Faculty Writing Support Program

Writing is hard. Fitting it in amidst our multiple commitments can be challenging. Even when we do find the time, getting started can be enormously difficult. All too easily, we can descend into a more chronic writer's block.

These are all normal parts of the academic writing experience, as we frequently tell our students. As experienced scholars we imagine we should be past such challenges. Yet for us, too, they can be debilitating. Blocks and resistance can thwart our good intentions and prevent us from achieving our goals, for short or sometimes very long periods.

With Research Western's support, the Faculty Writing Support Program is organizing a workshop for faculty and postdoctoral scholars to discuss the myriad psychological challenges of writing. Four Western faculty, who have all experienced such challenges and found their own mechanisms to address them, will lead our conversation:

• Lindsay Bell, Anthropology
• Nicole Campbell, Physiology and Pharmacology
• Kelly Olson, Classical Studies
• Valerie Oosterveld, Law

Details

• When: November 9, 2018, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
• Where: UC2105
• Who: Full- and part-time faculty and postdoctoral scholars at Western
• What: Discussion of the psychological challenges of scholarly writing; sharing of strategies to address them.
• Refreshments: coffee and snacks
• Registration: Please register here prior to October 31, 2018 (Western login required.)

Show Up and Write!

Fridays, 9.30-11:30 a.m. | September 21-December 7, 2018 | University Community Centre 37

Need some help committing to a regular writing practice? We have organized a weekly drop-in session every Friday, beginning in late September as part of Western's new Faculty Writing Support Program for faculty members.

Come join us to write alongside supportive colleagues from across campus in a quiet, focused environment. We will hold these sessions every Friday, from late September to December, between 9:30-11:30 a.m. You don't have to come every week, but if you can commit to most Fridays and think this would be useful to you, please complete the form below.

Details

• We have booked a large room that seats slightly more than 100 people, so feel free to bring your colleagues along too, even if they haven't registered.
• This room isn't an especially cozy space for writing, but it does have good availability of power outlets, is centrally located, provides room to spread out, and has refreshments outlets nearby. (Note: we will not be providing refreshments: please bring your own).
• Not to worry if you can't manage the whole two hours, or can't come every week: feel free to come sporadically or regularly, as is useful to you.
• Please note that these sessions will not involve discussions about writing (although you are welcome to have these afterwards). Our plan is for each of us to spend the time on quiet, focused, solitary work in the company of our colleagues.
• We will be in touch again in January with details of the room for the Winter semester sessions

Would you benefit from a supportive day of focused writing with your colleagues to set you up to meet writing goals over the months ahead? With Research Western's support, the Faculty Writing Support Program hosts twice-annual writing retreats in early summer and mid-fall.

Details

• When: Next date TBD
• Who: Full- and part-time faculty at Western
• What: After brief introductions and goal-setting, the bulk of the day will be spent writing quietly alongside one another
• Brain Nourishment: Caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverages, snacks, and lunch will be provided.
• Application Deadline: Application is now closed.

To make this retreat effective, we can only welcome 30 faculty members.

We have accepted applications from part-time faculty (including those without research appointments) and full-time faculty from all faculties and departments at Western. We selected the final list of participants based on their reasons for wishing to attend, while also attempting to represent the diversity of our colleagues.

Overcoming Burnout, Writer’s Block, Resistance to Writing

• 10 Steps to Reignite Your Flame and Shine Brightly Once More
• 6 Ways to Beat Writer's Block
• Lower Your Standards
• Shut Up and Write
• Why Aren't You Writing?
• The Costs of Perfectionism
• Aiding the Writing-Stalled Professor

Writing Habits

• Summer Writing
• How To Restart Your Research This Summer
• A Realistic Summer Writing Schedule
• Planning a Productive Summer
• Regrouping After an Unsuccessful Summer
• No More Post-Summer Regret
• 10 Simple Rules for Scientists: Improving Your Writing Productivity

Revising Writing

• The Biggest Mistake When Revising Your Writing
• 10 Tips on How to Write Less Badly

Other

• Get the Most out of Your Sabbatical
• How to Overcome Post-Tenure Paralysis
• Taming the Epic To-Do List