Academic Writing Amplified

I am excited to kick off the brand-new Mid-Career Podcast Series, where I dive into the realities of academic life after tenure.  Mid-career is the longest stretch of the academic journey, often 15 to 20 years, and while it brings stability and experience, it can also feel like uncharted territory. Many academics discover that the freedoms they imagined post-promotion are replaced with heavier workloads, shifting priorities, and the lingering question of what’s next. In this first episode, I lay the groundwork for what mid-career really looks like and why it matters. I’ll talk about the gap between expectation and reality, the identity shifts that happen when the tenure track drive fades, and the surprising ways burnout shows up even after achieving major milestones.  Most importantly, I’ll introduce how to think about mid-career not as a plateau, but as a phase filled with opportunities to realign, reset, and build skills that sustain your academic life for the long haul. Tune in to start reframing mid-career on your own terms and hear sneak peeks of the insights and stories I will share throughout this series.   For full show notes visit scholarsvoice.org/podcast.   We're receiving applications for our next cohort of Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap®. Check out the program details and start your application process here.   CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION: Our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program helps tenure-track womxn and nonbinary professors to publish their backlog of papers so that their voice can have the impact they know is possible. Apply here! Cathy’s book, Making Time to Write: How to Resist the Patriarchy and Take Control of Your Academic Career Through Writing is available in print! Learn how to build your career around your writing practice while shattering the myths of writing every day, accountability, and motivation, doing mindset work that’s going to reshape your writing,and changing academic culture one womxn and nonbinary professor at a time. Get your print copy today or order it for a friend here! If you would like to hear more from Cathy for free, please subscribe to the weekly newsletter, In the Pipeline, at scholarsvoice.org. It’s a newsletter that she personally writes that goes out once a week with writing and publication tips, strategies, inspiration, book reviews and more.   CONNECT WITH ME:  LinkedIn Facebook YouTube  

What should take priority in your academic career right now: rewriting grant proposals or getting your papers published? In this episode, I offer a hot take that might make you pause—and rethink – how you’re spending your precious writing time. Grants are, of course, essential for research. They fund our projects, sustain our labs, and provide the indirect costs universities depend on. But in today’s climate—especially with the instability of many federal grant programs—pouring endless hours into resubmitting proposals may not be the most strategic move. At the same time, your publications are what amplify your scholarly voice, shape your reputation in the field, and ultimately strengthen your future grant applications. That tension between funding and publishing is one every scholar deals with. But what if, for this season, the smarter choice is to lean into writing papers rather than rewriting rejected grants?  Tune in to learn why that pivot matters, how to balance the relationship between grants and publications, and why prioritizing papers right now may be the best investment in your academic career. For full show notes visit scholarsvoice.org/podcast.   We're receiving applications for our next cohort of Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap®. Check out the program details and start your application process here.   CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION: Our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program helps tenure-track womxn and nonbinary professors to publish their backlog of papers so that their voice can have the impact they know is possible. Apply here! Cathy’s book, Making Time to Write: How to Resist the Patriarchy and Take Control of Your Academic Career Through Writing is available in print! Learn how to build your career around your writing practice while shattering the myths of writing every day, accountability, and motivation, doing mindset work that’s going to reshape your writing,and changing academic culture one womxn and nonbinary professor at a time. Get your print copy today or order it for a friend here! If you would like to hear more from Cathy for free, please subscribe to the weekly newsletter, In the Pipeline, at scholarsvoice.org. It’s a newsletter that she personally writes that goes out once a week with writing and publication tips, strategies, inspiration, book reviews and more.   CONNECT WITH ME:  LinkedIn Facebook YouTube  

