Blog

By Kristin Huggins

Simple and Direct: A Rhetoric for Writers by Jacques Barzun is a beautifully written ballad for writers and English educators everywhere. It manages to present advanced concepts of the English language in a way that feels lyrical throughout and wholly approachable to the wayward interdisciplinary writer.

It should be noted that I am not an English major. Despite English being my native language, I was never privy to the complex workings of the language until entering my doctorate program, which thrust me into academic writing like a child thrown into a lake who cannot swim. You figure it out quickly, or you drown.

Regardless of my ignorance of partitives and modifiers (which sounded like armor upgrades from a certain mass multi-player online role-playing game), Barzun managed to pull me through to the end of his text relatively unscathed. His unique writing voice throughout the text feels shaded with tones of creative writing, which made digesting the meaning of “malaprop” palatable rather than pedantic.

Four main themes emerged while reading Barzun’s work:

1. Writing extends beyond the act of putting words on a page.
2. Writers must discover the appropriate connections for each phrase.
3. Meaning and Intent are the gatekeepers for good writing.
4. Active revision requires self-reflection through guided questions.

Writing Extends Beyond the Act of Putting Words to the Page

It is not enough to simply “pay attention to words only when you face the task of writing-that is like playing the violin only on the night of the concert. You must attend to words when you read, when you speak, when others speak” (p. 9).

In this, Barzun challenges the reader to find natural instances of communication, which is the broader landscape of rhetoric, encompassing the spoken word and collaborative experiences of exchanged communication.

I found this to be reminiscent of the recent piece I worked on about how reading and writing feed into one another to enhance our understanding of rhetoric.

If one simply considers the act of writing only when sitting in front of a blank word document, they are working with a mere portion of potential compared to the observations and discoveries made when reading articles within one’s field, when discussing various theories with one’s professor or dissertation chair, or when bouncing ideas off of colleagues when one struggles with a particularly difficult study result that contrasts with pre-existing assumptions. These are all examples of where acts of non-writing can lead to stronger, clearer acts of writing.

Writers Must Discover the Appropriate Connections for Each Phrase.

In II. Linking: What to Put Next, Barzun dispels the idea that concise academic writing is built from simple sentence structures. He posits that we should not think of a complete, well-written sentence as “a house made of building blocks. Rather, it resembles a skeleton, in which the joints, the balance, the fit of the parts and their inner solidity combine to make up a well-knit frame” (p. 58).

This mental image suggests that the process of writing is much more nuanced than a simple subject-verb agreement. Each piece of the writing skeleton may operate in a singularly unique way apart from other pieces, despite their similarity in appearance or meaning. Barzun attempts to alleviate potential tears and frustration for early-career writers by revealing the hidden complexities of the English language that are more nuanced than one may suspect.

Meaning and Intent are the Gatekeepers to Good Writing

Perhaps Barzun’s most impactful chapter for the graduate student readership is IV. Meaning: What Do I Want To Say? Ask any doctoral student who is neck-deep in formulating their research prospectus: clear communication of meaning through a well-crafted thesis statement is doggedly difficult on a good day.

Half of my time as a graduate writing consultant is spent asking clients what they want to communicate with their audience, then working backwards to ensure that their writing matches their intent. It’s not an easy task. Barzun (and many of my doctoral professors) argue that the task of writing is the act of critical thought frozen at a singular moment of conception. Writers rarely begin a clearly defined argument, but rather come to their point after laborious hours of drafting, brainstorming, revising, and rewriting.

I liken this process to the act of sculpting statues from marble. Michelangelo spoke on this, saying that “the sculpture is already complete in the marble block, before I start my work. It’s already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.”

Is this not akin to the act of writing?

Guiding Questions for the Active Reviser

According to Barzun, revision is the difference between good writing and inspirational writing. While the act of writing in itself can serve the purpose of sorting one’s thoughts or arguments to a degree, revision is where these concepts are polished to perfection until they are blinding.

