Academic Writing Amplified

Are you a pre-tenure or early career academic? What should you do to maximize this time in your career without fear? I'm walking you through my Amplify framework for going up for tenure with confidence. If you are listening in real time and applied for our Amplify program but haven't secured your spot, time is almost up! Tomorrow is the last day to secure your spot, so don't miss out on the only time we will be running Amplify in 2021. For those who haven't yet applied, there are still a couple spaces left, so you can still apply and get in by the deadline. Whether you've applied or not, I want to share the framework we use in Amplify, to help you think about what you need to have in place to have the career you want moving forward in your tenure process. For those who have already applied, you can secure your spot here. Before we jump in, why did I decide to name this program "Amplify"? As a member of a bilingual family and a language academic, the significance is twofold. In English, Amplify means to make louder, or bigger. In Spanish, the cognate 'Amplio' evokes a sense of comfort and spaciousness. We want to help you expand your impact, and create your career path from a place of comfort and ease. That's what we do in Amplify! Here is our diagram for the structure of Amplify Clarify Getting clear on who you are as an academic, where you want your career to go and how you want to make an impact has to come first. (We'll be presenting on this part of the program at our virtual kick-off retreat on 9/10/21, and we can't wait!) 1. Design Your Career "There's a big difference between surviving in your career and thriving in it, and that difference is design." -Cathy Mazak How do you want your career and life to feel? We'll help you create a milestone map of what is important to you as you design your career. 2. Power Up Your Pipeline We'll help you create a pipeline strategy that helps you tell your unique story as a scholar. You'll learn how to take control of your pipeline and use it to maintain boundaries and stick to your priorities. You'll always know what to work on next and where each project is in the process through strategic pipeline management. 3. Set Your Career's Foundation You need a plan for your pre-tenure experience. It's not just about what you want to accomplish, but also about how you want your career to feel. The time to set foundational expectations for your career is now. We'll help you create a pre-tenure action plan and write your career narrative. Demystify Part of the problem in academia is that there is this mysterious, secretive feeling about how things work and how things get done. It's perpetuated by the (false) lone wolf academic ideal. It does not have to be that way! 1. Resilient Writing We share the processes for dealing with the ebb and flow of a writing practice, how to deal with expected and unexpected disruptions to your writing, the role of rest and how to get back to writing after a break. Create your own resilient writing plan that fits your life. 2. Manage Yourself Uplevel your time management and planning skills to get the most out of your time without overwork or burnout. The critical piece of this part of the curriculum is this: know yourself. We'll help you get to know what works for you, trust your inner voice, and leverage the rest/restore cycle. 3. Manage Others Professional relationships that are positive and empowering are an important part of an impactful career. We'll teach you how to relate to others, from people 'above' you to colleagues to students, while maintaining boundaries and moving your own career forward. Multiply Multiply your effectiveness and impact on the world through your career. We'll give you the tools and help you create the practices you need to accomplish it. 1. Develop Self-Trust This just might be the most important principal in the program. Once you get to know yourself as a scholar, you must practice trusting yourself. As womxn, we've been socialized not to trust ourselves, but the good news is: this skill is learnable. We'll help you practice listening to your inner mentor, and give you a safe space to take risks. 2. Lead For Change It's time to let your values lead your career. We help you weigh when to take risks and when to conserve your energy, and navigate the different spaces you might occupy as you balance a drive for change with your personal boundaries. You'll develop your individual values statement to help guide your career. 3. Create Practices Lastly, we'll help you create personalized practices that will maintain your progress and set you up for continued success on your terms. We want to see you launch into the career you've designed, equipped with everything you need to continue to develop and adapt to your changing world. If you haven't applied for Amplify, there's still time if you act fast. Spots for the 2021 cycle must be secured with a deposit by midnight on 8/25/21. A waiting list for the 2022 program will likely open in October. Click here to learn secure your spot (if you have already applied) Click here to apply today Is your writing project languishing, mired in the messy middle, or stuck on revise and resubmit? Grab my Writing Sprint Blueprint, a powerful productivity tool to help stalled out publications get out of your pipeline and into the world. As a bonus, you'll also gain access to my private podcast feed "Stick to the Plan", a 10 episode series of short, inspirational messages to keep you going. Click here to get the Writing Sprint Blueprint and "Stick to the Plan" podcast series for just $27! Connect with me: Facebook Group Facebook Page Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak

