Episode #240

[Writing Practice Series] What Is Writing? [RE-RELEASE EP 58]

I am excited to introduce a new podcast series focused on writing practices. Throughout the series, I will share insights on redefining what writing means in academia, dispel myths about writing, and offer practical advice to help you cultivate a sustainable writing practice.

MORE DETAILS

In today’s episode, I explore the true definition of writing. I share why I believe writing is more than just words on a page and how the steps we take to prepare to write are essential parts of our writing practices. I also discuss how mindset impacts writing and give you an exercise to help you start cultivating a more positive relationship with your writing. 

 

If you want to transform your writing practice from a dreaded chore to a sustainable and joyful activity, this episode is for you. Tune in to explore how to make writing a more fulfilling and enjoyable part of your academic career.

 

What is Writing?

Writing is more than just words on a page. I share an essay I wrote titled ‘Counting Snails Is Writing where I highlight all of the other activities we do that we should consider writing but often don’t, such as:

  • Filling out our pipelines
  • Forming a task list
  • Research

 

There are so many preparatory steps that lead to writing. These seemingly small activities are essential parts of our writing practices.

Cultivating a Positive Relationship with Writing

A sustainable writing practice starts with a positive mindset. Stress at work and in our personal lives can dampen our creativity, making it harder for us to write. When we lose our passion for writing, it becomes a dreaded chore, and we are more likely to put it off.

I encourage you to shift your mindset by focusing on the positive. That includes acknowledging and celebrating progress. I offer an exercise to help you foster a positive relationship with your writing:

  • Identifying your most productive writing times (also known as Soaring State)
  • Set goals for yourself that you can actually achieve
  • Get support for your writing by building a positive environment

 

Whether you can write several times a week or once for a couple of hours, work toward building consistency in your writing practice.

 

 

“What is writing? Is it just words on the page? I believe it is more than that. I want to dig into the definition of writing. What does it really mean? What definition of writing will serve us in order to help us to reach our big academic and career goals?”

 

“If you want to focus on all the words you didn’t write while you were outlining or reading or plans or counting snails go ahead, but it’s just going to make you feel terrible. Instead, let’s flip the script. Let’s really look at the positive. The real reason that we’re here is to express ourselves and get our big ideas into the world and if we can cultivate that positive relationship with writing that expression is going to happen so much more smoothly for all of us.”

 

 

We’ve opened the waitlist for our next cohort of Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap®. Check out the program details and get on the waitlist here.

 

CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION:

  1. Our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program helps tenure-track womxn and nonbinary professors to publish their backlog of papers so that their voice can have the impact they know is possible. Get on the waitlist here!
  2. Cathy’s book, Making Time to Write: How to Resist the Patriarchy and Take Control of Your Academic Career Through Writing is available in print! Learn how to build your career around your writing practice while shattering the myths of writing every day, accountability, and motivation, doing mindset work that’s going to reshape your writing,and changing academic culture one womxn and nonbinary professor at a time. Get your print copy today or order it for a friend here!
  3. Want to train with us for free on your campus? Now you can when you recommend our Scholar’s Voice™ Faculty Retreats to a decision-maker on your campus! Download the brochure with the retreat curriculum and both in-person and online retreat options here.
  4. If you would like to hear more from Cathy for free, please subscribe to the weekly newsletter, In the Pipeline, at scholarsvoice.org. It’s a newsletter that she personally writes that goes out once a week with writing and publication tips, strategies, inspiration, book reviews and more.

 

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