He provides readers with a series of questions meant to guide writers through the act of revision. For the sake of brevity, I’ve selected the five most impactful questions (in my humble opinion). The rest can be reviewed at leisure in VI. Revision: What Have I Actually Said (pp. 247-248).

1. Is the movement of my prose satisfactory to the mind AND the ear?
2. Have I indulged myself in language that is toplofty, patronizing, technical for mere showing off? Or have I been simple and direct throughout… always sincere and respectful of the reader?
3. Can I say, looking at single words, that every one of them means and connotes what I think it does?  Or has my diction been spoiled by threadbare clichés, pseudo-technical jargon, unthinking metaphors, and that excess of abstract words known as the noun plague?
4. Has my theme(s) been set down fully through a series of ideas presented in consecutive order? Or have I again relied on my understanding of the subject to bridge over gaps in thought and to disentangle snarls in description?
5. In the layout of my paper, have I devoted space and furnished detail in proportion to the importance of each topic? Or have I concentrated on what interested me and skimped on the rest, whether owing to a poor outline or the neglect of a good one?

These questions can be answered with a simple “Yes” or “No”, but Barzun challenges the reader to look beyond these responses and dig deeper into the root issues presented by each. For example, I can assert that the order of topics presented in my literature review is ideal for reader comprehension, and yet still discover that I have neglected an in-depth review of specific processes or terminologies based on my lack of comfort or content knowledge in that particular sub-area of expertise.

Be sure to add Simple and Direct to your library of writing aides! To read more and purchase this text, please visit Amazon via this link https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Direct-Jacques-Barzun/dp/0060937238/ref=asc_df_0060937238/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312126061109&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13871129474782864257&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027095&hvtargid=pla-297768715338&psc=1

By Dr. Kristin Huggins, Consultant

Listen, I get it. May rolls around, and you are exhausted with a capital “E.” The end of the semester is anything but easy for students and professors alike to traverse. Between finals, term papers, capstone projects, and applications to the next program, next fellowship, or next career, you have very little mental space to consider continuing a sustainable writing routine through the last day of the semester. Despite the insanity of the end-of-term season, a glimmer of hope remains: your everyday routine will be disrupted.

“Exactly – I have too much to do in too little time, Kristin!”

Hear me out. During finals, you no longer have daily classes to attend. Your to-do list that has accumulated over four months is now being whittled down slowly but surely with every completed paper and submitted final exam. Suddenly, you find yourself outside your regular routine. This is referred to as positive disruption. Whether we consciously recognize this disruption or not, our brains certainly do. Creativity thrives on taking risks, not settling into complacency. After all, if you do the same thing you’ve always done, you’ll get the same results, n’est ce pas?

In his book Yes to the Mess, organizational behavior researcher Frank Barrett speaks to this phenomenon. He observes that dislodging routines allows people to pay attention in ways that they weren’t able to before. Our synchronized calendars and Pomodoro timers for productivity power hours unwittingly stifle the creative process into stagnancy. Seasons of change (such as the end-of-term) provide the ideal setting for new innovative thinking, critical self-reflection, and breaking bad habits established during periods of routine.

Positive disruption can be highly productive for writers of all ilk. Arguably, this very deviation from “normal” provides you – dear writer – with the ideal space to reflect, explore, and plan for the new year ahead. As you prepare for the Great Closing of your Spring 2023 term, I highly encourage you to consider trying the writing practices provided below. You will not find word sprints, word count goals, or drafting ideas here. Instead, these end-of-term practices are more abstract in nature and are meant to help you lean into this idea of positive disruption while preparing for the summer break and the fall semester that will be here before you know it.

Reflection: Take time to look back and consider your writing accomplishments from the last four months. For those who equate productivity with a quantifiable measurement of assessment, you can look at the overall page count or word count written for the spring semester. For those who prefer a more holistic perspective, consider which papers meant the most to you and your work. Ask yourself the following:

1. Which papers presented the most significant challenge? How did you face this challenge and overcome it? 
2. What was your biggest writing takeaway (or “aha” moment) this semester? 
3. Did you learn new techniques for drafting, revising, crafting, communicating, or emoting? 
4. Now that you’ve reached the end, would you do anything differently with your writing? Why or why not?
5. Most importantly, how do you feel about your writing abilities as of now? Compare this to how you felt at the beginning of the semester.

