It’s a gloomy day here in Wisconsin. Rain has been falling steadily out my window since sunrise. You might think that on a day like today the words would flow easily on to my page, no outside temptation would be there to pull at my desires to be biking or running instead of writing. In fact the opposite happens. Raining days make me want to curl up in a blanket in my big comfy chair, read a book, and sip hot coffee from a large mug. On sunny days my motivation is in full force, the sun shining through my window and pushing me to work harder and faster so that I can get out the door and onto my bike.

Unfortunately in life and in writing we can’t always allow ourselves to not be motivated, to not let the words flow. Deadlines loom and work must get done. Are deadlines a strong motivator for you? That is, the pressure that you have to get something done is what pushes you to the final draft? If so, I don’t think that is such a bad thing, as long as what you are doing up to that point is also productive. Whether the sun is shining or the clouds are heavy and the rain steady, happy writing!

Fake metrics and how to spot them
Along with predatory publishers are fake metrics, but how do you know if you are being scammed? To help protect yourself from falling victim to a fake metric scam, follow the five steps outlined in this article.

Literature Review and Focusing the Research
This is actually a PDF download of a chapter on literature reviews. It covers two major reasons for conducting a literature review and a nine-step process for how to do it.

do academic writers love reading?
Do you find reading more of a task than a pleasurable hobby? Do you think there is a connection between reading and writing? This is a delightful piece in which Pat Thomson gives her views on the connection between reading and writing.

Clarity in Academic Writing
This is the first blog post by MargaretEdits. Margaret gives three tips that will improve clarity in your academic writing. As she says, “…nobody has ever been criticized for writing that is too clear.”

How To Not Give Up On Writing A Book
Do you frequently start manuscripts only to abandon them for a different one? Is starting a first draft easy but finishing it hard? Does your inner critic hold you back? If any of those things ring true for you, I recommend reading this piece by Natasha Lester. Her post is structured similar to this one; she breaks up different problems writers may face and gives a brief description with a link to a solution.

Getting That First Grant
The time to start planning for next year’s grant deadline is now. For an excellent read on getting started tips, read this! Topics covered include where to apply, how to prepare the proposal, and how to prepare for submission.