Savor the Moment
Join us for 30 delicious days of #AcWriMoments
Dear fellow writer,
Do I really have what it takes to be a writer? What’s even the point of trying to create scholarship in this messed-up world? What difference could my writing possibly make for me or the people I care about?
If any of these questions trouble you when you’re trying to write, you’re in good company. We all struggle sometimes with questions of purpose, identity, and motivation in our work.
When you ask yourself gentler, more expansive questions, you can transform your experience of the writing process and feel empowered to create work that is truly your own:
Who am I, and why am I here? What unique perspectives, experiences, and constellations of values define who I am as a writer? How might I use my writing practice to expand my capacity for pleasure and joy ?
Which brings me to #AcWriMoments, a 30-day sequence of writing prompts co-curated with my friend and colleague Margy Thomas, founder of ScholarShape.
Once upon a time, #AcWriMo (Academic Writing Month) was all about word counts, timers, and quantitative assessment of your writing progress. The participation rules included imperatives such as “You have to work really hard and not get distracted” and “At the end you must publicly declare your results on the spreadsheet or on social media.”
Margy and I have created #AcWriMoments as an alternative to that kind of productivity-pumping challenge. Each day throughout the month of November 2023 (aka “Slowvember”), you’ll receive a fresh writing prompt ushering you into a sacred moment of communion with yourself and your scholarly work. Best of all, it’s free!
These 30 beautiful prompts have been created by a fabulous group of contributors — writing coaches, editors, consultants, and scholars — whose approaches to writing honor the connection between your intellect and the whole human being that you are:
alys longley, Helen Kara, Helen Sword, Hussain Shah Rezaie, Inger Mewburn, Jane Jones, Jane Rosenzweig, Jillian Hess, Jim Lang, Jo Van Every, Katie Linder, Laura Portwood-Stacer, Leslie Wang, Margy Thomas, Marialuisa Aliotta, Martha B. Coven, Michael W. Moses II, Michelle Boyd, Patricia Goodson, Steven Pinker, Selina Tusitala Marsh, Sophie Nicholls.
In just a few minutes of reflection each day, you can discover new energy, insights, and encouragement for your scholarly work. Please share this email with your friends and encourage them to sign up too.
We’d love to see you there!
Coming soon
Go with the flow
If you’re looking for new ways to find inspiration and flow as a writer, consider pairing #AcWriMoments with the Productivity Catalyst, which runs for 6-weeks Nov 4 - Dec 13, 2023. Don’t be fooled by the productivity-pumping name of this friendly, nurturing course! If words like productivity and catalyst stress you out, think of it as A Window into Time, Space, & Flow instead. Join me and fellow writers from around the globe as we explore six core components of a fulfilling writing practice — time, space, flow, craft, community, and joy — via a carefully crafted sequence of workshops, experiments, and prompts, including free access to my weekly Live Writing Studio. Are you ready to infuse your writing practice with energy born of pleasure, not stress? Click the link below to discover more and enroll.
On the website
Live Writing Studio — Productivity Sequence
Are you interested in joining a friendly, supportive writing community but not ready to commit to the Productivity Catalyst? With a Studio Sequence pass, you’ll get access to twelve Live Writing Studio sessions over six weeks (Nov 6 - Dec 13) so you can nurture your writing practice throughout November and beyond. Check our Guest Calendar for the times and dates of the live sessions each week, with options to suit every time zone.
Productivity Catalyst participants attend this 6-week sequence for free, and WriteSPACE Studio members get an all-access pass to more than 50 Live Writing Studio sessions per year as part of their membership plan. (WriteSPACE members can upgrade to the Studio here).
In the WriteSPACE
Weekly Wayfinder for October 23-29
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: Zombie Nouns on TED-Ed
This week’s timer: Unripe Pear
This week’s challenge: Re-animate your zombies
Not a member? Sign up for a free 30-day trial and check out all our great writing resources for yourself.
Other writing news
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