Writing and Risktaking
A WriteSPACE Special Event
Dear fellow writer,
All writing is risky. Not necessarily life-and-death risky (although plenty of writers do face prison, or worse, for their words). More like “Will I get in trouble for this?” risky. Will my article get rejected by the peer reviewers if I open with a catchy title or amusing anecdote? Will my PhD supervisor chastise me for using first-person pronouns? Will the style police haul me off in handcuffs because I’ve left the hyphen out of risktaking? (Don’t worry — if they do, I’ve got my Chicago Manual of Style-backed defense ready!)
Writing and Risktaking is the title and topic of my next WriteSPACE Special Event, which runs from 9-11 am CEST (Central European Summer Time) on Tuesday October 17. Join me for a lively conversation with criminologist David R. Goyes, a senior researcher at the University of Oslo and the author of scholarly books and articles that deliberately incorporate "risky" stylistic elements such as storytelling, dialogue, personal narrative, poetry, and melodrama.
In the first hour of this free WriteSPACE Special Event, David and I will discuss the benefits and (of course!) the risks of defying disciplinary conventions to produce bold, engaging academic prose. David will share his perspectives on taking risks of all sizes, and he’ll recount some examples of pushback and (mostly) praise from co-authors, editors, and readers.
In the second hour, we’ll co-facilitate a hands-on discussion and workshop for WriteSPACE members, guiding participants through some risky writing experiments of their own.
The first hour is FREE to all who register; the workshop in the second hour is for WriteSPACE members only. (Not a member? Sign up today for a free 30-day trial!) You’ll receive the Zoom link a few hours before the session begins. A video of the first hour will be made available to all registered participants, and the full 2-hour video will be archived in the WriteSPACE Library.
I’d love to see you there!
In the WriteSPACE
Weekly Wayfinder for October 9-15
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: Live Writing Studio
This week’s timer: Cheeky Monkey
This week’s challenge: Share your work
Not a member? Sign up for a free 30-day trial and check out all our great writing resources for yourself.
On the website
Teaching with Pleasure
Are you a teacher who wants to help your students bring more pleasure and joy to their writing lives? Or perhaps your faculty writing group is looking for an uplifting scholarly book to read together? Check out my new pdf teaching resource on Writing with Pleasure, which is chock-full of workshop and discussion suggestions based on my latest book. These prompts are perfect for campus-based academic writing programs, courses, workshops, and writing groups of any kind. You can find the pdf resource on my Writing with Pleasure webpage (located under “Teaching Resources”), or click the button below to download it directly from my website. If you do use this free resource, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Coming soon
The Productivity Catalyst is coming to take away your stress!
Why swim against the tide when you could be finding your flow? Take a deep dive into your writing habits with the Productivity Catalyst, a six-week online course that runs from Nov 4 - Dec 13, 2023. Designed for academic and professional writers who want to write not just faster but smarter, this course will show you how to get your writing done more efficiently while remaining sane and serene. Join me and fellow writers from around the globe to explore six core elements of productive writing — time, space, flow, craft, community, and joy — and learn strategies for integrating them into your daily writing routines and projects. A lively online discussion forum, and twice-weekly Live Writing Studio sessions will help keep you on track; and you can return to the course materials any time, even after the six weeks end. WriteSPACE members get a 10% discount, and WS Studio members save a whopping 20% — so why wait? Sign up for the Productivity Catalyst today!
SPECIAL OFFER: Polish up your prose, then push it out the door! Participants in my upcoming Stylish Writing Intensive (Oct 19-22) can attend the Productivity Catalyst for free. Simply sign up for the SWI at the regular price (WS Studio annual members and retreat alumni get a 10% discount), and we’ll automatically enroll you in the Catalyst.
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