Matters of Writing: How to Make the Text Write Itself

The aim of the workshop »Matters of Writing: How to Make the Text Write Itself«, was to share techniques and tools to overcome the obstacles that occur in academic writing, and in particular that of the dissertation. More importantly, I suggested a heuristic posture in which the scholarly practice is experienced as a process of continuous and possibly playful experimentation on one’s own writing habits and with various materials, produced or collected.

Writing was presented as the activation of materials, through both a mental and physical process, requiring appropriate conditions and conducive environments.

There is now a considerable literature on procrastination and blocking for academic writers (1). This research shows that the introduction of effective work routines, counteracting blocking conditions, requires the fragmentation of working time, as well as the implementation of practices aimed at overcoming negative thoughts and loneliness. Hence, the days of the workshop were structured into sequences of short sessions: writing group exercises, moments dedicated to individual projects, activation and relaxation sessions for the body and the mind. The major challenge was to shift the mindset of aspiring scholars from a results-centered approach to one that focuses on the writing process itself. In addition, we borrowed tools and methods from fiction writers to trigger and enrich text production though the use of writing prompts (2). Master classes will be offered by guests as part of the program of the workshop series.

By providing an alternative framework in opposition with the dominant hylomorphic paradigm (3), this workshop allowed early-career-stage researchers to initiate an investigation into the journey of text making, and toward a sustainable balance that contributes to a good quality of life and a high quality of writing. As a follow-up, »Shut Up and Write« sessions as well as thematic trainings will be offered within the Cluster.

Fore more Information please contact Maxime Le Calvé

(1) See in particular Robert Boice, Procrastination and Blocking: A Novel, Practical Approach (Praeger, 1996); Paul J. Silvia, How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing, 1st ed. (Washington, DC: Amer Psychological Assn, 2007); Peg Boyle Single, Demystifying Dissertation Writing: A Streamlined Process from Choice of Topic to Final Text (Sterling, Va: Stylus Pub Llc, 2009).

(2) We relied on Kirin Narayan, Alive in the Writing: Crafting Ethnography in the Company of Chekhov (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2012).

(3) For an introduction to the hylomorphic problem, read Tim Ingold, Making: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art and Architecture (London & New York: Routledge, 2013), chap. 2.