Testimonials
Thousands of people have participated in the Academic Writing Club.
Below are testimonials and completely unsolicited comments from Writing Club members, from 2006 on. We have received hundreds, and they keep on coming!
Note: All bold text other than headings is added by me (Gina Hiatt). Please keep in mind that many of these people choose not to be identified (not that there’s any reason to feel ashamed that you’re struggling with writing productivity), so I usually can’t give you names. But these are 100% bonafide comments from real Academic Writing Club members.
Read these testimonials and comments, and then when you get inspired, sign up on this page!
Comments from Graduate Students & Post Docs
“[Fellow Writing Club member], you inspire me. I look forward each day to seeing your check mark up there. I know if you can do it, so can I. Not being in this alone has been the most helpful aspect of the program for me. Isolation was not working. I, too, need to strike better balance. Learning to reward and take care of myself is the first step. I can’t believe that before I started this program, the thought of rewarding myself regularly never occured to me. I hope you are doing the same!”
In response to a post about the next Writing Club.) “Oh good, I was just going to post inquiring about this! I will be signing up—this has been one of my best investments to date. As one who gives support to others as part of my job, I should have recognized the importance of finding it for myself. The little management tools, the encouragement, and the companionship were what I was lacking. Thank you so much for all of your support over these past weeks!”
“I’m signing up again also. (previous commenter), your comments (as has often been the case!) echo my own thoughts and feelings. This is the best investment that I’ve made in a long time!”
“I’ve also signed up. The first month has been tremendously helpful, especially in getting me to be motivated and work in discrete chunks of time.” Grad Students – a nice series of posts from one group’s message board in the Writing Club
“Thanks to everyone! This writing group has really helped me…in the past I would have just allowed one day to slide into the next with no progress. Now I have a group of peers with similar challenges who need me to commit to making progress just as they are! Thank you!”
“Recently I’ve come to realize how much I now enjoy writing and thinking. Sometimes I feel that I can’t wait to come back to my desk for more writing, and I just want to put everything else aside. I hope this feeling will not fade away.”
“I signed up to renew today. It’s been great to share both successes and struggles with people who REALLY understand.”
“Thanks for all the positive feedback that you gave me, it really helps to read that at the start of the day and feel some support.”
“…it feels good to be in the groove and have someone to tell about it. Thank you for this program! I really had doubts that 30 minutes would be enough time to accomplish anything, but I found that it helped prevent me from feeling completely overwhelmed.”
“I feel good about doing the anxiety exercises and reading the positive self statements and ways of thinking to end procrastination. It really helped me to ease my anxiety before starting again today.”
“thanks everyone for your words of support. they mean the world to me! one of the things I recently started writing was the acknowledgements section of my diss and you are all there. it’s unreal how much these groups have helped me move forward.”
“If it weren’t for this writing club, I would never have gotten back to this paper.”
“thanks for all the supportive comments, you guys. it has been really helpful!!! I feel like i have a whole bunch of academic coaches on my side!!!!”
“Thank you so much, 1000 times over, for helping me through this rough spot. This has been a great experience.”
“thanks everyone for your words of support. they mean the world to me! one of the things i recently started writing was the acknowledgements section of my diss and you are all there. it’s unreal how much these groups have helped me move forward.”
“If it weren’t for this writing club, I would never have gotten back to this paper.”
“i feel good that I am in the habit of writing, and also that i have let go of a lot of debilitating perfectionistic tendencies and negative self-talk.”
“thanks for all the supportive comments, you guys. it has been really helpful!!! I feel like i have a whole bunch of academic coaches on my side!!!!”
“I do have to say that I’m internalizing the habits of this online club. Most days (5 out of 7) I’m finding time to
dedicate to my writing… I feel consistently connected to my work.”
“I’m happy to see familiar faces from our previous writing clubs. You’ve all been such great motivators for the past couple of months, and I’m looking forward to continuing to share our progress.”
“It is such a help (and a joy) to log on here and feel the strength and inspiration of a group of scholars around me. Thanks, everyone, just for writing down your accounts day by day. I am deeply grateful for that!”
“I sent [my paper] to my colleagues. its off my desk. Yipee! And better still, it will go out for review soon. My thanks to all for your support. Working on this paper was easier because I could to write about it here everyday and because your comments helped keep me moving.”