Creative Brainstorming: Many of us have kernels of ideas that collect dust in the recesses of our minds. These ideas can be stifled by the mundane daily grind, giving way to deadlines of the semester. Now that you have three weeks of reprieve, what would it look like to storyboard some of these ideas?

For example, I’ve been interested in developing my professional website for several months but haven’t had the mental space or energy to brainstorm copy for web pages. While this project wouldn’t require the same skillset as a journal article, creating online copy would still stretch my writing abilities in a way that I usually wouldn’t experience. Now that my responsibilities are winding down as I finish grading term papers and final exams, I can finally carve out that brainstorming space without guilt or pressure.

Perhaps you are interested in a similar non-academic project. Or perhaps you have an idea for new research that requires brainstorming through journaling or storyboarding. Permit yourself to explore these kernels without the pressure of developing a fully-fledged project. 

Goal-Mapping, and Identifying the Highs and Lows of Next Season: Look ahead to your upcoming summer and fall semester. What obligations/responsibilities will you be juggling? What projects are you already aware of that will require your attention? Before you create goals, map out the semester as best you can with a calendar so you can clearly see your semester’s mountains and valleys (i.e., weeks of high stress and low stress). This will help you calculate appropriate goals for your writing.

Next, prioritize writing projects. Which items have to be completed by next semester? Which items directly impact your ability to graduate, receive funding, or be considered for a new position? Those automatically must be placed as top priority!

Everyone’s goal map will look different depending on personal and professional circumstances. Give yourself grace and develop attainable goals that are relevant and exciting!

The end of a term will always be a whirlwind of activity. I want to encourage you – dear reader – to take advantage of the disruption to your regular schedule. Give yourself space to consider how much you’ve accomplished with your writing this semester, explore new creative ideas, and prepare yourself for the season ahead. 

by Dr. LaJoie Lex, Consultant

As you navigate the perils of grad school, have you ever had the thought: there should really be a guidebook for this wilderness? I’m grateful that a professor introduced me to Gregory Colón Semenza’s Graduate Study for the 21^st Century during my first semester in the Ph.D. program at Baylor. I wish I’d known about this book during my M.A. studies, but thankfully, this guide is structured in such a way that it’s never too late to pick it up and start gleaning from its wisdom.

Although the book is subtitled How to Build an Academic Career in the Humanities, there are certainly segments that are relevant across disciplines. And again, it’s the type of book that allows for picking and choosing applicable topics and chapters based on your current needs and relevance to your own program.

I initially read through this book during my first semester at Baylor, but I came back to it during certain stages of my program to reread chapters like “Exams,” “Attending Conferences,” and, of course, “The Dissertation.” I’ve also recommended it to several of my clients at the GWC who were writing their first seminar papers—there’s an entire chapter devoted to this special academic genre. Also helpful throughout my program was the early chapter on “Organization and Time Management,” something that can make or break the successful (and timely) navigation of graduate study.

The wonderful thing about this book is that it’s not merely designed to help you “make it” through grad school—it also helps you set long-term goals and focus on things that will help you have a successful academic career, from first-year student through the job market and beyond.

For example, Semenza encourages some conference attendance for grad students while warning that too much focus on conferences early on can actually get in the way of pursuits that will be better for both your CV and your development as a scholar in the long run. He instead recommends other uses of time that can bear more fruit for the grad student if pursued faithfully throughout the course of their study.

Chapter 10: “Publishing,” for instance, encourages students to set a long-term goal of having published at least two articles by the time they’re ready for the job market. While this is something you’ll likely complete towards the end of your program, having the goal in mind early on will allow you to work towards it in manageable steps rather than being overwhelmed by the “shoulda, coulda” thoughts once you get to that stage.

