One of the things I talk about a great deal on the writing for publication courses that I facilitate is being ‘readerly’ when we write. By this I mean that we don't write for ourselves - we write for readers, and so we need to think carefully about who those readers are to make what … Continue reading Book writing: Being 'readerly' and respecting my 'writerly' voice
Tag: writing for publication
Academic writing: making (some) sense of a complex ‘practice of mystery’
This is a second post linked to my own insights about academic writing at postgraduate and postdoctoral level, gleaned from working with a range of student and early career writers over the last few years. This one tackles a tricky topic: the aspects of writing that can be knowable and teachable, and those that are … Continue reading Academic writing: making (some) sense of a complex ‘practice of mystery’
What does it mean to ‘sound academic’ in your writing?
I have been reading a lot of other people's writing lately, which has kind of sapped my own creative energies. However, it really has got me thinking about a few issues related to helping other people to improve their writing, which I'll share over a few posts. This one is about 'sounding academic', and what … Continue reading What does it mean to ‘sound academic’ in your writing?
Fairy castles, ramshackle cottages and writing in the real world
I have this problem: I am not always a huge fan of reality. It's often far less interesting and well-ordered than the world I can create in my head. For example, it can take 2 years to publish a paper - writing, revising, reviews, more (crushing at times) feedback, more revising, and this goes on … Continue reading Fairy castles, ramshackle cottages and writing in the real world
Writing a literature review in your own ‘voice’
Literature review sections of a paper or thesis are a tricky beast, to be sure. In my writing workshops, and face-to-face work with writers and their texts, this section, next to 'theory and analysis' presents the greatest challenge. This stems, in large part, from a struggle to marry what other authors are saying with what … Continue reading Writing a literature review in your own ‘voice’