“Wow – end of week 3. I can’t tell you how much this writing group has helped my productivity. This was
money very well spent.”
“I have more direction now in my dissertation and this feels fantastic!!!!!”
“There are even some moments when I actually enjoy the work process and what I’m trying to say & create (vs. just being stressed out about a deadline).”
“it’s not as overwhelming as it once had felt. i know a big part of it is feeling supported by this writing group (and my participation in the past 2 … writing groups!).”
“I surprised myself by continuing to write for so long today! I think I’ve really gotten into the writing groove finally, and I’m hooked on making consistent progress a little every day. I don’t think I can go back to doing 0-zilch-nada any one day. I’m seriously hooked on the high of getting work done every day. Thank you, thank you, academic ladder writing groups!”
“I feel really good about the kind words offered yesterday. Thank you so much everyone.”
“I can’t believe it’s been a week! It has been so helpful to me. It may seem that my productivity has been high, but this is not typical for me. I’m not a slacker, mind you, but daily writing has not been my habit. I have looked over what I’ve accomplished this week and am proud of myself! I know that a large part of why is because I post my progress to the group every day. :) This has been exceedingly motivating and I’m looking forward to what I can accomplish in the next few weeks.”
“The encouragement I’ve gotten from this group has made all the difference on a daily basis to me. I couldn’t do it alone.”
It takes a village“This could have been a really bad day – and I would not have disappointed if it had. However, since I’ve gotten into the habit of just writing, even a little bit, I was able to be productive! I just opened the document that I have been working on and started editing, which slowly turned into new sentences for a section I hadn’t really worked on yet.”
“I appreciate the coaching comments a lot. This group has helped me a lot. I feel some pressure (of the good kind) to post something each day. It’s been hard to stay motivated for me, and I am hoping to keep the ball rolling. Again, thank you.”
“thanks for all of your wonderful encouraging comments. you guys are the best and i am so glad i am in this group!!!”
“I’m glad to be back, the support of the last writing group really helped me stop beating myself up and start thinking systematically about my goals.”
“Thanks to everyone for their support and comments! I felt like [expletive deleted ;-)] yesterday and I appreciated all the words of wisdom I received. I think this is one of the main reasons why I stay connected to this group.”
“I REALLY appreciate the comments from yesterday. I am going to adopt many of your suggestions. I love the idea of having a friendly ‘bartender’ relationship with all of you wonderful people. My fellow students are extremely competitive, my friends do not understand why I need this degree …. So it is good to hear your positive voices… Your comments made a big difference to me.”
“So much has happened during this writing group’s month. It’s been good to be accountable and to feel like a community of scholars. I’m trying to create that atmosphere at the Univ. with a group of dissertation writers, but it’s harder than with this group. I enjoy the honesty and warmth that are displayed here.”
“I really appreciate everyone’s comments to me yesterday — you’ve lifted my spirit and helped boost my work today.”
“Thank you, thank you to those who wrote very kind, humorous, and apt responses to my anxious thoughts about [difficult but typical academic situation]. This is quite a group of caring people who understand how difficult this process is and who have the courage and heart to help support others. I hope that these are the future faces of academia.”
“The 30-day Writing Club was a fantastic and productive experience. I am already working with a dissertation coach, but the extra boost to focus on a small, manageable writing target each day was just what Ineeded! I finished and submitted a chapter by Day 19 of the class, and used the rest of the class to work on another paper that had been long dormant. The support from other class members, the advice on avoiding binge writing and other poor habits, the focus on positive reinforcement instead of blame, and Gina’s and Jayne’s encouragement and expertise — a powerful combination!!
I encourage anyone stuck on the writing process or feeling isolated and frustrated to give this a try!”