My recommendation for making best use of this invaluable resource? Read through the book fully when you first get it, then use it as a reference and return to chapters as you need them. This will allow you to create a long-term vision for making the most of your early semesters while not becoming overwhelmed by the larger tasks that will come later.

by Dr. Kristin Huggins, Consultant

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

– Stephen King

Veteran authors posit that reading and writing go hand in hand, regardless of genre or convention. However, the way students recreationally read may not necessarily serve all purposes of their academic writing needs. Instead, they quickly learn to skim for needed information. After all, there are only so many hours in the day. If graduate students hope to finish annotating the 20 articles they have left in their stack before midnight, chewing on every word will only slow them down.

Simply put: To be successful and meet deadlines, we must learn to adapt our reading process to fit the needs of our writing tasks. However, I would argue that sometimes this form of reading (i.e., skimming, treasure-hunting, or scanning) does not always lend itself to long-term improvement of writing skills and knowledge of craft.

While skimming or scanning will help you identify the findings and implications of an empirical study, it may not be as helpful for improving your vocabulary. You may not provide yourself with the space to allow for creative exploration and inspiration for your work. You may miss academic terminologies specific to your discipline, terms that signal to journals and committees that you understand the unspoken expectations of your field. Thus, exhaustive or intensive reading (i.e., reading that digs deeper and moves slower) may also be beneficial in addressing these concerns.

“Read, read, read. Read everything – trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they [authors] do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.”

– William Faulkner

I can already hear the rebuttal: “Graduate students don’t have time to read – REALLY read.” Insert long list of anxiety-inducing, mind-numbing deadlines for grant applications, conference proposals, research prospectus defense, preliminary technical reviews, etc.

Trust me. I get it. I didn’t allow myself to read for pleasure for nearly three years as a doctoral student. And it nearly killed every creative bone in my body.

For me, reading has always been the jumper cable to my creative battery. When my tank was empty, reading filled it back up. It has been an intellectual, emotional, and creative support system for as long as I can remember. So, making the conscious decision to forgo recreational reading for the duration of my doctoral program was not one made lightly. And I deeply regret it.

I would argue that reading in all forms (recreational and academic) is invaluable: it creates more competent scholars, more empathetic humans, more eloquent writers, and more emotionally stable graduate students. If you want to write, you must READ!

What is a musician who doesn’t listen to music? Or a chef who doesn’t enjoy sampling different cuisines on their day off? Or a dancer who hates watching ballet?

What is a writer who doesn’t read?

Consider, dear reader, the following reasons why reading in all forms is beneficial for writers:

Reading Expands your Vocabulary

If you find yourself repeating the same words (especially descriptive terms that are not content-specific to your field), reading material in your discipline can help add to your vocabulary while illuminating which words may be more acceptable in your genre than others.

When you come across a phrase or a term that sparks your interest, dig deeper. Look up definitions. Write them down in your research/drafting journal. Explore ways in which new terms could be applied to your current or future work.

Reading Explores Knowledge of Craft

Reading exposes us to the rules of writing, including conventions of genre and style. It also shows us when authors choose to willingly break those rules, and whether this choice served the goals of their writing. Reading also exposes several forms of “voice,” which helps you to begin identifying your own.

Exemplars are invaluable for the graduate student. If you’re drafting a journal article, read several from the journals you plan to submit to. Take note of the common denominators you see throughout the works they accept for publication. If you’re writing a methodology chapter of your thesis or dissertation, pull several recently published dissertations in your field with comparable methodologies to see how they structured their chapter. What headings did they use? What tone did they incorporate?

Reading Stimulates Inspiration for Your Own Work

It may not be a thunderclap of inspiration – it may just be an ember. But with the right conditions, an ember can become a forest fire. Collect your embers as you read. Keep an Idea Journal nearby. Write ideas down. Think on them as you drive home from work, or as you walk across campus. Allow your brain to turn them over time and time again. This is how creative tanks become refilled and you find your footing with your own writing again.

