“I am done with toys!” — The benefits, joys and risks of creativity and innovation in graduate writing support

Writing is a necessary part of the graduate student’s journey; it can also be a stressful and frustrating one that leaves students feeling “stuck” and disheartened. In this article we discuss four playful and alternative strategies that aim to free-up and inspire our graduate writers: our use of shape cards, LEGO®, walking tutorials, and yoga and meditation for writing. Through a combination of reflection on experience, initial primary research, and engagement with wider discussions, we demonstrate the benefits and joys of our creative and innovative writing support work. However, we also acknowledge that such techniques involve risks and challenges, and they certainly will not suit every graduate writer: as one of our students put it, “I am done with toys!” Nevertheless, as this article demonstrates, such practices have a real potential to support, empower, and deepen graduate student writing.