Is it possible to have a weekly schedule that prevents overwork and burnout in academia? How can you create a weekly schedule that works for you? This episode will walk you through a practical exercise to create your ideal week. We're on a short break from publishing new episodes, so today's episode is a replay of one of our most popular past episodes. It's all about creating a weekly schedule that steers clear of overwork and puts everything in its place. I hope you enjoy this replay episode, and we'll be back with brand new episodes in September. For the full show notes of this episode, originally published as episode 4, you can go to https://www.cathymazak.com/episode4. Is your writing project languishing, mired in the messy middle, or stuck on revise and resubmit? Grab my Writing Sprint Blueprint, a powerful productivity tool to help stalled out publications get out of your pipeline and into the world. As a bonus, you'll also gain access to my private podcast feed "Stick to the Plan", a 10 episode series of short, inspirational messages to keep you going. Click here to get the Writing Sprint Blueprint and "Stick to the Plan" podcast series for just $27! Connect with me: Website Facebook Group Facebook Page Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak

How can you successfully ask for and get what you want in academia, particularly when it comes to professional development funding? This episode will provide practical tips and ideas for securing the funding you need. We're on a short break from publishing new episodes, so today's episode is a replay of one of our most popular past episodes. It's all about asking for and getting what you want, particularly around professional development funding. I hope you enjoy this replay episode, and we'll be back with brand new episodes in September. For the full show notes of this episode, originally published as episode 7, you can go to https://www.cathymazak.com/episode7. Is your writing project languishing, mired in the messy middle, or stuck on revise and resubmit? Grab my Writing Sprint Blueprint, a powerful productivity tool to help stalled out publications get out of your pipeline and into the world. As a bonus, you'll also gain access to my private podcast feed "Stick to the Plan", a 10 episode series of short, inspirational messages to keep you going. Click here to get the Writing Sprint Blueprint and "Stick to the Plan" podcast series for just $27! Connect with me: Website Facebook Group Facebook Page Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak

Why is investing in ourselves as academic womxn a radical act? And what should you do if your institution doesn't want to invest in you? Making your career what you want it to be is up to you. There's a lot of talk these days about self-care, but what does this mean for us as academics? How do we make sure we are getting where we want to go in our careers, and valuing our own contributions to the world? In order to grow and develop as scholars, we must invest in ourselves. As womxn, this is a radical act, and one I hope you'll make for yourself. Self-Care = Self-Preservation The term 'self-care' has been co-opted a little bit...people often think of things like bubble baths when they think of self-care. But what I'm talking about here is really self-preservation. What do you need to do to be able to live the life you want? As a writer, I know I need to exercise and keep my back strong or I won't be able to physically sit in the chair and get writing done. As a scholar, I know I need to keep growing and developing best practices for getting my message into the world. That means investing in myself. "What are the actions you have to take...to make sure that you can keep doing what you want to be doing in your life?" -Cathy Mazak Why is it Radical? We've talked about radical acts in previous episodes, because many things we do as academic womxn operating in a patriarchal system that was not built for us are radical! The patriarchy tells us that womxn should defer to the needs and comfort of others, that our only real contribution to the world is through caring for others. Not true! Investing in yourself, doing what you need to do to preserve yourself and the academic life you want, and growing and developing as a scholar is a radical and much needed act. You Can't Can Take It With You Your institution (the "container" through which you do your scholarly work) helps you get your work out into the world, but your career is about your work and your contribution. When your institution refuses to pay for professional development, it can be infuriating, frustrating, deflating...especially if you're over-working and give them all of those precious extra hours of your life. You may have (understandably) developed an attitude of "I just won't do anything they don't pay for". But don't forget! Your career belongs to you. Your personal and professional development belong to you. And just like with publications, learning, growth and connections you make enrich your career and come with you wherever you go. Professional development programs like my Amplify program can even teach you how to cut down overwork and create a regular workweek, which means you are essentially giving yourself a raise. You and your career are worth it! Taking the Next Steps 1. Advocate for yourself! Ask your institution to cover expenses for your professional development and tell them why making you a better and happier scholar benefits them. 2. If they refuse, remember that you can take it with you! Consider the pay off of investing in yourself, in terms of happiness, in terms of contribution to your field, in terms of pay. You are worth it! 3. Consider applying for Amplify: Faculty Writing Accelerator, my 6-month long program designed for you, whether you want to build a sustainable, scalable writing system, go up for tenure with confidence and ease, take control of your career direction, or find a supportive community that understands your struggles. Click here to apply, but don't wait, applications close soon and we get started on September 1st, 2021. Is your writing project languishing, mired in the messy middle, or stuck on revise and resubmit? Grab my Writing Sprint Blueprint, a powerful productivity tool to help stalled out publications get out of your pipeline and into the world. As a bonus, you'll also gain access to my private podcast feed "Stick to the Plan", a 10 episode series of short, inspirational messages to keep you going. Click here to get the Writing Sprint Blueprint and "Stick to the Plan" podcast series for just $27! Connect with me: Website Facebook Group Facebook Page Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak This episode was first published at cathymazak.com/episode89.