Don’t be afraid to cross genres! Inspiration isn’t bound by parameters or rules. Can you believe I discovered a new way to catalog and synthesize historical literature in my field from a novel about an alchemical Oxford scholar who discovered vampires were real? VAMPIRES. My creativity has no shame. And neither should yours.

“The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.”

– Samuel Johnson

Happy Writing (and Reading), Dear Reader.

by Madhur Wyatt, Consultant

My dear multilingual friend,

You have significantly more grey matter in your brain because you are multilingual. Your cognitive muscles only get stronger, bigger, and more flexible when you take up the challenge of writing your next project in English. Your superior abilities to concentrate and problem-solve will take you places. But right now, you need to focus your attention on expressing yourself effectively. No point in research if it cannot be communicated to the big wide world in a clear manner. I have some tips and tricks for you, suggestions from a multilingual friend to a multilingual friend.

• Funnel from big to small

Focus your attention on the big picture. Be very clear on “What”  is your project and “Why” is it important? What are you trying to communicate to your audience? Are you making sound arguments to support or refute your main idea? Once your foundation of “what and why” is laid, you can then proceed to smaller details of grammar, syntax, and word choice. So, don’t get stuck in the weeds, look at the big picture first.

• You will GROW, but not in a vacuum

Observe how other authors in your field write (aka. Reference texting). What type of language and word choices do they use? How do they organize their ideas? What is their layout? What tone do they use? How do they support/refute an argument? But never copy it. Use your talent, own your style, and go for it.

• You will need an early head-start

You may think that you can write an essay the night before the deadline. But a succinct expression of the language may take longer. An early start to your project will give you plenty of time to organize ideas, write them up, receive feedback from Graduate Writing Center (GWC), talk about your project with peers, make edits, and meet the deadline with significantly less pressure and stress.

• Embrace friendship with the GWC

We are with you through thick and thin. GWC is your friend, and our team at GWC understands your being multilingual. We support your project in two ways. 1. We are outsiders. We may see something you may miss because of your super focus niche. 2. We are writing consultants trained in multilingualism. We have slightly more practice at writing and can provide very useful insights. You and all your friends can benefit from us. We have your back!

• Love the turtle-pace

I’m sure it took you a long time to adjust to a new culture. Writing eloquently in English can take longer. Be patient. Proficiency and expertise will not happen right away. Medical doctors continue to practice for decades to constantly reflect and evolve in patient care. Writing will be yours to practice long-term!

• Create fun add-ons to your learning

Make it fun. Talk about your research with peers, have weekly tea/coffee/lunch with an English-speaking friend, host movie nights, read love novels or mystery books, or find a mentor. If you have other suggestions on how to immerse yourself in the language, please comment below.

by Dr. Kristin Huggins, Consultant

**These channels are not GWC partners, nor is this post an official endorsement of their videos. These resources are merely helpful tools that some of our consultants have found personally beneficial in their own work.**

Similar to our blog post on podcasts for the academic writer, today we offer a vetted list of YouTubers who have devoted their digital voice to the academic space. All of these channels are produced by Ph.D. graduates, tenured professors, academic consultants, or current doctoral candidates at prestigious universities. With these distinct backgrounds, they all provide a unique approach to academic writing, research strategies, and life hacks for the stressed-out graduate student.

Keep in mind that these channels are meant to inspire audiences, not to supply faultless, prescriptive instructions on how to write a thesis or craft the perfect literature review. First and foremost, take your lead from your chair/supervising professor/faculty advisor. Ultimately, they will be the ones to make the call whether your paper passes muster.

Instead, peruse these channels with the intention to become invigorated by ideas that may fall outside your typical modus operandi.

Finally, my hope for you (dear reader) is that these channels serve a secondary purpose outside the realm of academic writing: to prove to you that there is a community beyond your classroom, who are seeking answers just like you.

Often, writing is interpreted as a solitary act, requiring monastery-like isolation in order to achieve academic success. This could not be further from the truth, as proven by the abundance of YouTube channels, podcasts, blogs, and online community forums.

