Flourish: Creating a Sustainable Writing Practice

Course Dates: February 3 - April 11

In the summer of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, my colleague Adrien and I found ourselves in a heartfelt conversation about how deeply our PhD students were struggling. The isolation, the loss of structure, and the relentless stress of living through a global crisis were taking a profound toll on their ability to focus and make progress on their writing.

Truthfully, we were struggling too.

In response, Adrien and I decided to create a weekly writing group—a lifeline, really—for all of us to navigate this challenging time together. Our goal was simple: to offer a space of connection, support, and structure. While we leaned on the NCFDD's dissertation curriculum for guidance, it quickly became clear that the group’s true magic lay in the community we built and our focus on helping each person tailor their writing practice to their unique needs.

Week by week, we witnessed the power of simply showing up—together. Our students began breaking through barriers, realigning their priorities, and rediscovering momentum in their work. What we created didn’t just help them write; it transformed their experience of writing.

That transformation stuck with me.

Since then, I’ve dreamed of building something even more expansive to support early career scholars—PhD students, postdocs, assistant professors, etc.—in cultivating sustainable writing practices. Not just as a survival tool in moments of crisis, but as a foundation for thriving throughout the long, winding journey of an academic career.

I believe professional development in graduate school should focus more explicitly on writing, project management, navigating the complexities of academia, and addressing the emotional weight that comes with it all. Too often, scholars are left to figure these things out alone, stepping into full-time positions without the tools to juggle research, teaching, and service—let alone build a life outside their work.

While I’ll never downplay the real structural challenges that shape our heavy workloads, I truly believe there are ways to resist their effects and reclaim a sense of agency in how we work.

And so, today, I am absolutely thrilled to share the course I’ve been quietly building for years—a project rooted in that vision and driven by the belief that you deserve to flourish, not just survive, in academia.

This 10-week course, running from February 3 to April 11, is designed for busy scholars who want to make meaningful progress on a major writing project—whether that’s a journal article, dissertation chapter, or book chapter—while learning to balance the many competing demands of work and life.

But this isn’t about forcing yourself into rigid schedules or embracing one-size-fits-all solutions.

Instead, Flourish is about discovering what works for you—strategies that honor your unique circumstances and align your writing practice with your values and priorities.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re spinning your wheels with your writing or like the academy’s priorities clash with your own, this course is for you. Flourish isn’t just about getting words on the page; it’s about creating a sustainable writing life that supports you—not only now, but for the long haul.

Ready to learn more? Visit my website for all the details. Together, let’s reimagine what academic writing can be—shifting from publish or perish to publish and flourish!

Ps. Oh, and there’s also an early bird discount!