— Alison B., 5th year ABD in Public Health and Demography, UCLA
“This club has helped me feel much less isolated and realize that it is the process I must tackle rather than wish for some moment of inspiration that will spirit me to the finish line. I’ve always put a lot of stock in inspiration, and I do believe it is very important, but except for special and rare moments, inspiration usually emerges from the daily muck that finally coalesces into that magical something that is a chapter, an article, or a book. I cannot tell you how important it was for me to learn that others at every level of accomplishment struggle with the same process. So much emphasis is put on the product in my program, and almost nothing is offered about the process. Until this club, I felt completely inadequate even in the face of frequent compliments from my advisors, because I felt that I was the only person who couldn’t “get it together.” I felt like I was covering a dirtly little secret. No one presently enrolled in our program, at least anyone that I know, would admit that they had problems with the process. So thank you for offering the club. This format is perfect for my needs and has helped me open a new‘chapter’ in my academic life.”
— Vanna, 6th year Ph.D. student
“This club has been a tremendous help to me. It was wonderful to hear from professors and fellow students who had similar struggles. I looked forward to the comments from you and my fellow members. I have been discussing my problems with writing and staying motivated with my therapist for some time.I told her about how much this has helped and she is encouraging other ABD students to consider your writing clubs. Please continue your wonderful work.”
— ABD doctoral student in the Midwest
This club is just right for me. I post my progress every day and receive personal feedback from a professional coach in return. I benefit also from other writers in the club and enjoy the support we give each other.I can spend as little or as much time participating as my daily schedule allows, and I always seem to receive from the club a little bit morethan I give. Never before have I been able to sustain as steady and productive a daily writing practice as I do now.
— Richard Musselwhite, Doctoral Candidate (ABD), Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Gina’s class has been a lifesaver for me. I had been feeling alone and scared and embarrassed at the slow speed of my dissertation progress. The daily posting of my progress has helped me to see that I have been working hard and making progress. The work strategies and encouraging thoughts from Gina and others in the class have helped me feel optimistic and excited about my dissertation. The class has provided me with a safe place to voice my concerns and negative thoughts and to help create positive thoughts to replace them. I have also realized that I am not alone in my feelings. I feel so much better and it’s been less than two weeks!
— P.R., Ph.D. student, ABD in Public Health
Comments from Professors
“The wonderful supportive comments from the coaches and the other writers are really motivating! Thanks to all! It has been very encouraging to see what others in the class have done to silence the inner critic…. A few months ago I was only taking notes from readings, and not writing anything myself. Fortunately, this program has got me writing…. Today, yet again I thought, NOW I’m really getting this, understanding why it is important to write 15 minutes (at least) each day. This keeps my topic more in the front of my brain, so that ideas can come to me all day. Also, the 15 minutes just circumvents the critic and the procrastinator who feel it is not good enough or not ready for prime time. So what, too bad, got to write anyway, so sit down and like tonight, something pretty good comes out of nowhere, and pretty quickly! And the beauty of it is, I don’t have to “get it,” or understand why/how it works, it (15 min sessions) just works, all I have to do is DO IT!”
— Grace Ann Rosile, Assistant Professor of Management at New Mexico State University, who describes herself as “Coming up for tenure next year, in good shape with publications but have been in a writing slump for the past year. This program has really changed that!”
“The person who came up with Academic Ladder (http://academicwritingclub.com) is a genius. And, obviously, a behavior analyst.
You see, I am that professor. The one who teaches and neglects anything without a deadline. I needed someone to coach me.
And here it is. You check in each day with your team and talk about how your writing has gone. The team is there to provide reinforcement, and someone comments on your progress each day. There’s even a graph of your progress, and the progress of the team. How’s that for contingency management?
It’s also introduced me to the concept of using a timer to break up my day. I’m more on-task, and find myself writing much more. So, thank you, Academic Ladder! You’re worth the investment.”
— Chris Barthold, Professor, a researcher and a clinician for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
“This program rocks! The discipline PLUS the support is the best thing that has happened to me in a long time (career-wise).”
“I am already doing MUCH better than I have in 2 years.” I am feeling really good and positive!”
“I wrote on a teaching day! I really didn’t think that was possible and yet, I did it! Go me! Go writing club!”
“I can see my work habits changing daily. For the first time EVER in my academic career I feel confident that I can not only live up to expectations but possibly even exceed them. (Immediate anxiety aside) work is fun.”
“I’m loving this writing group. Since I work mostly at home [during the summer] it’s nice to have contact with and support from other people. Thanks!”
“Thank you, thank you, to Writing club members who wrote me. I was feeling so lonely in the early a.m. of Monday. I was so glad to get encouragement.”
