Writing Consultations

Our Support

The Writing Center is closed whenever the university is closed. Please review the Academic Calendar
Writing Consultants can work with:
  • Academic writing
  • Personal statements
  • Creative writing
  • Personal work
They cannot work with:
  • Take home essay tests for a class
  • Career Center documents such as resumes

The In-Person Appointment

All in-person consultations will be held in the Bear CLAW, located on the first floor of the Meyer Library. Check in at the front desk a few minutes before your scheduled session. Drop-In appointments are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that scheduled appointments have priority services and may cause your drop-in session to be shortened. An appointment is strongly recommended.

Schedule an In-Person Session

You must use the Online scheduling system for synchronous (in-person or virtual) consultations. 

In-person or virtual appointments available August 25 to December 4, 2025.

Schedule an In-Person Appointment Online Using TutorTrac

  • Review the TutorTrac instructions.
  • Appointments made online must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance and can be booked up to seven days in advance.
  • You can also call the front desk at (417) 836-6398.

Online Consultations - Email

Fall 2025 Online Submissions: August 25 - December 2, 2025

Writers can obtain advice regarding their manuscript through an email consultation. A paper may be at any stage of the writing process. A writing consultant will read and give you an overview of the text's strengths and weaknesses.

Rules for Submission
  1. We can accept submissions only from a valid Bear PASS accounts.
  2. Only one paper per email is accepted.
  3. Drafts with comments will be returned to you as soon as possible, normally as follows:
  • 1-5 pages: Up to 2 Business days.
  • 6-10 pages: Up to 3 Business days.
  • Over 10 pages: Up to 3-5 Business days
  • Graduate Thesis: For best results, send us a chapter at a time, not the entire thesis.
  • Screenplay/Stage Play: Up to 10 pages at a time.
  • Book: One chapter at a time.

NOTE: The Writing Center is closed whenever the university is closed, affecting the timeline. Please review the Academic Calendar.

How to Submit Your Paper

Attach a paper in either Word or rich-text format to an e-mail and send it to writingcenter@missouristate.edu. Links to Google docs are also welcome.

*Please note that we can accept submissions only from a valid Missouri State University email address. All others will be deleted.

In the body of your email, please include:

  1. your first and last name.
  2. your native language (if not English).
  3. your Missouri State University connection: dual credit, satellite location, study away – (where?), online course, or academic department.
  4. any specific concerns and/or questions about the paper.

It is important to include answers to all four questions to ensure a timely and topical response to your submission.

Synchronous Virtual Consultations

Virtual appointments may be available during our service period. If you need to speak to a writing consultant directly using our virtual system, please contact the director, Michael Frizell, to make arrangements.

Information for Faculty & Staff

We're looking forward to assisting your students! Please contact Michael Frizell, Director of Student Learning Services, before sending your students en masse to the Online Writing Center. In your email:

  1. Include your prompt: Students often forget to share that with us. We want to ensure we're following directions, too.

  2. Indicate the due date: We want to make your job easier. Sharing the due date will allow us to allocate enough consultants to meet deadlines.
  3. Let us know how many students we can expect: This is helpful, too!
  4. Verifying submissions: If you need us to verify that your student submitted a paper, let us know. We can send you the exact day of submission and the proof of consultation.