Academic Writing Amplified 72: The Radical Act of Womxn Writing Together
The solitary nature of writing can perpetuate the image of the “typical” professor, a lone (male) figure, doing it all alone. But writing together, as womxn, is a radical act!
The image of a typical professor is usually as a lone (male) intellectual, head down, wrestling the big ideas of academia all on his own. And academia perpetuates this vision. We are socialized to be toxically self-reliant. Not a lot of value is placed on asking for help, sharing your wisdom with a community, or making sure the voices of others are heard. There’s an unspoken implication that if you aren’t “smart enough” to figure it out on your own, maybe you shouldn’t be here.
Writing itself can encourage the ‘lone wolf’ academic ideal. After all, it’s your brain, your ideas, and the blank page. Even if you’re co-writing a piece, it’s usually a back and forth kind of collaboration, not an in-person activity. And sometimes all this solitariness can make it difficult to keep dates you set with your writing. So my team and I decided to try an experiment last Spring, and not only has it been a huge success, but it’s clarified to me that writing together in community as womxn academics is a radical act.
Writing Together is a Radical ActWriting together is a radical idea. Womxn writing together is an even more radical idea, because that act of solidarity, of lifting each other up, of standing together and getting your voice heard in an academic culture that has traditionally devalued you, is powerful. And sharing space with others who are working toward their writing goals multiplies the energy, focus, and investment of everyone involved.
Our experiment progressed from one scheduled Zoom co-writing time per day to 6 scheduled time slots per day and an always-open room where participants can meet at any time that works for them. Members wanted more connection with their fellow co-writers, so we added Mindset Monday calls, where we give prompts for small groups to discuss to help propel them into their weeks. We call the program Momentum, and we want you to experience it for yourself!
Join Us in Momentum!Jump into Momentum , pick your 1 or 2 co-writing sessions, and start experiencing the solidarity and community of many womxn writing together at the same time. It’s $27/month to join, and you can cancel anytime. Click here to learn more and come join us!
Connect with me:Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak
This episode was first published at cathymazak.com/episode72.