“I FINISHED THE ARTICLE! I thought this day would never come! I am practically dancing with glee…This is maybe my fastest article ever — less than three months from start to finish, with a lot of other projects dealt with at the same time. Getting them done fast feels GOOD.”
“I wanted to do everything but write – the old way. But, I kept thinking – just start somewhere and write whatever for a few minutes, and then I got going and last for 20. Yay! I’m really glad I have the group, too, because there’s no way I would get any writing done at all, given the rest of the stuff going on in my life. So thanks to all of you!”
“It was supposed to be my day off but by evening I felt antsy and did some research. It’s been a long time since this happened to me!”
“I submitted [my paper.] This is the second paper I have submitted during this writing group… This writing group is helping me. THANKS to all of you!”
“It helped me a lot to ‘write to know what I don’t know.’ Thanks for the great tip! By trying to figure out what I don’t yet know but still want to know, it really helps to frame a topic question.”
“I’m appreciating starting my day by reading new posts in this writing club, and I’m appreciating ending my day by reflecting on what I’ve done, done well, could have done better, and will do tomorrow. Thanks to all for advice and encouragement.”
“I should have been working this well last year.”
“It felt nice to take a moment and applaud my fellow group members whose updates preceded mine today. I was so glad to see them moving along through the thick and thin we all suffer. Going through a rough day in my local surroundings, it is especially nice to have a community here to hear from and to unload on. It even displays how the virtual is as real as the actual…”
“Defintely felt good about the time I put in. Having this group say that 60 minutes or even 15 minutes is a good goal, somehow allows me to get more done than if I thought I had to work for three hours writing.”
“I’ve really appreciated reading what others have posted to the message board as well as the comments on people’s progress. This is really helping me a lot! ”
“[I feel good] That I’ve written every day this week and am making progress on my project. Therefore, I don’t feel anxious or guilty on the weekend. Everything is getting done, all is well in my world.”
“btw, i have rarely felt as productive as i have since i joined this group!”
“I thought I had maybe two weeks’ work still to go, and yet I finished the article in less than an hour and a half! Who knew that if you put in time consistently, things would actually get finished! ;-) ”
“Sorry for the long post! Felt good to write this for myself. THANKS AGAIN TO ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!”
“I’m feeling really good again today and realizing how much I appreciate having a group to pick you up when you’re feeling down and point out that what feels like a total catastrophe to you, isn’t really that deep.”
“[I feel good] that I’m on a roll with this now. Who’d have thought that it could be so much fun, once I started? I’m improving the structure! It now has a structure!”
” I am so glad to have all of you to share the experience with. I am already feeling quite inspired.”
“I FINISHED THE REVIEW! I FINISHED IT! I think I had a secret belief that it was the review that would never get finished.”
“By the way THANKS to everyone for all your helpful & supportive comments especially this past week.”
“It feels SO GOOD to get something off my plate, especially something that was so tedious. !!!”
“MY FINAL CHAPTER REVISIONS ARE DONE AND E-MAILED TO MY CO-AUTHOR!!!”
“This has been the best two-week investment in my academic career, ever. I have a whole shelf full of books on writing and procrastination and productivity, but nothing has helped as much as this class. Gina doesn’t just tell you what to do, she helps you figure out long-term, sustainable changes in your work habits and ways of approaching your work that should last long after the class is over. And it’s been great sharing experiences, problems, and solutions with the other members of the class; we learn a lot from each other as well as from Gina. After just two weeks, not only am I getting more writing done, I’ve started to think about my writing in a different way. And I’ve even started to think about myself in a different way. I am NOT a procrastinator or a person who can’t write. I can do this. “
— C.W., Assistant professor coming up for tenure next fall.
New Year Writing Club
“This group is the bomb-diggity — just want to thank you all for being so welcoming and supportive and it’s only day three!” (faculty)
“This is my third time in this writing group and I don’t think I’ll ever leave. I’ll probably need this type of support after my dissertation when I’m working towards tenure. Thanks Gina, Jayne and all my fellow club members.”