Have you ever sat down to write and felt completely stuck, frustrated, or drained—wondering why it feels so much harder than any other part of your academic work? In this episode, I dive into the reality that writing is hard because it’s meant to be. The intellectual work of interpreting data, structuring arguments, and expressing your ideas clearly is inherently challenging. I explore why the very things that make writing feel difficult are exactly what make it meaningful, impactful, and essential to your scholarly growth. Listen in to reframe your relationship with writing, honor the difficulty of the process, and embrace the hard work as a sign you’re doing it right.   For full show notes visit scholarsvoice.org/podcast.   We're receiving applications for our next cohort of Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap®. Check out the program details and start your application process here.   CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION: Our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program helps tenure-track womxn and nonbinary professors to publish their backlog of papers so that their voice can have the impact they know is possible. Apply here! Cathy’s book, Making Time to Write: How to Resist the Patriarchy and Take Control of Your Academic Career Through Writing is available in print! Learn how to build your career around your writing practice while shattering the myths of writing every day, accountability, and motivation, doing mindset work that’s going to reshape your writing,and changing academic culture one womxn and nonbinary professor at a time. Get your print copy today or order it for a friend here! If you would like to hear more from Cathy for free, please subscribe to the weekly newsletter, In the Pipeline, at scholarsvoice.org. It’s a newsletter that she personally writes that goes out once a week with writing and publication tips, strategies, inspiration, book reviews and more.   CONNECT WITH ME:  LinkedIn Facebook YouTube

Have you ever found yourself buried under the weight of the very success you worked so hard to achieve?  Winning a giant grant or getting the opportunity to head your own research center are amazing accomplishments. With success comes new responsibilities that demand unique skillsets – good problems to have, but ones you need to manage to avoid burnout and overwhelm.  Today, I am offering a sneak peek from the Scholar’s Voice® Alumni Podcast, an exclusive feed available only to academics who have taken Navigate 12-week program, Elevate, Amplify, or Leading Now. In this episode, I share a coaching story about a client whose incredible research accomplishments left her managing multiple large projects without the systems or support to handle them. Together, we’ll explore what happens when achievement outpaces infrastructure, and why the skills that get you to the next level aren’t always the ones that help you thrive there.  Listen in to learn how to stop suffering from your own success so you can lead with more clarity, confidence, and sustainability. For full show notes visit scholarsvoice.org/podcast.   We're receiving applications for our next cohort of Leading Now. Check out the program details and start your application process here.   CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION: Our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program helps tenure-track womxn and nonbinary professors to publish their backlog of papers so that their voice can have the impact they know is possible. Apply here! Cathy’s book, Making Time to Write: How to Resist the Patriarchy and Take Control of Your Academic Career Through Writing is available in print! Learn how to build your career around your writing practice while shattering the myths of writing every day, accountability, and motivation, doing mindset work that’s going to reshape your writing,and changing academic culture one womxn and nonbinary professor at a time. Get your print copy today or order it for a friend here! If you would like to hear more from Cathy for free, please subscribe to the weekly newsletter, In the Pipeline, at scholarsvoice.org. It’s a newsletter that she personally writes that goes out once a week with writing and publication tips, strategies, inspiration, book reviews and more.   CONNECT WITH ME:  LinkedIn Facebook YouTube

What happens when the most challenging part of leadership isn’t the work, but the weight of emotions you’re expected to carry? In this episode, I dive into the hidden emotional labor of leadership, sharing stories from my own life—both at home and in professional settings—to explore how leaders, especially women, navigate the delicate balance of awareness, empathy, and action.  I reflect on moments when stress and frustration threatened to derail me, and I show how cultivating self-coaching and grounding practices can help turn emotional turmoil into clarity and calm.  If you’ve ever felt the weight of others’ emotions in your work or questioned how to stay centered while guiding a team, this episode offers both validation and practical insight into leading with presence, perspective, and poise. For full show notes visit scholarsvoice.org/podcast.   We're receiving applications for our next cohort of Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap®. Check out the program details and start your application process here.   CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION: Our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program helps tenure-track womxn and nonbinary professors to publish their backlog of papers so that their voice can have the impact they know is possible. Apply here! Cathy’s book, Making Time to Write: How to Resist the Patriarchy and Take Control of Your Academic Career Through Writing is available in print! Learn how to build your career around your writing practice while shattering the myths of writing every day, accountability, and motivation, doing mindset work that’s going to reshape your writing,and changing academic culture one womxn and nonbinary professor at a time. Get your print copy today or order it for a friend here! If you would like to hear more from Cathy for free, please subscribe to the weekly newsletter, In the Pipeline, at scholarsvoice.org. It’s a newsletter that she personally writes that goes out once a week with writing and publication tips, strategies, inspiration, book reviews and more.   CONNECT WITH ME:  LinkedIn Facebook YouTube

