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Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Focus isnt just a mind problem The idea of doing your writing work at home sounds lovely, easeful. But the reality is often like wading through molasses. The soft couch and soft cat call you to nap. Your partner’s loud on Zoom. Laundry and dishes are never done. Your […]
Read More »Welcome to the Library
The Library is an archive of my writing about academic work since launching this website in 2009. The top section contains the most recent additions. If you are new here, scroll down to see a few suggestions for good posts to start with to get a sense of my general approach. The Spotlight section at the bottom highlights a series of posts on a specific topic, and is updated regularly.
Most of my writing is sent to Studio members or my newsletter before appearing here. Since 2020 I’ve been creating audio versions of most new posts. They are embedded here but you can also follow me on Soundcloud if you prefer to listen.
Recent posts
Make Your Manuscript Work: An Interview with Laura Portwood-Stacer
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Make Your Manuscript Work: An Interview with Laura Portwood-Stacer Jo VanEvery 0:00 It was my great pleasure to talk to Laura Portwood-Stacer recently about her new book: Make Your Manuscript Work. I’ve been subscribed to Laura’s newsletter for years and often recommend her earlier book The Book Proposal Book, […]
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Spotlight On: The Power of 15 Minutes
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Spotlight On: The Power of 15 Minutes When it comes to writing the primary challenge most scholars face is how to find and protect time for this work. I use 15-minutes as a short hand for any amount of time less than 30 minutes, or so short it feels […]
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Hope works better than fear
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Hope is better than fear. I have cycled through a few tag lines in my attempt to succinctly capture what it is I do: “Love Your Academic Work” made way for “Transforming Academic Lives“. This latest iteration has the benefit of coming directly from something clients have said about […]
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Juggling 101: Elements of a good plan
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Juggling 101: Elements of a Good Plan A good plan can reduce the stress and overwhelm you experience when trying to juggle all your different responsibilities. This is why I have developed Planning Classes for members of the Academic Writing Studio [Recently opened up to everyone else too!]. In […]
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Optimizing Focus: 3 elements to consider
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Optimizing Focus: 3 Elements to Consider Everyone struggles with focus. This is why I prompt participants in A Meeting With Your Writing to think about what they’d like to try that day to optimize their focus. In this rather long post, I set out the fundamental principles that underpin […]
Read More »Spotlight On: The Power of 15 Minutes
This Spotlight focuses on what very short periods of time can contribute to your writing practice. I do not think you can have a satisfying writing practice by only cobbling together these 15 minute sessions. However, I do think that making good use of very short chunks of time will make a significant difference to your writing practice.
A collection of posts from the archive with a new introduction and audio versions all about using short chunks of time for your writing.
Find out how, why and more inside this Spotlight.
Explore the whole Spotlight here, or if you prefer to listen, you can find a playlist of this introduction and all the posts mentioned over on my Soundcloud.
You can do this!