Writing is collaborative. It is social. It is a living organism that requires room to evolve, shift, grow. The act of writing cannot be static, but requires engagement and interaction in order to improve–just like you.

Don’t fall into the trap of siloing yourself away in a library cubby without much-needed human interaction from those that understand (on a very visceral level) the degree of stress and anxiety your writing projects create in your life.

With that, I hope these channels provide you with inspiration and community for your academic writing needs!

Brisa Marie – Future Ph.D.

Brisa is a first-generation student, pursuing a Ph.D. in Culture and Performance at UCLA’s World Arts and Culture/Dance Department. Brisa created her channel after realizing how doctoral programs were frought with hidden gatekeepers, unspoken expectations, and unexpected challenges for the graduate student. While she felt overprepared entering into her program, she discovered that completing a doctorate required much more: grit, discipline, support, and a thick skin. She hopes that her channel demystifies the experience of doctoral work for others like her who dream of attaining a terminal degree in their field.

Andy Stapleton

Dr. Stapleton has a Ph.D. in chemistry, and has worked in the private sector as a chemist and in higher education as a tenured professor for ten years, where he conducted research, secured funding, taught and supervised students. He provides a very frank, honest review of how to be successful in a Ph.D. program and as an early career professor/researcher. Several of his videos are devoted to debunking the myths behind conducting and writing research at the doctoral level. He provides audiences with clear-cut strategies for how to write a grant application, how to write your professional portfolio for employment after your Ph.D., how to get your work peer-reviewed, and more.

Grad Coach

Set apart from other channels run by individuals in the field, Grad Coach is an award-winning company devoted to assisting graduate students and early career professors with their writing and research needs. They’ve been recognized by several organizations for their work (AI International, MEA, Tutor’s Association UK, Business Excellence Awards), and boast 100+ years of combined experience with their large team of 15 coaches. This channel cuts straight to the heart of academic writing, offering short, bite-sized videos with clear strategies for how to develop research questions, how to master the academic voice, how to approach different academic styles, crafting the perfect research proposal, and more.

Dr. Amina Yonis

Dr. Yonis first began her channel during her time as a doctoral student, sharing her experiences and connecting with other students around the world. Now, she leads a team of 20 with The Page Doctor, her business devoted to assisting students with their academic writing needs. Her YouTube channel is devoted to inspiring content on how to tackle insurmountable writing tasks found throughout the doctoral journey. She also provides excellent strategies on how to maximize productivity and balance priorities during this process.

TheRedHeadedAcademic

Kaelyn Apple is a History and African American studies Ph.D. student at Yale University. She is devoted to using her voice as a gateway – rather than a gatekeeper – to accessible higher education. While Kaelyn offers sound advice for the logistical aspects of writing a thesis or dissertation, she also specializes in writing professional portfolios. Her videos cover how to develop a resume, CV, statement of purpose, and writing samples at the graduate level.

PhD and Productivity

This channel is produced by a Ph.D. student in Dublin, Ireland, who uses her platform to provide tools and strategies for graduate students to organize their writing and research obligations. She also offers tutorials for keyword searches and source management, and teaches her audience how to use tools for notetaking, reading, synthesizing literature, in-field research, and academic writing.

We hope you found these channels helpful and inspiring!

Until next time, dear reader. Happy Writing.

by Dr. Shireen Khuwaja, Consultant

Few have heard of Maxwell E. Perkins, the twentieth century editor responsible for discovering authors like Hemingway and Fitzgerald. The book Editor to Author: The Letters of Maxwell E. Perkins (Wheelock, 1950) is a compilation of letters written by Perkins to his writers. The following paragraphs outline how Perkins practiced appreciation, support, and humility in his communication as an editor. 

