Westmont's writing center Writers' Corner

Ashley Clark is a Theatre Arts and English double major who can trace back her literature-related canon event to when she spelt the word “evaporate” correctly in the second grade spelling bee. Since then, she has taken pride in expanding her vocabulary as much as possible—often remembering the list of “big words” posted on her refrigerator when she was six—and delighting in the utility of words as an art form; a pursuit that's certainly not inconvenienced by the fact that she is bilingual (understanding both English and Tagalog!). Majoring in the fields that she does, she takes pleasure in the subjects where they intersect, such as playwriting, poetry, literary analysis and interpretation, and stubbornly fixating on Shakespeare every now and then. Her favorite Shakespeare play is Othello by the way, if you were interested. When not meandering around the theater or typing up a storm in Google Docs, you can likely find Ashley walking to and from the mail center with her headphones on, visualizing epic film scenes in her head while she listens to her best carefully-curated Spotify playlists.

Avala Elwood is studying Political Science.  And yes, it is as cool as the spy movies make it seem . . . even though she has not had the chance to run after a bad guy in her heels yet.  Her bucket list includes multiple adventures that have to do with eating food in their namesake places: Boston Clam Chowder in Boston, Belgian Waffles in Belgium, and French Toast in France.  She will take anything with character and story over picture-perfect because Folgers campfire coffee always tastes better than a fancy latte, and that includes your writing. She is passionate about helping you map out and sift through seemingly foggy ideas until they are eloquently and concisely stated on paper. In other words, she enjoys the writing process!  She promises that she will make your grammar better than Yoda’s: writing, she does love. 

Areas of Study: Political Science

Audree Johnson is an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing whose passion for people gives her the greatest enjoyment in meeting new faces each day. She understands what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a tutoring session and has benefited from partnering up with like-minded souls to navigate the treacherous battles against her archnemesis, Math. (Rest assured, she has proudly conquered that beast and hasn’t any fear of it anymore.) Nowadays, she spends her free time reading fairy tales old and new, drinking hot tea, fawning over antiques, and accidentally staining paper with Earl Grey residue. When she isn’t reading or writing, you'll find her in Trader Joe’s, at the beach, taking a walk with a friend, or surrounded by kids at church. Wherever you are in your writing process, Audree wants you to know that she’s ready to battle it out with you until you've conquered it, too!

Areas of study: English, Writing

My name is David Kvamme, and I am a junior English Major with a Minor in Writing. I am originally from a beach town called Santa Cruz, California, and I was admittedly more engaged writing a short story about surfing than actually surfing. In the past, I have enjoyed engaging antiquated literary styles, especially composing an analytical essay on Longfellow’s poetry. I also have a sporadic knowledge of fandom lore, and enjoy discussing the “Han shot first” debate and the ancestry of Aragorn with much enthusiasm. To apply a Tolkien quote in a new way, I am a firm believer that “not all who wander are lost” when it comes to writing. I have found it often takes exploration and experimentation to reach a breakthrough or a new idea. Wherever you are in your writing journey, I would love to help you along the way. 

Areas of Study: English, Writing

A native of the Sacramento area in Northern California, Andreas Olvera is a third-year Math major with passions for reading, random album trivia, and GamePigeon showdowns with friends. Andreas grew up surrounded by books and music, and enjoys exploring the many planes of interaction between the words we speak and the music we make. He hopes to make writing more accessible for students in the sciences (a field not generally associated with readable prose) and to be a kind and supportive presence in the Writers’ Corner.

Areas of study: Math