Almost two weeks into my summer writing group, and I am seeing some differences in my motivation. Through the group, we set weekly writing goals and I am keeping up with them. If you get a chance to be in a writing group, I highly recommend it. Though these are strangers really, it is nice to know someone is interested in what and why I write. We also have been able to share some of our organization techniques and suggestions. Like using the Get to Work Book and Ghostly products for meetings to help organize your to do’s.
It feels good to have a sort of deadline, even if it is fairly self-imposed. But the difference with the group is, I feel like I need to have achieved what I said I would by the time I said I would. Silly I know, I feel bound to do what I said I would do because of my group. So I guess you could say it a bit of friendly peer-pressure. Also, hearing their challenges helps me to know that I am not alone in this writing thing. If you think about it, most writing is a very lonely activity. In academia, you may have co-authors who you can discuss the topic, but even then in the end you have to sit down and write the paper on your own. So it is nice to know there are others struggling in similar ways that I do.
Whatever it is about this writing group, it is working. I have gotten my chapter 1 through a round of edits and I have a full outline of my chapter 2. Before we meet on Thursday, I will have a draft or at least the start of one for chapter 2 and chapter 1 will be back with my committee. It is nice having a goal to accomplish each week, and when I have mornings like this morning when I wake up at 4:00am and can’t go back to sleep, I know what I can work on.
In the end, it is about accountability. If you are one of the lucky ones that can hold yourself accountable without outside pressure, by just setting and following your own deadlines, well you may not need the extra push of a writing group (though it would still be useful to you for other reasons). But, me? I need someone or something outside of myself to push me to work, and this writing group is working great for me. I would encourage everyone to give it a try.
It doesn’t have to be fancy or strangers or with a coach (like mine is, Katie Linder is amazing if you are looking for a coach), it can just be a group of your fellow Ph.D. students who meet once a month to help each other stay sane. But whatever and whoever is in your writing group, it is nice to have company!
Here are a couple of Katie’s podcasts about writing groups. This one from Research in Action and this one from YGT (You’ve Got This) Q&A series.
O's Bureau of Scientific Investigations 