Profile by Mark Guartambel, ’20
How it all started
Michael Turner was in a PhD program but wasn’t really sure what he wanted to do. He was always interested in reading and writing but was never really sure how that would manifest itself. While he was doing that he was working in the writing center and had an administrative position. This really helped him pursue different kinds of projects that opened new doors for him. Michael had always been attracted to the work that happens in writing centers.
“Being able to work one on one with someone enables you to do a kind of work that usually can’t happen in other kinds of context.”
It really helps better understand someone individually than rather it being a classroom setting environment.
Inspiration
Michael Turner was reading books that he did not like in high school. Part of it was making him dislike reading—something that had always been enjoyable for him.
Then he read Toni Morrison in high school and he thought to himself “Who has been keeping this from me?!”. It was an assigned book called Song of Solomon. He said it was hard for him to imagine that book being in the world and him not knowing about it. He became super obsessed with Toni Morrison. He also took a class in college about Toni Morrison but then dropped it because it was taught in an overly simplistic way. Toni Morrison really sparked his love for literature.
Reading and Writing throughout his career
Michael Turner is a creative writing professor at Pace University as well as the coordinator of the Writing Center at Pace University in Pleasantville. What surprises him every day is how hard the students work. The students who work in the Writing Center do far more than “just sit with other students and help them.” Writing Center tutors provide one-on-one full engagement as they commit to someone’s work, almost like putting themselves in someone else’s shoes.
Advice
One of the most important things that anyone can do is find a mentor—a person that you have a good relationship with. Stay in regular contact with that person.
Also find a person that reads your writing critically enough and that is honest enough so you can start to internalize their perspective. Michael explains that was helpful for him. When he would write, he would think of that person and say “ohhh” then make changes based on what he imagined they would say about his writing. Michael also shared writing with people who developed “friendly competition”: They all wanted to do well and would feed off each other in productive ways.
Shape Your Story 