If you've read some of my previous posts, you might know that I wrote a non-fiction, general audience book that's coming out later this year. I talked a little about how disconcerting it was to push myself outside of my academic writing comfort zone. Now that the book is well on its way to publication,… Continue reading Comfort zones: In or out?
Blog
The work versus the job
An academic job is actually many jobs in one: teacher, administrator, researcher, writer, mentor, project manager, curriculum developer, public expert... I could go on. So how do you decide, on any given day, where to invest your time, energy, hope, and aspirations? Last week I was away on a writing retreat with three colleagues with… Continue reading The work versus the job
Vulnerability and academic work
Not surprisingly, the first article I ever submitted for peer review was rejected. When I opened the envelope and saw the decision (yes, this was back in the day when journals still had paper submissions), I immediately stuffed the reviews back into the envelope and shoved the envelope deep in a drawer. I never read… Continue reading Vulnerability and academic work
Summer writing: Unstructured time
One of the biggest challenges of summer is figuring out how to be productive in the midst of unstructured time. If you're anything like me, unscheduled hours are both tantalizing and terrifying. Many of us thrive in busy periods, even though we know the stress isn't great for us. Some of the most productive periods… Continue reading Summer writing: Unstructured time
Summer writing: Make your plan
This is the third post in a series about summer writing. Read the first and second installments at the links! Are you ready to start planning for a great summer? Hopefully you've done the preparation work I suggest in the first two Summer Writing posts. There's no point in planning if you're not willing to… Continue reading Summer writing: Make your plan