Aaron Colton

Aaron Colton is an Associate Teaching Professor and Director of First-Year Writing in the Writing Program at Emory University. Previously, he served as Senior Lecturer in Writing Studies and Assistant Director of the TWP Writing Studio at Duke University (2020-2023) and as a Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow at Georgia Tech (2018-2020).

His research centers on Writing Studies and Composition and Rhetoric, with a focus on creative writing pedagogy and literary interpretations of writer's block. His book project Writing Through Writer’s Block (under contract with University of Iowa Press) argues that fictional narratives of creative constraints yield practical teaching methodologies. He publishes in journals like Pedagogy and College Literature, while engaging public discourse through Public Books and Inside Higher Education.

Award recognition includes:

• Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellowship

As Director of First-Year Writing, he oversees curriculum development and instructional strategy for Emory's foundational writing courses, directly shaping pedagogical approaches for undergraduate writers. His administrative leadership extends to mentoring teaching staff and integrating writing center resources into course design.