Image provided by EduBirdie.com
Dear friends,
Hope this message finds you in full spring mode! My dear friend and walking partner Diana talks about the “hundred days of May,” because there is always so much going on! Between holidays/family birthdays, the end of the school year, the push to get work done before the summer, and conference travel, I feel maxed out, and I bet you can all relate.
My inspiration for this topic is the book Daily Rituals by Mason Currey. The author describes the daily work habits of well-known artists and writers. Did you know Gertrude Stein couldn’t stand to write for more than 30 minutes at a time?! It’s engaging and fun to dip into for a couple of minutes. Reading it got me thinking about the variation in writing practices among academics. I started out by asking colleagues for writing tips. Some of the well-trodden advice I got in return includes: write every day, put your writing time in your calendar, and remember that finished is better that perfect. Things only got interesting when I asked about people’s own writing process! Here are some highlights:
How to write:
“Really detailed outlines keep my writing focused and efficient.”
“I like to write freely- I get it all from my brain to the page and edit later”
“If I can start with data or tables or something, it’s easy to keep going”
“I hate writing alone. I sit down with a collaborator and jot down ideas together”
The best environment to write:
“I need to physically change locations I am every time I get stuck. I migrate.”
“I do my best writing away from the interruptions of the office. I need a quiet environment without distractions, like an empty house”
“I have invested in a good office setup- multiple screens, good ergonomics, my amazing snack cabinet. I get more done by optimizing the environment.”
“Coffee-shop writing is the best- a bustling environment keeps me from zoning out”
“I shouldn’t admit it, but I like to write in front of bad TV. It feels like less of a punishment.”
When/ how long:
“I need a block of time at one of two times- early morning (before my kids wake up) or morning (when I first get to work)”
“I just can’t sustain writing for very long. 20-minute blocks seem to work best for me.”
“Late at night when I’m finished with all the daily tasks and I know more emails won’t pop up, I know I can get that focused time in.”
Now for some mad libs: I asked colleagues to finish the sentence below.
I can’t write if I don’t ___________
Sleep. Eat. Exercise.
Turn off my phone. Hide my phone. Turn off email. Use a browser blocker.
Have a deadline. Know that I have plenty of time.
In my own case, I write best when I have a plan and a defined time interval. If I know it has to happen, it usually will. If I can choose a time, I choose the morning because it’s less likely to be derailed by the day’s events. I usually have self-imposed deadlines, but I build in a cushion so I can re-plan when I miss them. You know what doesn’t work? Self-recrimination, shame, or regret. If you planned to write and you didn’t, forgive yourself. Move on.
So, what did we learn about writing habits? Everyone’s needs and processes are different! Why is that useful to know? If you don’t feel you’ve optimized your writing habits, then try something completely different! This is the perfect area for an “n of 1” study! Try a new approach and take 30 seconds for self-reflection after your experiment. Over time, you’ll see what works for you, and over time, you’ll see that what works for you will change. Every single person I talked to for this month’s message is a successful and productive academic, and each one expressed the wish that they had a better writing practice.
Do you have a writing superpower? Please share and I’ll add it to the next update. As always, I appreciate your news. I will reiterate my appreciation to those of you who wrote teaching and mentoring references for me. Thank you!
Warmly,
Urmimala