Day One - Off we go!



Welcome to the La Trobe November Writing Challenge! Today, together, we embark on a fortnight long writing journey. This journey will see each of traverse some arduous terrain: we will examine the role that writing plays in academic work, we will challenge the processes that we employ to write and will create more disciplined, generative writing habits and we will increase our productivity by adhering to daily writing goals. Ultimately though, the journey will be a deeply rewarding one because it will inculcate in the traveller a healthier relationship to their writing.
Today, on the first day of the Writing Challenge, new organisational, intellectual and creative possibilities abound. You have set a goal and you have created a plan. Make sure time to write is structured into your day and you have ready access to the resources you need to write.  Where and when will you write?
So far, almost 40 La Trobe staff and HDR students have signed up for the Challenge. If we all reach our Challenge goals we will have achieved a substantial output. This includes:
·       9 book or thesis chapters
·       3 conference presentations
·       3 literature reviews
·       14 articles
·       2 other academic papers
·       4 participants hope to improve their writing habits by creating a writing routine
On average, participants have nominated to write 635 words each day, and to dedicate 2 hours and 45 minutes to focussed writing, to meet their Writing Challenge goals.

Here are some other points participants listed to help enable their new writing program to function more smoothly:

·         Create a plan of action each day for the following day’s writing.
·         Keep emails and other tasks for the afternoon.
·         Limit other commitments generally, while writing is a priority.
·         Be persistent.
·         Build in reading time.
A number of Writing Challenge participants noted that they planned to dedicate the mornings to writing. You might like to use the discussion forum below to organise a meet up in the Charles La Trobe Lounge or the Postgraduate room in the Library.
Each day this blog will be updated with useful reflections on academic writing. You will also have access to the progress of fellow travellers on the La Trobe Writing Challenge journey, who each have their own goals and plans in place to achieve them. Remember, this is a shared journey; please use the comments space to share you goals, accomplishments, tips and strategies and to communicate with other participants.

It is not too late to sign up for the Challenge or to encourage your peers to also get involved. You can still register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/C5Y6YVY
Good-luck and happy writing! 


Comments

Unknown said…
My goals for the writing challenge are to write 500 words each day and to create an effective writing routine. I have been combining my PhD with work in the CTLC since April and have struggled to maintain an effective writing routine. I am hoping that doing a little bit of writing each day will be enough to get some of those ideas that have been percolating over the past 6 months or so on to paper. It will be a struggle to do this with my workload - but I am going to give it my best shot! I am planning on trialling a few different writing times to see what works and what does not.