Full Description
This book revolutionises our understanding of academic and creative writing processes. This groundbreaking collection, the first of two volumes, explores how Shut Up and Write (SUAW) sessions transform solitary writing into a powerful tool for community building, personal growth, and enhanced wellbeing.
Featuring 17 diverse chapters from global contributors, the book unveils SUAW's evolution from a simple productivity technique to a comprehensive approach for nurturing writer wellbeing. Organised into four key sections, it examines SUAW's role in fostering community, supporting academic development, transcending institutional boundaries, and driving innovative wellbeing practices. From graduate students to established academics, university writing centres to national writers' retreats, this book offers a kaleidoscope of perspectives on implementing and adapting SUAW. It challenges the notion of writing as an isolating pursuit, instead presenting it as a collaborative, supportive endeavour that boosts creativity, builds resilience, and cultivates a sense of belonging.
This essential read provides both practical strategies and theoretical insights, making it invaluable for writing program administrators, academic developers, researchers, and anyone interested in innovative approaches to supporting writers' wellbeing.
Contents
Section 1: Foundations and Frameworks 1. Where Wellbeing Science Meets Writing Practice: The Intersection of Shut Up & Write! and Self-Care Narelle Lemon 2. SUAW as Anti-Colonial Practice: Embedding Indigenous Settler Relations Graduate Research Training Rebecca Howe, Claire Akhbari, Bianca Williams, and Eleanor Benson 3. Writing in Company: An Online Adaptation for Doctoral Wellbeing Cally Guerin Section 2: SUAW as a Tool for Academic Development and Wellbeing 4. Expanding a Creative Writing Practice to Foster Connection, Wellbeing, and Engagement Across Multiple Disciplines Kristyn Harman, Lucy Christopher, Caylee Tierney, Philippa Moore, Stephanie Richey, and Mandy Pink 5. Supporting Postgraduate Researcher Wellbeing Through Community Writing at the University of Manchester Library Sarah Kneen, Padma Inala, Lily Pearson, Nicola Tomlinson, and Charlotte Evans 6. Shared Goals, Collective Growth: Developing Shut Up and Write Communities of Practice Lyn Lavery and Rebecca George 7. Pomodoro and ePortfolio: An Unlikely but Perfect Pair Claire Bowmer and Dana Bui 8. Community Support: Practical Strategies for Professional Self-Care and Wellbeing Dewi Wahyu Mustikasari, Maslathif Dwi Purnomo, and Anugrah Imani Section 3: SUAW Across Institutional Boundaries 9. Shut Up and Write at Varuna, The National Writers' House Naomi Parry Duncan and Amy Sambrooke 10. Shutting up and staying well: reflections on community, belonging and mattering from SUAW Exeter Kelly Louise Preece and Jo Sutherst 11. SUAW & Creating Inclusive Student Learning Communities Sian Robinson Section 4: Innovative Approaches to SUAW for Wellbeing 12. Writing Together Online: A history of online SUAW in the southern hemisphere Katherine Firth 13. Writing 'alone together' in a nourishing and supportive online environment Andi Salamon, Natalie Thompson, and Belinda Downey 14. The time of our lives: SUAW as a space for academic writing wellbeing Abigail Winter, Jenna Gillett-Swan, Naomi Barnes, Catherine Challen, Keri Freeman, Danielle Gordon, Tessa Rixon, Tom Long, Zoe Mellick, Jane Turner, Alethea Blackler, Julie Arnold, Cassandra Cross, Nicole Vickery, Stine Johansen, David Pyle, Emily Woodman-Pieterse, Dannielle Tarlinton 15. Sprinting towards academic writing wellbeing: Reflections from a care-full and compassionate Friday writing community Abigail Winter, Jenna Gillett-Swan, Deanna Grant-Smith, Francis Bobongie-Harris, Michelle Jeffries, Sophia Mavropoulou 16. Fear of a Blank Page: Discovering My Writing Superpowers in a Two-Day Pomodoro Writing Workshop Nadezhda Chubko 17. The HDR Writer's Wellbeing Lounge: A Community-Driven Approach to Enhancing Writing Productivity and Wellbeing for higher degree research students Natasha Kitano, Dr Owen Forbes, Dr Kirsten Baird-Bate 18. Connection, Momentum, and Growth: Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of 'Shut Up & Research' for Researcher Wellbeing Annalise Roache, Jane George, Lisa M. Baker
