A writing circle is a small group of colleagues who meet weekly to write together and share progress on their writing projects. Writing circle members also mentor each other to create sustainable writing practices. In addition to giving faculty and librarians peer support and focused writing time, writing circles can make the writing process less lonely. Many faculty members and librarians appreciate these writing circles for their informal mentoring that makes the academic writing and publishing process more transparent.
Writing circles become communities where participants can support each other in their self-identified writing intentions. Faculty members and librarians who are committed to participating in a semester-long, weekly writing group might be interested in joining an OFD Writing Circle. Writing circles are led by an OFD Scholarly Writing Fellow and are open to all UMass Amherst faculty and librarians. For questions, please contact Rebecca Dingo.
Spring 2026 Writing Circles
Writing Circles for All Faculty & Librarians:
In-Person Writing Circles:
THURSDAYS: 1:15–2:45 p.m.
- Room 1902, W. E. B. Du Bois Library
- Facilitator: Emiliano Ricciardi
- Specialty: Emiliano Ricciardi publishes articles and is the editor of Tasso in Music Project. He’s also been the PI on two NEH grants.
FRIDAYS: 10:00–11:30 a.m.
- Room 1902, W. E. B. Du Bois Library
- Facilitator: Karen Kurczynski
- Specialty: Karen Kurczynski is working on publishing her third book.
Zoom Writing Circles:
MONDAYS: 2:30–4:00 p.m.
- Facilitator: Jun Yang
- Specialty: Jun Yang is an active grant writer and astrophysicist whose writing spans proposals aligned with NASA and NSF programs, refereed journal articles, and white papers.
TUESDAYS: 9:30–11:00 a.m.
- Facilitator: Leyla Keough-Hameed
- Specialty: Leyla Keough-Hameed has experience writing a scholarly book, peer-reviewed articles, public-facing pieces, editing, grant writing, and white papers. As she directs early faculty programming, she especially encourages them to join this circle.
Writing Circle for Latinx/Hispanic Faculty & Librarians:
MONDAYS: 9:00–10:30 a.m., Starting 9/12
- Zoom
- Co-facilitators: Aida Villanueva Montalvo & Verónica Martín Ruiz
- Specialty: Verónica Martín Ruiz and Aida Villanueva Montalvo are both active writers of journal articles and funding proposals; they also write in non-native languages.
Note: All faculty and librarians are welcome to all groups and spaces on campus.
The interest form for Spring Writing Circles is now closed; stay tuned for Fall 2026 circles!
Program Contact
Senior Fellow and Associate Director, OFD; Professor of English