            First, Perkins’ honesty in expressing his appreciation to his authors is a lesson for modern editors. When Perkins had to decline the first manuscript by Fitzgerald with a note to make several modifications and rewrites, he was afraid about demotivating the author and losing him permanently. But when Fitzgerald made the necessary edits and submitted the second version of his manuscript, Perkins expressed his delight and appreciation unreservedly. In his letter of September 16^th, 1919, Perkins wrote to Fitzgerald, “I was afraid that when we declined the first manuscript, you might be done with us conservatives. I am glad you are not” (Wheelock, 1950, p. 20). Perkins made the authors feel valued and was known to commit himself completely to guiding authors to the best of their abilities. He did this work wholeheartedly knowing that he would not get any credit for the publications’ success.

            Second, Perkins did not allow his professional stature to cloud personal support for his authors. Perkins’ writers enjoyed a safe space with him, which made him an exemplary mentor. For example, in 1936, when Thomas Wolfe was at an impasse with Scribner’s, Perkins sent a hand-written letter to Wolfe stating, “I never knew a soul with whom I felt I was in such fundamentally complete agreement as you. What’s more… I know you would not ever do an insincere thing, or anything you did not think was right” (Wheelock, 1950, p. 115). This degree of confidence in his writers indicated that Perkins was invested in the professional, as well as personal well-being of his authors.

            Third, Perkins exercised great humility even when humility was least expected from him. In 1943, a book was published on writing and publishing in which the author attacked all editors, specifically Perkins, accusing him of unjustly using his editorial power to adulterate Thomas Wolfe’s work. In representing Scribner’s and all the editors, Perkins wrote a spirited letter informing the accusing author of the legal action that would follow. One would expect a rightfully angry missive, but, even in this letter, Perkins’ humility was extraordinarily evident. Perkins wrote that apart from the sections with allegations and personal attacks, he plans to enjoy the book. He stated, “… from what I have read from the rest of your book… you have said many right and true things that have not been said before. Editors aren’t much, and can’t be. They can only help a writer realize himself…” (Wheelock, 1950, p. 229). In this letter, Perkins was mindful about separating his ego as an editor and addressing the wrongful accusation. Appreciation, support, and humility define Perkins’ authentic self. His letters indicate that he was an editor, not just by profession, but also by character—he ensured redacting his ego from his interactions with people.

            This books highlights the importance of conflict resolution for professional development as a mentor. Editor to Author provides great insight in how to achieve this goal in a sophisticated manner. The first example showed that Perkins’ genuine appreciation allowed him to have an honest relationship with his authors. His authors were open to receiving his critique and their conversations were passionate but not confrontational. I have always believed in appreciating my teammates generously, but now I can be more intentional in my mentorship. In the second example, Perkins expresses his support for his writer wholeheartedly, even when the author was against the very institution Perkins represented. As mentors, we must always keep in mind the adage that a guide on the side is better than a sage on the stage, and empower mentees to own their decisions without feeling pressure or guilt from their editors. As an editor, I must be cognizant in supporting my authors to write about the topics they care about without discouraging them. Regarding the third example, I am forced to ask myself whether I would have the courage to compliment an author on a publication in which I was maligned. The answer currently is no! However, Perkins has set an example for me to rise above myself when managing conflict. Perkins letters will remain a source of inspiration and guidance for me in my mentoring circles and as an editor at my workplace.

by Dr. Kristin Huggins, Consultant

Writer’s Block is kryptonite for the academic scholar. You finish your coursework for the day, and open your computer to continue drafting the introduction for your article. You stare at the blank screen, the cursor blinking like a ticking time bomb. You have nothing. Your creative energy has been spent, and you’re bringing an empty tank to the table. You close your laptop and tell yourself that you’ll try again tomorrow when your writer’s block has lifted. Except it doesn’t. So you don’t write the next day. Or the next. Until a week goes by. Then another.

Suddenly you’ve missed a whole month of drafting potential. All because of writer’s block.

The truth is that even the most experienced writer (no matter the genre) experiences writer’s block–a term used to describe that “stuck” feeling writers encounter, as if your synapses suddenly stopped firing and you forgot how to form words on a page. And the temptation is to wait it out.

But the reality is that writer’s block is patient. It has all the time in the world. And it can outwait you any day of the week. You, on the other hand, cannot afford to sit and wait for creative genius to strike! You have to go on the offensive, utilizing strategies to become “unstuck”.