“Writing is like exercising. I often don’t want to go the gym either. I think I am too tired or unmotivated, but once I get there, everything clicks and I feel so much better afterwards. I feel that way about writing now too. Half the battle is withyour brain which telling you to stay in bed or work on something, ANYTHING, but that godforsaken manuscript! If you can get past that you can be productive even on days when you don’t “feel” productive (Faculty)
“I was unsure about whether I wanted to pay for the New Year’s Writing Group. We all know how tight money is for grad students However, after two days I don’t regret it at all. I think we have a great group. I am learning a lot from everyone and I know I am being much more productive than I would otherwise. Thanks everybody!”
“I feel so good that I managed for a 3rd day in a row to put in a little time writing despite many other unavoidable and urgent tasks. I am also psyched to find out that I can actually do useful writing under suboptimal conditions — later in the day, and even after teaching. I don’t think I ever really tried, unless I had to pull an all nighter, b/c I prefer to do difficult things first thing (or not do them at all!).” (Faculty)
“The feeling of sharing my thoughts and impressions here, in such a small group of determined people, is really great, I like it!” (Faculty)
“Since starting this club (since 12/21ish) I’ve written 16 pages. Before that I had not written anything beyond the proposal.”
“I actually managed to spend two more hours in the evening on my article, and just sent it to my editor (!)This feels really good. Thanks to the Writing Club! I don’t think I would be so productive without it.” (Faculty)
“I feel very good that I am actually making daily progress toward my goals. Small steps really do make you feel good and add up to wonderful progress. I also feel good that the small steps forced me to begin a small chunk of a report I have avoided writing for a few weeks”
“This club is great. i am not as far as i want to be, but i know i’ll get there, thanks to all the great stuff i am learning here.”
“Wow I am so much better at this process and the group has been a good part of this.”
“I felt before joining this group that I was so alone trying to accomplish this personal goal ( doctorate). Now I look forward to telling someoone how much progress I have accomplished. There has been an incidental side affect to joining this group. My husband and I talk more about the details of wlhat I am doing, so I have benefited in many ways from joining this writer’s club.”
“The more and longer I engage in the writing club, the more valuable I see the socialization of my writing. I have shared my writing in the past and found that valuable but haven’t spent much time talking about the process. This has been very very helpful for me. It’s also been useful witnessing others’ processes and changes. Perhaps its important to continue to think of writing as a social process as well as a solitary process. In that vein, then, this writing club is a very smart thing rather than a crutch. In fact, I don’t think I ever want to return to the “old” days where I wasn’t reflecting on process. Sure, I could do this myself at the end of each workday in a journal or something but there is something more valuable about engaging in it with others.”
“I see [this club] as a crucial way of getting interaction and support that most people get in a normal job, but too often is lacking in academia – at least, in my program, anyway.”
“I feel good that I was able to break through the intimidation barrier a little bit. I edited the introduction, and having it done gives me a sense of control even if it is just temporary. I also feel good about some thoughts on how to structure the chapter, and jotted some notes on how it would flow and what would go where. This feels good.”
“I think i’m in here for life. It might seem like a lot, but i really think it’ll save me money in the long run. i actually believe i will finish my dissertation much faster than I would have otherwise. a lot faster. plus, i’m learning so much from you all! all of you have already provided me with many helpful suggestions, and trust me, i need those suggestions and i take them and i put them to use immediately. thanks, all!”
“this gets easier everyday. i read what i had written in past few days, stuff that i thought was superficial and poorly articulated, and i think it’s actually fine. it’s really starting to sink in how much progress is possible by just writing everyday for short periods of time. wow!”
Holiday Writing Club
“I have been really happy so far about the result of joining this writing club. The fact that I don’t procrastinate these days at all, and that I have started looking forward to getting my writing done in the morning – I cannot be happier.”
“I am pleased that I was able to squeeze in 30 minutes of writing. I started late — 11:30 p.m.–and found enough inspiration in reading through some members’ entries to get going. I didn’t want to lose a day without writing.”
“…. Will update later and develop tomorrow’s goals. Am making an entry now because I wanted the lift that comes from reflecting on a good morning of work.”
Writing is easier in a group!“I actually went to bed last night looking forward to my morning writing session!”
“I’m glad that I joined this group over the break because I think without it, I might be tempted to blow off the writing and research.”
