Online ‘1+1’ model: Writing Workshop + Writing Retreat with Prof. Rowena Murray

Date/Time
Date(s) - 15/06/2021 - 16/06/2021 All Day

Audience:

1-day Writing Workshop

This workshop covers strategies for academic writing: writing to prompts, types of prompt for academic writing, ‘snack’ writing, goal-setting for writing, freewriting, generative writing, analysing academic writing, criteria, drafting and revising an abstract or summary, constructing a ‘contribution’ argument, using prompts in series, outlining, writing groups, micro-groups and retreats. Many of these can be used in preparing for a concentrated spell of writing at a writing retreat.

This is a practical workshop. The aim of the writing activities in this workshop is to let you try these strategies and consider how/if/where they can fit in your writing practice. We also discuss how they can be used for writing theses, articles and other writing. They also let you start/work on your writing project during the workshop.

For more details on these writing strategies and others, see
Murray, R. (2019) Writing for Academic Journals, 4th edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press-McGraw-Hill.
Murray, R. (2017) How to Write a Thesis, 4th edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press-McGraw-Hill.

1-day Writing Retreat 

Aims
To provide dedicated writing time and develop productive writing practices.

Format
This structured retreat uses the ‘typing pool’ model. We all write at the same time, for fixed time slots, using goal-setting and peer and self-monitoring for our individual writing projects. Because we all write together, we can discuss our goals at the start and end of the day (10-15 minutes). Almost all the retreat time is writing time.

Learning objectives

  1. Understand the Structured Writing Retreat model.
  2. Structure a writing day.
  3. Maintain well-being during intensive periods of writing.

Preparing for this writing retreat
Choose a writing project to work on – article, chapter, grant etc.
Read and research your target journal/publisher/funder/criteria and your topic.

Pre-retreat reading
Murray, R. and Newton, M. (2009) Writing retreat for academics: margin or mainstream?, Higher Education Research and Development, 28(5): 541-53.
Previous participants’ video testimonials at anchorage-education.co.uk.

Facilitator
Rowena Murray will facilitate and suggest strategies for making this approach work, e.g. getting started, outlining, keeping going and specific input on academic writing.