In this lively discussion, Dr. Anna Clemens, an online writing coach dedicated to helping scientists publish their work, shares valuable insights about transforming writing from a source of anxiety into a pleasurable experience. They tackle the importance of creating intentional writing seasons to align productivity with academic rhythms, and explore practical strategies for nurturing a positive writing habit while juggling personal responsibilities. Tune in for fresh perspectives on reclaiming your passion for writing and enhancing your scholarly career!

Dr. Abby Hogan, an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina, focuses on understanding anxiety in autistic children. In this discussion, she reveals how aligning her writing practice with her energy patterns has transformed her well-being and scholarship. Abby opens up about overcoming perfectionism and the emotional hurdles of publishing, sharing insights from her experience in the Navigate program. Her reflections encourage listeners to approach writing with intention, clarity, and self-compassion.

Dr. Janet McCabe, an associate professor at Ontario Tech University, bravely discusses her struggles with time management amidst personal and professional challenges. She candidly shares her initial fears about committing to academic writing and how she overcame burnout through structured approaches. Janet emphasizes the importance of mission statements in guiding decision-making, offering inspiration for balancing writing with other responsibilities. Her journey highlights that meaningful writing requires attention and a willingness to embrace the process, even in busy times.

Discover how to expand your writing and publishing capacity without burning out. The discussion highlights the transformative power of capacity building through personal anecdotes of balancing parenting and a farm business. Learn to challenge the myth that you need to wait for the perfect moment to grow your career. Shift your mindset to embrace growth now, and explore practical strategies to achieve your goals. Get inspired to take the leap and push forward with your creative pursuits!

Is the next academic year a writing season for you? A mentoring season? An administrative season? Too often, scholars fall into the trap of trying to do everything at once—writing, grant-getting, mentoring, teaching, program-building—on full blast. But sustainable success comes from focused seasons, not constant hustle. In this episode, I introduce the concept of “academic seasonality” and walk you through how to select your next season with purpose. Whether you're heading into a writing-intensive fall, supporting graduate students, or bracing for a new admin role, this mindset shift will help you take control of your academic path without burning out. If you’re ready to move into your next academic season with clarity and intention, this episode is for you. Tune in now to reframe how you approach your year and discover a more sustainable way to thrive in your academic career. For full show notes visit scholarsvoice.org/podcast. We’ve opened the waitlist for our next cohort of Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap®. Check out the program details and get on the waitlist here. CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION: Our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program helps tenure-track womxn and nonbinary professors to publish their backlog of papers so that their voice can have the impact they know is possible. Get on the waitlist here! Cathy’s book, Making Time to Write: How to Resist the Patriarchy and Take Control of Your Academic Career Through Writing is available in print! Learn how to build your career around your writing practice while shattering the myths of writing every day, accountability, and motivation, doing mindset work that’s going to reshape your writing,and changing academic culture one womxn and nonbinary professor at a time. Get your print copy today or order it for a friend here! If you would like to hear more from Cathy for free, please subscribe to the weekly newsletter, In the Pipeline, at scholarsvoice.org. It’s a newsletter that she personally writes that goes out once a week with writing and publication tips, strategies, inspiration, book reviews and more. CONNECT WITH ME:  LinkedIn Facebook YouTube