Learn how to improve your weekly writing practice through the use of new tools and techniques.
Establishing a successful weekly writing practice can dramatically improve your productivity. However, there are lots of pitfalls that stand between faculty members and actually accomplishing their writing and productivity goals. Join Laura Plummer, Director of the Scholarly Writing Program at Indiana University, as she outlines ways to overcome these obstacles.
Because productive writing depends on a balance of hard and soft skills, we will cover both. You'll learn about software tools like Scrivener and Mendeley, and you'll also leave with techniques to help you build focus, space, accountability, and rewards into your practice.
Who Should Attend
A weekly writing practice can benefit many university team members but will have the greatest impact on faculty and academic staff. This could include teaching and research faculty, adjuncts, chairs, deans, teaching and learning development staff, or governance members.
While writing is an individual journey and process, there are common pitfalls that can be addressed to make your practice stronger. We have identified common concerns and techniques for improvement:
Writing Pitfalls:
- The elusive big block of writing time
- Underestimating time needs
- Setting unreasonable goals
- Writing in isolation
Powerful Tools and Techniques:
- Effective time tracking and focusing
- Maximizing your writing space
- Writing management and concept mapping tools
- Creating reachable goals, accountability structures, and reward systems
Laura Plummer
Director of Scholarly Writing Program
Indiana University
Laura Plummer directs the Scholarly Writing Program (SWP), under the auspices of the Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs, at Indiana University. The SWP supports faculty as they write for publication, and by extension, for promotion and tenure; its goal is to retain faculty, particularly women and women of color, to promote and share strong writing practices among faculty, and to build a community of faculty writers on campus. In the current year, the SWP coordinates 20 faculty writing groups for over 200 IU participants.
For fifteen years before joining the VPFAA office, Laura directed the Campus Writing Program, Indiana’s Writing Across the Curriculum program, which assists faculty in using writing to teach and administers the campus writing center; she has also designed myriad new faculty orientation programs, and is the past Executive Director of Indiana’s Patten Foundation. Laura holds an AB from Kenyon College and a doctorate in 19th-century literature from IU.
Questions About the Event?
Sarah Seigle Peatman
Program Manager, Academic Impressions