How can we write more: more often, more fruitfully and more happily?
This is a question that torments academics and students alike and as Learning Developers we try many tactics to get ourselves writing - and to support the productive writing of others.
As part of LearnHigher I have been on successful Writing Retreats - and have run Writing Groups for our academics with colleagues from the Writing Centre. I have tried to set up Writing Groups for students - building a space for them to come and write that had the same quality as a retreat proper... One idea that seems valuable came from ALDinHE's and Plymouth's John Hilsdon: if physical retreats are too time consuming or even disorientating - can we create virtual writing retreats that function in the same supportive and focussed way as the physical retreat - but saves on travel time - and you can still write in your pyjamas? (That may not have been quite how John put it.) Sadly I could not go on John's first VWR, but I was very inspired by it - and am sharing here John's post on the Retreat itself. It contains information on how you too could be involved in VWR in the future as well as a great free writing exercise - and some links to online writing tools that I've added at the end.
Here's John's post previously posted in his own blog and on the ALDinHE Professional Development Blog - from which this version is taken:
Three
reflections on the first LDHEN ‘VWR’ – Virtual Writing Retreat, that is!
One: John
On Monday June
11th we ‘met’ via our computers for a trial run using ‘Flashmeeting’, the
online meeting tool we would be using for an ‘experimental online writing
retreat’. Martin Sedgley from Bradford
University, Tracey White from
Middlesex, Joe Allison from Plymouth
and me. After introductions we agreed some very basic ground rules (whilst
experimenting with the smiley, sad, surprised/shocked etc ‘voting’ options you
can use whilst others are speaking!). We then shared our writing goals and did
a kind informal contract with each other about what we hoped to achieve and
which segments of the three-day retreat period we would be able to work. That
done, we agreed the times for four ‘check-in’ slots on each of the days and I
shared my favourite version of a ‘free writing’ exercise (see below).
Day one was
Thursday 14th June. We’d agreed to work between 9am – 8pm and it was a full-on
day! I only managed to write about 300 ‘good’ words that day – interspersed
with lots of pacing about, talking to myself, head-scratching and textbook
browsing … but then I was at the start of my journey with a particular
assignment – a paper outlining the research question and methodological
underpinning for my EdD thesis. Martin, working on a professional development
writing task made much more progress than I in terms of number of words but, of
course, Tracey (working on a literature review) reminded us, it is not a race
or a competition! By the end of the day there had been admissions of lapses (a
snooze after lunch in (ahem) one case, a lawn-mowing interval in another, and
an early glass of wine in yet another) but, soothed by our mutual confessions
we all had a redemptive little glow and agreed we’d not done badly!
Day Two,
Friday 15th June: Joe was able to join us for the first time. Like me, he’s
working on his EdD thesis proposal. Tracey had some down-time attending to
other business but we all achieved well. The brief regular check-ins were
motivational and effective in helping us articulate where we were up to and
what we needed to do next. Martin reported that he was now almost two-thirds of
the way through his Senior HEA Fellowship application. My own progress was slow
but steady – but my ideas seemed to be coming into sharper focus after two days
of concentration on the same set of issues. Suitably buoyed, I went to the pub
and enjoyed a beer …
Saturday was
my most productive day, word–wise and I ended up with over 2000 ‘good’ or
usable words. I was sorry to say cheerio to the others at the finish. We gave
each other well-deserved virtual pats on the back and we all said we’d like to
do more of the same in future!
Two: Tracey
I approached
the writing retreat with a self-discipline I have not found throughout my
doctoral study. From the word go I felt very much a part of a community of
practice of like-minded people. All of the struggles I had faced were not
unusual and although I had told myself this time over……now I was hearing first
hand from others. Each of us had specific tasks which we wanted to achieve and
therefore I had a responsibility to both myself and to them to just get on with
it. This I did and in immersing myself into the task I found not only did I
manage to get back into a study regime I had not experienced since my UG
degree, I was enjoying it. The regular ‘touchpoints’ provided a light relief
and spurred me on to the next point. Had to say I was disappointed when it
ended and I have not been as productive with my writing since!
I have been on
live retreats but this for me is the way forwards…comfort of your own home, all
your books at hand, no pressure and the ability to develop a community of
practice from your armchair and which you can continue through technology on a
group or one to one basis. As a companion to doctoral study…just what the
doctor ordered!
Three: Joe
I have never
warmed to the idea of writing retreats, mainly because I have just not felt
that I’d be productive under those sorts of conditions – strange environment
and perhaps people, a given amount of time, and expecting to be in the right
‘place’ to write!
However, when
I first heard of the virtual writing retreat, I was more interested, I thought
it might be different despite some of my concerns still being applicable, I
felt that being in my space, where I write best, might outweigh these. So I
committed to it. I can’t deny that there were times leading up to it where I
was looking for a reason not to be able to do it, but I resisted, and despite
some availability limitations, through work and family, participated as much as
I could.
The speed at
which our community seemed to form, despite not knowing some people previously,
was alarming and very pleasing. Starting the days off with setting ourselves
targets, helped to rationalise and commit to our own agendas, and the fairly
regular catch-ups made sure we didn’t stray too far from them.
If progress
was made it was good to air and share this, if it wasn’t then talking through
what had gotten in the way was also very helpful, in part to make sure this
didn’t continue or repeat itself. The level of support provided through this
was incredibly beneficial, and did a great deal to keep momentum up, a sense of
togetherness was very apparent, despite the different tasks we were attempting.
Whilst productivity ebbed and flowed, just as usual, time seemed to pass very
quickly, and I only wish I had been able to take part in all three days instead
of just the two.
I might have
been able to write more had I not been participating but I don’t think it would
have been nearly so enjoyable or rewarding. One of the things about writing is
that it can be lonely, this can go both ways, but just being able to chat
briefly with people in a similar position throughout the day makes sure you
have the best of both worlds.
Overall I was
really surprised at how much I got from this and will be very keen to take part
again. I will just try to make sure that the time is as clear as possible, for,
just adding a couple of things in, such as picking up the kids and popping to
the shop, did make one day a bit too fragmented with the catch-ups as well.
If you are interested in participating in future LDHEN writing
retreats, please email: john.hilsdon@plymouth.ac.uk . I’ll
add your names to a list and we’ll try to arrange another event soon.
The
Freewriting:
A five minute
writing exercise (thanks to Peter Elbow for the basic idea).
Preparation
1. Spend a few
minutes locating and reminding yourself of any writing in-progress or other
notes or texts relevant to your current task.
2. Take 2
minutes to identify a key question, theme, issue or problem. You will use this
as a ‘trigger’ or stimulus for your writing
3. Take a
fresh piece of paper or open a new document on your computer and clear away any
distracting books, papers and litter from your work area
4. Equip
yourself with a timer or use your mobile phone alarm to signal when 5 minutes
have elapsed
5. Convince yourself
that you will follow the rules below and not be distracted!!
‘Rules’
• Write your
‘trigger’ phrase as a title
• At the signal to begin, write the first thing that comes into your head in
response to your trigger
• If nothing comes to mind, just write the trigger phrase itself – again and
again – until something new comes to you
• DO NOT STOP WRITING AT ANY TIME until the time is up!
• Try to write complete sentences rather than notes
• Grammar, spelling, punctuation and sense are not important. Repetition is
fine. No particular structure is necessary.
• You decide what to do next. No-one else need see this writing unless you want
to show it to others.
ADDED:
And for those
of you who might be inspired by some online writing support try:
Get a kitten for every 100 words
you write:
Three pages a
day: get the writing habit:
Our Free write tool:
Sandra Sinfield 
Georgia Power 
Rachel Wenstone 