BASE Designs
How to build a strong foundation for your writing
Dear fellow writer,
Any architectural designer will tell you that a building’s foundations must be built from durable materials on a balanced footprint. Even one wonky corner will create structural issues higher up in the design.
In the same way, strong foundations in your writing life can enable you to build artful creations that will be unshakeable even in an earthquake or tempest. In my book Air & Light & Time & Space: How Successful Academics Write, I identify four cornerstones of successful writing, which spell out the word BASE:
Behavioral habits: How productively do you write?
Artisanal habits: How skillfully do you write?
Social habits: To what degree are other people a part of your writing practice?
Emotional habits: How do you feel about your writing?
To supplement the book, I designed a free online diagnostic tool called the Writing BASE, which shows you how you can broaden and deepen the BASE dimensions of your writing practice. Here’s how it works:
Start by using slider bars on the BASE survey to analyze your foundational writing habits.
Next, click the See your profile button to reveal your diagnosis. For example, is your BASE small, like a Pebble (the most common of the 16 profiles)? Unusually shaped, like a Rudder or a Bullet Train? Strong and broad, like a Rock?
Once you’ve determined your BASE profile, you can begin to create new daily writing routines designed to expand your foundation and balance any wobbly edges. It’s also a great idea to re-take the test from time to time as your writing practice develops.
WriteSPACE members get access to a premium resource called BASE Blueprints, which provides a customized action plan for building up your BASE. Not a member? Click here to try the WriteSPACE free for 30 days — and take that first step towards developing a strong social dimension for your writing practice as part of our vibrant WriteSPACE community.
I'd love to see you there!
In the WriteSPACE
Weekly Wayfinder for September 18-24
WriteSPACE and WS Studio members: Every week in the WriteSPACE Maproom, you’ll find a featured writing resource to expand your horizons, a playful pomodoro timer to help you keep your writing on track, and a writing-related challenge to sharpen your skills.
This week’s resource: The Writing BASE
This week’s timer: White Turnip
This week’s challenge: Find your BASE Blueprint
Not a member? Sign up for a free 30-day trial and check out all our great writing resources for yourself.
Coming soon
Stylish Writing Intensive - October 19-22
Do you want to write with more impact, energy, and flair — right now? Then jump on board for the Stylish Writing Intensive, my flagship online writing course for advanced academic and professional writers. I’ll help you transform your prose from dull to dazzling (or from adequate to amazing) in just 3 action-packed days of advanced writing workshops, dedicated writing time, and 2 hours per day of live coaching. Click here to read past participants’ rave reviews and to check out the responses to our Frequently Answered Questions. But don’t spend too long making up your mind! Offered just twice a year, the Stylish Writing Intensive is limited to only four people per coaching group to ensure that I can offer personal attention to every participant every day. WS Studio annual members get a 10% discount (save $240). Hurry, these coveted places won’t last long!
Other writing news
Writing with Pleasure podcast
I was delighted to be interviewed a few months ago about my latest book, Writing with Pleasure, by New Books Network host Daniel Shea, whose Scholarly Communication podcast is a must-listen for academic writers who care about how they communicate their research to the world. In our wide-ranging conversation, Daniel and I agreed that achieving pleasure in your writing life can be “difficult-but-good.” Perhaps our discussion about opposite realities and play will inspire you to rekindle childhood pleasures in your own writing practice?
Do you have writing-related news, events, or resources to share? Contact me with a brief description (50 words max), a hyperlink, and a high-quality image.
Spread the joy! Please encourage your friends, colleagues, and students to join me in the WriteSPACE, a vibrant, low-cost writing community with members in 30+ countries. As a WriteSPACE member, you’ll enjoy free access to Helen’s Word and other premium resources including live workshops, exclusive videos, and weekly prompts.
Kia pai tō koutou rā (have a great day) – and keep on writing!
Helen