Writing Night
The Writing Night always takes place on the first Thursday in March and at the end of September.
Did you miss the last Long Night? No problem – we’re already planning the next one for
September 2025.
Registration will be possible here from the beginning of August. More detailed information will be published in due time. In the meantime, we’re here for you with support services throughout the year.
We are looking forward to welcoming you :)!
Get to know our range of workshops. During the lecture period, you also have the opportunity to take part in the writing workshop and you can make use of our individual consultations at any time. If you’d like to learn more about our work, you can also meet us at the Campus Festival
Impressions of Writing Night on March, 6 2025
The Writing Night celebrated its debut in the winter semester 2024/25 under the motto: "Write the Night into Day! Find your Flow!" at the IKMZ in Golm. In collaboration with the library team, the Coordination Office for Equal Opportunities the ZIM, the Feel Good Campus, and the Central Student Advisory Service, a diverse program was organized for nearly 80 participants.
After registration, participants were first drawn to the lucky wheel or the cafeteria. The lucky wheel featured questions about the writing process and the use of AI, and was especially popular thanks to the prizes on offer. These were provided by the Writing Assistance team and the library, equipping participants with pens, notepads, and keychains to get them through the night. In the cafeteria, a long table was filled with homemade or personally brought food.
Following registration and the welcome session, two of a total of 12 workshops began in the rooms on the ground floor. Opportunities for independent work were available on all other floors. The third floor, for example, offered the ideal environment for both collaboration and quiet concentration, with group workspaces and a designated quiet area.
This semester’s workshop program featured a diverse range of inputs on the writing process, the use of gender-inclusive language, working with AI tools, and practical tips on using writing tools like Word, Citavi, and Zotero. In addition to these thematic workshops, the Writing Assistance team also provided one-on-one consultations for students. These sessions allowed for addressing specific questions, discussing writing challenges, and developing targeted strategies. This way, participants not only received general input but also direct support tailored to their individual needs.
Beyond the content-focused workshops and individual consultations, the well-being of participants also played a central role. In cooperation with the Feel Good Campus, a "Healthy Break" was offered – a short but effective movement session designed to clear the mind and restore energy for the writing process. Another highlight was the nighttime walk across campus. In a relaxed atmosphere, participants were able to get some fresh air, connect with others, and gain new inspiration for their writing.
We would like to thank all contributors and participants for another successful Writing Night and look forward to seeing you again at the end of September 2025. We wish all participants continued success in their writing journeys!
Impressions of Writing Night on September 26, 2024
Finally, the Writing Night could take place on 26 September after it had to be postponed in March 2024 due to the precarious train situation!
The first of the 78 participants arrived at 3 pm at Zessko on Campus Neues Palais - prepared to keep writing until 11pm. People joined Writing Night from all different faculties, such as the Faculty of Human Sciences, the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science. Responding to the high number of participants, the team of the Writing Assistance had prepared two silent writing rooms, as well as a room to relax and a large social writing room. There were also several other rooms with a varied offer of workshops. According to the motto “Everything can but nothing has to”, the participants had the freedom to focus on their individual writing projects or attend workshops with input about time management, citation and writing techniques or motivation and revisiting. The workshops were led not only by the team of the Writing Assistance but also by representatives from the University Library, ZIM and ZfQ. There was an especially high demand for the AI-workshop which was given by Dr. Anja Swidsinski. In addition to that, people could join a tour of the Media Center (Mediothek). All of that contributed to a feeling of productivity and an atmosphere that invited everyone to keep on writing.
During the breaks, the team of the Feel Good Campus offered a moving and relaxing session but there was also the possibility to go for a relaxing night walk around campus with one member of the Writing Assistance. For those who preferred to stay indoors, the relaxation room provided a space to socialize with participants from other faculties, exchanging ideas about term papers, bachelor’s or master’s theses, and even dissertations. The team of the Writing Assistance was always available in case anyone needed advice and, if there was a more extensive question, also offered individual writing assistance. Alongside inspiring conversations, of course there had to be good food which is why the participants prepared a buffet with all kinds of snacks for everyone.
As the team of the Writing Assistance we can say that we were positively surprised by the productive and open working atmosphere which contributed to everyone progressing with their projects and some even finishing them. It also was a good chance to make people aware of the varied programme of the Writing Assistance as we could read in the feedback.
We look forward to organizing more Writing Nights for you which will take place on the first Thursday in March and at the end of September.
We organised digital Writing Nights in 2021 and 2022 because of the coronavirus. Platforms like wonder.me or gather.town brought students closer together and created the feeling of interacting on a personal basis in times of social distancing.
Just like any other Night, we offered mini workshops, answered individual questions regarding the different phases of the writing process, and supported you when it comes to technical problems and formatting difficulties. We also offered short yoga or breathing breaks when relaxation was needed. Those having attended without a specific writing project profit from the productive and motivating atmosphere in order to plan new projects or to learn.