If you are an academic finding the writing difficult to do over time, you are not alone. It is one thing to master the skill of academic writing and publishing. It is quite another to keep writing over many years. Writing With Purpose, Peace & Passion: A Guide for Sustaining Your Academic Writing, by Margarita Huerta, is for anyone wanting help with sustaining an academic writing practice.
Mastering Consistency: The Power of a Style Guide
By Robert Christopherson
A key to facilitate the flow of manuscript through the production process is an author-prepared Style Guide, or Editorial Style Guide, specific to the author’s book. The Style Guide is sent along with the manuscript to editors, project managers, CEs, and DEs. The Guide adds efficiency to the writing process and eliminates countless back-and-forth to check what the author wants and prefers.
There are several comprehensive published style guides available. For the past 35 years, I found the The Chicago Manual of Style most helpful, now in its 18/e. I think I first used the 1969, 12/e. The first edition of the CMOS was 1906. What I am suggesting here is a short, personalized Style Guide, specific to your writing. My texts are in Earth systems science and physical geography. Your guide will vary depending on your subject discipline.
How to Start Writing (Even When You Don’t Know What You Want to Say!)
By Nathan Pritts
I’ve seen how writing—whether through a short reflection, a shared strategy, or a full article—can become a powerful tool for professional development. It’s about refining ideas, sparking discussions, and contributing to a community of practice.
But after a recent faculty workshop I led, a colleague pulled me aside and said, ‘I’d love to write more, but I have no idea what I’d even say.’ If this sounds familiar, here’s what I want you to know: You already have something worth sharing.
What might seem obvious or routine to you, isn’t to everyone else. I’ve seen this firsthand in my own work when I’ve delivered faculty training and said things as simple as, “Spread your discussion board responses throughout the week” or “Make sure to respond to students who respond to you.” These aren’t groundbreaking ideas, but they’re useful. And when something is useful, it’s worth sharing.
How to Bring More Joy into Your Writing
By Angelica Ribeiro, PhD
Recently, I found myself feeling good after a writing session. Even though I hadn’t completed a project, I was more focused, productive, and creative during that time, which made the experience more enjoyable. It was great to have a writing session that felt better than previous ones. But what made it better? As I reflected on this, I realized it was likely because I had rearranged my office shortly before I began to write. You might wonder, “How does rearranging my office impact my writing?” Let me explain.
Do Your Publishing Research; Then Follow It
By John Bond
I have spoken to a fair share of happy authors over the years. Conversely, I have spoken with some disenchanted ones. They may have submitted their book idea (or whole manuscript) to several publishers and gotten no offer of publication. Also, some authors may submit a manuscript they labored over to a peer review journal and gotten nothing but the dreaded reject. No doubt this is a disheartening experience. It can hurt.
Three Actions You Can Take to Feel Happier as a Writer This Year
I’m sure many people wished you “Happy New Year.” But what does it mean when it comes to writing? In other words, what can you do to feel happier in your writing practice? To address this question, it’s essential to first define what happiness means.
According to Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness and The Myths of Happiness, happiness is to be happy in and with our lives, meaning that you (a) experience more positive emotions than negative ones, (b) feel that your life is good and meaningful, and (c) are satisfied with the progress you are making toward your life goals.
In this article, I outline specific actions you can take to cultivate a greater sense of happiness as a writer, based on these three aspects of happiness.