“I’m really happy that it’s getting easier to come back to write every morning since I have started this holiday writing club. Since I work everyday, I can recall easily my thought about writing from the previous day – which helps me to start writing quickly without paying too much effort to recall what I was planning to do next.”
“I have found a great by-product of this writing club. It helps me not only to get some additional writing done and to give me some guilt-free experiences, but also to give me happier relationships with people! :) Since I have some peace in my mind, I don’t seem to become as edgy as when I feel guilty and terrible with my own procrastination. I think my family members must be especially thankful about my decision to participate in this writing club. :)”
“Thank heaven for this site. I really didn’t feel like sitting down and working and it made it so much easier.“
“This class is one of the best things that has happened to me! Thank you for having the courage and kindness to start it and keep it going!”
“…my husband is very thankful too ever since I joined the coaching classes!”
“I’m thrilled that I got so much done today, by this time of day.”
“Thanks for all your help, you have truly moved me forward in a really positive, professional, compassionate way and I was in dire need of a coach and some compatriots.”
“..this group and your coaching has helped me continue to function through a difficult time and I feel very blessed.”
And here are more random snippets of unsolicited comments from thrilled members of previous Writing Clubs:
“I HAVE STARTED!! AFTER THREE MONTHS OF DOING NOTHING!”
“I have written more these past 26 days than anytime since starting my dissertation. I will definitely be signing up for another month of encouragement, accountability, and friendship.”
“This is helping me a lot. I’m not sure why, but i kind of got a fire lit under me somehow. i think it’s knowing that other people are doing this, too.”
“I love this club. I LOVE THIS CLUB!!!!!! I don’t know if you understand me so I will say it again… I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS CLUB!!!!!!!!”
“I feel good that i am teaching myself to just cut the crap and get started instead of putting the task off for hours and suffering in the meantime. i have what it takes to do this and now i just need to do it.”
“Knowing that this writing group was humming along in the background has been a big incentive for me.I’m building determination and motivation, one minute at a time. I keep repeating ‘I can do anything for 5 minutes’ and then I do it!”
“I find this club provided more usable and practical help than my dissertation support team members who is human and can be cranky or critical or involved in their own lives (what can they be thinking???). in this club, just reading the experience of others helps me feel less isolated. Getting usful helping hints has been great and feedback from the coaches is much more than I have gotten from my advisors. As you reach more advanced stages of the academic process, you pretty much know what you need to do. It’s just hard to do it. This club has created a forum where I can commiserate with others who share my woes and then resolve to move myself forward. I really hope we can continue some kind of similar experience. Also, my dissertation support friends thank all of you because they don’t have to listen to me as much! What? My project isn’t the center of everyone’s life?”
“The group message board, coach messages, and encouragement I received from others have made me determined to continue though the many distractions.”
“I’m beginning to think about the subject all the time”
“So productive! If I was this focused every day, I would feel very comfortable about how I perform my job.”
I also worked for 15 minutes in between an appointment and yoga, and really accomplished something! I am starting to believe in the short block of time theory :)”
“I feel like I’ve really learned the value of two things:
1) the whiteboard/post it technique, it’s so helpful seeing the big picture that way!
2) using short blocks of time to just dive in and out from something–I think it helps my brain think more consistently about the questions, so that I can make big breakthroughs in just 10 or 15 minutes.”
“I feel less stressed since I began this course. My writing has gone from a few lines to hours. Worth every dollar. When I started this course I was blocked, stressed, stuck and paralyzed.”
“I am working more and this is really helping me get through the blocks.”
“I am glad that I am watering my disseration plant everyday no matter what I think about the quality of my water.”
“I feel that i have become more regular with my writing since I joined this group. thanks a lot.”
“What has happened for me, however, is that I have begun to internalize the day-by-day process. I feel better because I know each day I make a little progress even when I am fretting about the ultimate deadline.”
