Introducing ‘the (academic) writer’…

I’m very excited to introduce the (academic) writer blog series. Essentially, I’ll be asking academics about how they write: the writing routines they have, what they do when they get stuck, how they approach the blank page of a new project, and so on.

I wanted to make the (academic) writer happen for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I’m convinced that one of these people must hold the secret to making writing easy, mainly for me but also for you (I’m generous like that). I still live in the hope that we’re just using the wrong pen or that the words will flow as long as we begin writing precisely at 1.17 pm every third day. Ask enough people, and I’m sure I’ll stumble on the answer at some point.

I also think there’s something in seeing how varied people’s routines are. The one key thing that unites all the writers that I’m talking to is that they hate checking their proofs have developed an approach to writing that works for them. My plan is that reading their reflections on writing will help us to find new, better, different, and more fun approaches to writing as well.

The other thing that drove me to put this series together is that we often forget that research involves us be(com)ing writers. It was only through writing my doctoral dissertation that I found my authorial voice(s). I wish I had recognised the PhD process as an opportunity to develop as a writer (as well as a researcher) earlier in my candidature. By talking to writers who also happen to be academics, I want to see what we can learn when we put our writer identities first.

I hope you enjoy the (academic) writer series. Let me know if there’s anyone you think might have the answer to always-easy writing that I should be talking to… and, of course, drop me an email if you’d be open to me poking around your writing habits.