Challenge of the Day:Write a Ton!

Take a look at your accountability databases or notes (you do use these, right??). Find out what has been your most productive writing day. Within the next few days, try to beat that word count!

Don't worry about what you write, have fun. Cultivate a sense of "push" and playfulness at the same time. Watch what happens in your head, challenge the cognitions that are interfering, but just write.

Days like this, when wall we care about is writing, nothing else, can be highly generative. For today, don't worry about quality, but quantity!

Conditionally Accepted: A Great Resource

I have been meaning to share this resource for a while. Conditionally Accepted is a blog and community space (that is what I would call it) for "scholars on the margins of the academia." I would argue that it is essential reading not only for those self-identified as existing on the margins of our little world, but for those of us fully "bought in (whatever that means), and certainly those considering to entering it.

Reading about the lived experiences of those who do not easily fit into the hierarchical structures of the academy helps all of us understand the impact that some of the more oppressive practices and mechanisms of higher education have on all of us. 

The resources are exceedingly helpful and well organized- make sure to read though that section of the blog. 

Some of the blog posts are just fantastic. I really appreciate the four part series by Jeana Jorgensen, "I Don't know if I want to be a professor anymore." It is a great, honest, and telling personal narrative.

This is a great blog space to check out. As much as I love being a professor, and see myself working at my current gig until the end of my formal work life, I have also felt fairly marginalized at times. My highly emotional, expressive, and sometimes bluntly honest and direct Jewish male sensibility has not always been fully accepted in the academy; I have had to "dumb down" key aspects of who I am to fit in, at times. At some point, I need to write about this more, in particular how I see it influencing my life when I was an administrator.

Looking for a Great Editor?

Two people recently have asked me to recommend a copy editor for them. If you find yourself needing one, I highly suggest you read this post

Respecting Bad Days

Respect your bad writing days; they, not the ones where the writing is easy, are those that lead to a productive career as a writer.

Dinty W. Moore explores the importance of such days in his excellent book, Crafting the Personal Essay: A Guide for Writing and Publishing Creative Nonfiction. He writes:  "Sitting in your chair, struggling through the gobbledygook that comes out of your brain, on one of those bad days, is still a productive effort, because your getting one of your inevitable bad days out of the way."

If you wait for it to be easy, wait for inspiration, wait for calm and peace and the perfect context, you will be waiting a long, long time. The next time you have a horrible day, spend some time actually being grateful for it. Cherish it, as crazy as that sounds- it is an essential part of the writing process. It is what clears the space for the days when everything flows.

Working Things Out

From whom is a blog? The author, those they know personally, those they hope read their posts, parts of themselves they wish to explore?

At times, I write to work things out, and do so here, as a means of going public, to prevent myself from hiding, to share with others common struggles that many of us share. Or at least I hope many of us share; the fear of being alone with one's pains and struggles is frightening, indeed.

I am here in Manila, early morning, drinking coffee in a cafe. Writing. The simple act of writing; I could be anywhere in the world at this moment, the joys the same, the struggles the same.

I am trying to let go. I am trying to simplify. I am trying to have confidence in accepting what truly is important to me, and not worry that the world might not find this enough. Might not find me enough. No, that I might not find me enough.

There are several interlocking areas that I have written researched and written about for many years; part of me no longer wishes to do write or research these anymore; part of me is afraid of letting go.

These formed the basis for my doctoral work, my dissertation,  my tenure and promotion, my promotion to full professor. They have formed a key part of my professional identity.

And the truth is, I have to push myself to read about them these days.

Frankly, I just want to read and write about writing. Writing has always been "it," even when I have not know what to write about.

I am becoming something else, in the last year of my forties.

Hang on.

The Start of My Sabbatical!!!

With the end of my summer class  (grades in, yeah! and the start of my trip to the Philippines), this marks the start of my fall term sabbatical. I am thrilled to be taking a one term, or four month sabbatical away from the grind of faculty life. Decisions will be made without me!  Yes!!! Classes will be taught, and not by me! Students will to to someone else for guidance and feedback!!! ( I love ya, but some time away, please!)

And what do I get to do?

Read. Write. Read. Write. Sleep, Eat. Repeat.

This is going to be a good four months!

Don't worry, however, I will not be slacking off on my blog. I have been storing up some posts, so have a few in my metaphorical hip pocket that have already been scheduled for posting!

I will also share, I am sure, what it feels like to be officially away from duty. For many years, I have taught during the summer, so I really don't know what time away totally feels like. And four months, this is going to be sweet. Its not a year, but its still an awesome privilege!

200 Words Now

It has been while, so time to drop and give me 200. Stop what you are doing, and write two hundred words on an article you are working on, or do some writing for a new piece. 

Stopping like this from time to time, and randomly writing, is a great way to get more work done than we might otherwise have.