If you feel stuck in your writing, try these five strategies below for overcoming writer’s block.

Step Away for a Moment (But ONLY a Moment!)

If you’ve stared at your computer screen for several hours in the last few days, chances are you need to allow your eyes (and brain) to do a soft reset. Stepping away from your workspace and getting sunlight on your face will do wonders for your creative flow. If you’re unable to go outside or leave your desk, simply standing up and stretching for 5 minutes will help encourage blood flow and give your eyes a much-needed break from staring incessantly at the blue screen of your computer.

Try Switching Your Writing Medium

Utilizing various writing mediums is a great way to break through writer’s block and brainstorm new ideas. If you’re writing your paper on a computer, pull out a journal or legal pad and try handwriting the next section of your paper.

I’ve also found it incredibly helpful NOT to write in Microsoft Word. I know this sounds counterintuitive, but I find the process of drafting in Word very intimidating since this is the program I use for final drafts and formatting seminar papers, articles, and book chapters. If I try to begin a writing project in Word, I end up editing as I write, which hinders my creative output.

As a result, I remove myself from this space and draft in a basic writing tool like Wordpad, OneNote, or Notes (for Mac users). These are very basic text-editing programs that don’t carry all the bells, whistles, and pressure that comes with Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Once the initial drafting process is complete, I then copy and paste into Word to begin the revision process! (Plus, it’s always exciting to see my page count expand once I double-space my text.)

Storyboard Your Idea/Thesis/Problem

For my Kinesthetic Drafters: Using a whiteboard or an easel pad can help you conceptualize big-picture items in your work and group categories, themes, and seminal sources accordingly underneath those macro-level items. I find the use of a whiteboard especially helpful when working on a complicated literature review.

Storyboarding also provides a great opportunity for you to test the congruency and linearity of your project by mapping out your work with visuals. If you want to read more about how to use storyboarding to prototype your research project, check out this fantastic article:

Use a Writing Playlist to Generate New Ideas

For my Audio Drafters: Spotify and Youtube are both excellent sources for curating the perfect writing playlist. While drafting the first two chapters of my dissertation, I assigned specific tracks to sections of my literature review and methodology sections, based on the topic, the level of writing required, or how I felt about that particular area of my dissertation draft.

For example, I had a very difficult time working through my historical analysis section of the literature review, compiling vocal pedagogy treatises in several languages from 1592 to 1873. To help with my writing flow in this section, I listened to the soundtrack from Leigh Bardugo’s “Shadow and Bone” Netflix series (deeply rooted in traditional Russian motifs) and the soundtrack to the Elder Scrolls: Skyrim video game (an interesting blend of medieval themes, harpsichord, and lush orchestration). For me, these albums transported me into a similar space as what I was describing in my historical section.

Listen to what makes you feel your best and most creative when you are drafting!

Break Down Your “Drafting To-Do List” into Smaller, More Manageable Tasks

When my cohort began to analyze their data and draft the results chapter of our dissertation, we were completely overwhelmed. It seemed like an insurmountable task: our data didn’t make sense, or the statistical test we planned to run didn’t work because the assumptions failed, or our response rate was skewed. The obstacles standing in our way made it feel as if we would never get done writing up our work.

It was then that a faculty advisor reminded us of her favorite saying: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

And she was right.

When you reframe your focus from your end result (a finished paper/article/thesis/dissertation) to the smaller, bite-sized chunks you need to complete, the impossible suddenly feels possible. Look at your project. Look at the components of your work. What can you tackle today with the time you have available? What steps do you need to take before you can tackle that item? Break things down as small as you can. (Plus, the extra dopamine hit when you remove the to-do item in your planner is a lovely bonus!)

I hope you found these tips for overcoming Writer’s Block helpful! Remember that everyone approaches writing from a different perspective and a different background, so what works for one person may not work for another. Don’t be afraid to try several things to break through your roadblock. Don’t give up!

Happy Writing, Dear Reader.