What are your writing goals? And, more importantly, what are you doing to reach them? According to Mark Twain, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”

For many authors, the first step is a shift in mindset to seeing yourself as an author. In addition to facing this potentially overwhelming task, our collection of articles has advice on taking other steps along the way too. Whether defining a writing agenda, exploring the process of writing a book, figuring out what to do, writing and revising, or planning the next phase of your academic career, we have posts to help. There’s also information on joining a writing community, rights and royalties for spoken word, and the democratization of knowledge.

Whatever the task ahead, break it down, focus on the first step, and get started. Happy writing!

Powerful mindset shifts for writers

What holds us back as authors? It’s not a lack of opportunity. Barriers to entry have never been lower for aspiring authors. Almost anyone in the world is capable of creating and publishing a book, thanks to the digital revolution. It’s not a lack of knowledge. There is more information out there than ever before. Books on publishing, courses, videos, you name it. Whichever way you prefer to learn, there’s something for you. So what is it? Maybe it’s ourselves.

Writing agenda plate

A year ago, I wrote a post that explored the optimal number of writing projects. You can find it here. One of my wonderful clients took these insights a step further, and created a fantastic visual depiction of her weekly writing agenda.

How to make a book

earning about how to make a book is an exciting process. It’s time to stop dreaming, start doing and turn your idea into something people can read and enjoy. But what do you need to know to make it happen?

Figuring out what to do: Making methodological decisions across our practices

In our ordinary lives we are persistently engaged in inquiry, problem solving and curiosities. However, the practice of research has gotten so technologized that is often thought of as involving expertise not readily available to practitioners. In our text we invite readers to begin with their life experiences and ongoing decision-making as an entry point into learning how to engage in research methods and methodologies.

What’s next for open science – making the case for open methods

What we’re realizing as a community, is that we’re leaving an enormous amount of value on the table, and that if we can do a better job of capturing, preserving, and making available more of the research workflow, we’ll drive better transparency and reliability of the research conclusions, and improve efficiency and the return on the investment we make in research funding.

Use a structured abstract to help write and revise

Structured abstracts force writers to decide on and state, in relatively few sentences, key features of their paper. Often, the structured abstract demands writers pay attention to the textual features which they can easily gloss over, or fudge. So, how can you use a structured abstract as part of your writing process?

Designing your remote or hybrid post-doctoral fellowship

As noted by Burgio et al. (2019), the expectation that post-doctoral scholars move for short-term positions poses a particular burden for under-represented groups, including women, which contributes to perpetuating bias and reducing diversity. The global COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity to explore alternative options, such as remote or hybrid postdoctoral fellowships.

Why should you join a writing community?

Writing is hard, but it can be easier if you’re not doing it alone. Eileen Cook is here to share 5 reasons why you should join a group.

Spreading the word – Rights and royalties for podcasts and spoken word

As part of the RightsTech Track for this year’s virtual Digital Entertainment World, Spreading The Word: Rights, Royalties And Collections For Podcasts And Spoken Word Audio, looked at why comedians and other spoken word creators may be missing out on revenues in this growing marketplace and why even in 2021, managing rights and collecting royalties for spoken word audio remain unrealized opportunities. CCC’s Chris Kenneally moderated the panel discussion.

Open access, conspiracy theories and the democratization of knowledge

We are in the middle of a new political dynamic here in the US – one that has been building for over a decade. This new dynamic has meant that science and scientists are being viewed with a level of distrust – and even, at times, hostility – that is unprecedented in modern times, even as the advanced technologies that scientists create become more and more intertwined with everyday life. In this post, I suggest that while Open Access (OA) does democratize science to some extent, certainly for those who can understand the content, in isolation it is not enough and other actions should be considered.