In this episode, I’m talking about something that comes up all the time in my work with scholarly writers: the guilt that you’re not the “right” kind of academic writer. Maybe you don’t write every day, or maybe you only feel productive under deadline pressure. Whatever the case, you’ve internalized the idea that you’re doing it wrong.
But here’s what I want you to know: you only need to change your writing habits if they aren’t working for you. If your process moves your work forward without depleting you, there’s nothing to feel guilty about.
To help you get clarity, I walk you through four writing archetypes I see among successful academic writers: the Daily Devotee, the Summer Scholar, the Deadline Daredevil, and the Project Juggler. These aren’t prescriptive categories—they’re possibilities to help you reflect on what fits your real life, job demands, and energy levels. I also offer a reality check about how our writing identities sometimes need to evolve.
If you’ve been trying to force yourself into a method that doesn’t work for you, this episode is your permission slip to let that go.
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