Academic writing is a part of academic life, but for many years it has also been one of the most challenging activities for many students and staff. So much so that authors such as
Pat Thomson,
Rowena Murray and many others have spent much of their careers examining the practices of writing in universities to try to understand and overcome some of the barriers that we face.
The month of November - when this episode was recorded - is also well known globally as
‘Academic Writing Month’ or ‘AcWriMo’ for short. Established by the art historian and digital humanities scholar, Dr Charlotte Frost, back in 2011. Initially planned to support the writing of academic books, this event continues annually with scholars sharing their progress and fostering accountability on their academic writing goals. So, it seemed a good moment to reflect on the importance of creating space and time for writing amidst the many competing activities in our lives.
To explore our topic in this episode, Matthew Sillence is joined by
Nayantara Nayar, postgraduate researcher in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing,
Dr Jeremy Schildt, Head of Life and Learning (Learning Enhancement) in Student Services. Our guests have been involved in convening writing groups and bring their own perspectives to understanding the act of writing in the company of others.
