  • Wednesdays 10am - 12pm at Meadowood Neighborhood Center (right next to Meadowridge Library)*
  • Thursdays 4-7pm at Hawthorne Library
  • Fridays 3-6pm at Sequoya Library

To schedule an appointment, visit our online calendar and reserve a time to meet with a trained writing coach. Visit UW Writing Center's Madison Writing Assistance page for more information.

*Drop-in appointments only. Not available to schedule online or at Meadowridge Library. 
 

Madison Writing Assistance Hawthorne Library
FAQs
Madison Writing Assistance testimonial. It was so helpful to talk about my draft with someone who gets it.
Testimonials
Madison Writing Assistance at Madison Public Library
Make an Appointment

Madison Writing Assistance is a free service provided by the UW-Madison Writing Center and is made possible through generous donations from the Evjue Foundation and UW Anonymous Fund, along with administrative and program support from the UW-Madison English Department, the UW-Madison Writing Center, and our Library and neighborhood center partners. 

Patron Testimonials

Over the years, hundreds of patrons have benefitted from using Madison Writing Assistance. But, don't take our word for it. You can hear directly from those who have used the service about what their experiences have been like. Read below for a handful of testimonials from Madison Public Library visitors who have scheduled appointments with Madison Writing Assistance to get writing help within our library locations or online. 

Madison Writing Assistance testimonial cover letter topic
Madison Writing Assistance testimonial essay
Madison Writing Assistance Testimonial general editing
Madison Writing Assistance testimonial application

More Testimonials...

  • “It was so helpful to talk about my draft with someone who gets it. We looked right at the areas that I was stuck on, and the MWA instructor helped me talk through my ideas and draft a couple sentences for those spots during our appointment, which allowed me to make huge progress on my project. We accomplished SO MUCH in 45 minutes!”
  • “I found that when [my MWA coach] repeated the ideas I had, it showed how it sounded to them. It helped me understand where I excelled and where I needed work to show my full and intended meaning.”
  • “I appreciate the specific feedback from [my MWA coach], she was a great editor and was really sweet and fun to work with.”
  • “It was so helpful. [My MWA coach] was encouraging and kind and helped me to improve my writing exponentially. It was a blessing to be able to meet with her from my home and her feedback was very valuable.”
  • “The constructive feedback was specific, which allowed me to make actionable steps towards improving it.”
  • “Amazing, very fast and beneficial feedback. Very kind words as well!”
  • “Thank you so much for providing these valuable and empowering service to the community!”

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of writing does MWA help with?

They can help with nearly any kind of writing you can think of! Some of their most common types of writing projects include: 

  • Resumes
  • Cover Letters
  • College Applications
  • Graduate School Applications
  • Homework
  • Creative Writing Projects like Fiction, Memoir, and Poetry

What can I expect during an MWA appointment?

You’ll arrive at the library and a librarian will direct you to the MWA coach. You’ll fill out an MWA Patron Agreement Form. Then, the MWA coach will get to know a little about you and the project you’re working on. They will probably ask you questions about your needs and goals, and the two of you will decide on a plan for your 50-minute appointment. 

Depending on the plan you make together for your appointment, your coach may: 

  • Share resources and templates with you
  • Read through your draft and provide feedback
  • Brainstorm a list of job experiences for your resume

It all depends on what kind of writing support or feedback you need. Once your appointment is done, your MWA coach will share a feedback survey with you. Hopefully, you’ll leave the appointment feeling better about whatever writing project you’re working on! 

Who is MWA for?

MWA is for any resident of Dane County who does not already have easy access to a University Writing Center. 

Is this just for UW-Madison students?

Nope! While they are a part of the UW-Madison Writing Center, they're focused on bringing writing support to the broader Dane County community outside of the university. In fact, they generally don’t accept appointments with UW-Madison students, since they can use the University Writing Center.

Who are the MWA coaches?

Our excellent coaches are all graduate student writing instructors at UW-Madison. They have experience and training in a truly amazing variety of writing genres, and they’re so excited to work with you on your writing project.

Who pays for this?

MWA appointments are 100% free for people who sign up. 

MWA is funded by grants from the UW Anonymous Fund, the Evjue Foundation, and Altrusa International of Madison. This financial support, in addition to the partnership with Madison Public Library and the Meadowood Neighborhood Center, allows them to provide one-on-one writing coaching for free.

What if I have more questions?

Send them an email at mwa@writing.wisc.edu. You can also check out their page on the UW-Madison Writing Center Website.