November is Academic Writing Month (#AcWriMo), an academic write-a-thon that happens every year, inspired by NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) but catering to the specific needs of academic writers. It’s hosted by PhD2Published, as an online space where the global academic community can pledge their writing projects, record progress, and share thousands of writing tips via the #AcWriMo hashtag on Twitter.
WriteFest (#AcWriFest18) is our local University of Bristol contribution, and will bring together people from across the university to recognise and celebrate writing. Drawing on the format of the very popular academic writing retreats, WriteFest 2018 has some added workshops, a guide to crafting your own ideal writing soundtrack, a creative writing element, and lots of curated articles about academic writing. We encourage all academics, research staff, and research students to join us and write.
WriteFest started at Sheffield University. This year, there are 11 partner universities contributing to the festival! Exeter, Bristol, Manchester, Kings College London, Keele, Sheffield Hallam, Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Derby, and Adelaide!
This blog will be posting information and articles throughout the month to support you with writing. In addition, we have organised the following workshops, retreats and writing days which are free to attend. To sign up, or see further information, please follow the links.
There is also a WriteFest blog from the Bristol Doctoral College, which will be carrying material specifically for Postgraduate Students.
Note: Those links in grey are organised for WriteFest by the Bristol Doctoral College and are available only to Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs).
Week 1
- Welcome to WriteFest – (in which we explain what we’ll be offering on the blog throughout the month).
- Writing Day in conjunction with the BDC Writers’ Retreat– 1st November
Week 2
- Writers’ Retreat – 5th November, 9:00 to 17:00.
- Thesis Bootcamp – 6th, 7th, 8th November
- Writing Day – 9th November
Week 3
- Quality Papers – 12th November
- Writing Day – 15th November
- Planning and Writing your thesis – 16th November
Week 4
- Regular Productive Academic Writing – 19th November
- How to Peer review research manuscripts for journals – 20th November
- Writing Day – 23rd November
Week 5
- Writing Day – 27th November
Writing Days
Writing days are just that – days for writing! We don’t structure the day like we do for a full writers’ retreat, and so we don’t ask you to stay all day, or sign up. Just come, settle in to an available desk, and write. We provide space in a quiet, well-lit environment and a nearby kitchen for you to use for refreshments. All we ask is that you respect others by working quietly and keeping movement to a minimum. Writing days are open to both Research Staff and Postgraduate researchers and run in the PGR Hub, in Senate House. Writing rooms will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.