“I think this writing club has helped me focus in spite of my doubts. Hearing about the doubts, and challenges of so many others, I have come to understand that the problems rise more from the process than from my deficiencies or topic. I have people to talk to here, but the numbers of people in this club helped me internalize the message. Ideas about how to manage time have helped in the same way. I have all kinds of time management tools, but learning that everyone struggles with time, energy, and inspiration helped me.The anonymity helps, tool I am in a program where no one admits the problems. I have some colleagues finsihed with school who understand, but mainly I have learned not to voice my insecurities. In this club, I have been able to read a whole range of doubts about class prep, paper writing, job searches, dissertation production, and article/book writing. It has been an inspiration. Thank you to those who organized it and give us daily coaching.”
“thank you, gina, for reminding me of both the big picture and small components that fit in that big picture. it’s easy to forget, but you offer good advice in a supportive manner.”
“i think i’ve learned a lot just in such a short time. thanks, gina, for your support and insight. i really appreciate it. I appreciated Jayne’s “atta girl” comment yesterday. It gave me a kick start for today and yes, things did start to come together.”
“Also, want to note that I’ve adopted Gina’s approach of leaving notes for the next day on text in a different color. This is working well for me.”
“Hi Jayne and Gina,
Do you have any plans to extend the writing club? This is proving to be surprisingly useful and I don’t want to face a cold turkey (no T-Day pun intended) withdrawal.”
“Nothing feels better than SEEING more clearly on the page what you were thinking.”
“Hooray for all of us being such wonderful supporters of each other. We’re not only putting in awesome work on our own projects, we’re all supporting each other on top of it! What a great group of people. I feel very privileged to be part of this.”
“I also feel very grateful for the encouragement that you all give me on a daily basis. I feel better, physically and mentally, than I have in a very long time and I know that this constant support is a huge factor in that. You guys rock! It’s also nice to meet some new people in this club with similar goals and obstacles. Thank you all for your help and support and hooray for YOU ALL!”
“Thank you to everyone! This is great.”
“I made really interesting connections between two instances in my thesis that opens up a whole new area in a chapter I have been struggling with–which was a great feeling. And it happened while writing–a connection I doubt I would have made if I had not been writing.”
“The chapter itself is becoming more visible to me. Gaps and holes are closing and its feeling more cohesive than before. Through the writing I am able to find what has been lacking, in a way that worrying about it just didn’t work!”
“i think its all going quite well, and its been so great to log on and get the kind of helpful feedback and support from the coaches–it makes one feel so encouraged and at the same time accountable for ones time and work.”
“I felt really enthusiastic about working–a lot of the anxiety about actually facing the work is beginning
to dissipate.” “I feel so good that I sat down to write and started thinking about ideas. I feel as if my brain is in gear and the ideas will continue to percolate after I stop working…it’s a good feeling.”
“I agree with you about how good it feels to work on your writing everyday and have that flow in thinking about a project. I was really lacking that before this writing club started, and the fact that I know I’m going to sit down and think about my ideas every day (if only for 20 minutes) has allowed me to feel really good about myself.”
“This club really helps with the flow, before this I was changing the article /review/research/project I was working at every day! Now I stick to just one and that makes a big difference”
“It’s great to feel (vicarious) momentum from other clubbers’ achievements and progress.”
“If this writing club has taught me anything, it’s that doing small things consistently can have a huge impact!”
“I wish I had such a commitment of writing a little everyday started years ago…… But it is not too late, and will try to develop this to be a habit.”
My challange will start tomorrow, as I will be starting grading. I will try wrting first and then grading…. A strategy I learnt from the club members! :)”
“I also want to thank Gina and Jayne and the others for all the encouraging and helpful comments. It has been wonderfully motivating, and truly helps me feel less alone and at sea throughout this process. I hope I’ll be able to join a class or writing club again in the near future – please tell us what options will be available…!”
“It has been the most productive day in months!”
“I CAN DO THIS!”
“I’m just glad i have this club. Thank you, club.”
“I feel good that i spent time writing. In the past, in this type of circumstance, i would have just not written anything at all and I would have felt bad about it.”
“Thanks you guys for believing me that i would write. And I kept my commitment!!! yeh!!!!”
“Thanks for your encouragement, it really helps to be in this group and see people are helping each other.”
Get More Information on the Writing Club Here!
Don’t you wish you could feel this good about your work?
Don’t you wish you could feel as proud and productive with regards to your writing and publishing?
So join us in making academia a better place to study and work. We are looking forward to seeing YOU in the Club!
Warmly,
Gina