If you want to publish more, you should take on more projects, right? Wrong! You need a publication pipeline, not a funnel. I'm getting up on my soapbox to tell you why your publications need to be in a pipeline, not a funnel! Building a publication plan from a place of fear leads you to take on every possible project, say yes to all opportunities, and focus on numbers rather than your academic mission. Friends, this approach will backfire. Let's dig into the metaphors of pipeline and funnel, and how to approach your publishing plan to reach your goals. Funnel vs. Pipeline: What's the Difference? Picture a pipeline: the contents flow smoothly, and what goes in comes out the other side at the same volume it entered. Now picture a funnel: a whole bunch of something put in the top trickles slowly out the bottom. You might dump more and more into the top, but it still trickles out the bottom at that slow rate. Using this metaphor, you can see that taking on more and more projects for publication does not, in fact, result in more published work! If you are (understandably) acting from a place of fear, and taking on all the possible projects that enter your sphere, you will create a funnel, not a pipeline. "If you take on more projects you will have fewer publications." -Cathy Mazak What's the Solution? "You must curate your pipeline." -Cathy Mazak The answer is careful curation of the projects you choose to put into your pipeline. Your publications are telling the story of who you are as a scholar, to the world and to your tenure committee. What story do you want to tell? You need to be selective, choosing projects that support your academic mission. If you take this approach, you can intentionally oversee your pipeline, and what stage each project is in. The projects you put in will flow smoothly out the other side. Please believe me when I tell you that this approach will not only solidify your academic brand, but result in more publications. "Create your publication pipeline from a place of confidence." -Cathy Mazak Want to learn more? We teach you all about pipeline management in our Amplify: Faculty Accelerator program for pre-tenure/early career academics. We want to set you up with a solid foundation to help you grow as a scholar and launch into your future. In our 6 month Amplify program, we use a combination of coaching, training and community to give you the tools you need to go up for tenure with confidence. Enrollment is open now, so head to cathymazak.com/amplify and complete our short application. 2021 cohorts will be running September through February, but once you're approved, you'll get access to our first event, an invite-only training in August to give you a taste of what the program is like. Don't wait, spots are filling fast! Click here to apply. Is your writing project languishing, mired in the messy middle, or stuck on revise and resubmit? Grab my Writing Sprint Blueprint, a powerful productivity tool to help stalled out publications get out of your pipeline and into the world. As a bonus, you'll also gain access to my private podcast feed "Stick to the Plan", a 10 episode series of short, inspirational messages to keep you going. Click here to get the Writing Sprint Blueprint and "Stick to the Plan" podcast series for just $27! Connect with me: Website Facebook Group Facebook Page Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak This episode was first published at cathymazak.com/episode88.

On this episode I'm talking with Melva Treviño Peña and Silvie Huijben, two Amplify graduates, about what brought them to the program, how their careers and lives have changed, their successes, and who they believe can benefit from Amplify. While they came to the program from very different fields and in different phases of their pre-tenure journey, the transformations experienced, tools gained and relationships formed were the same. Key points discussed: How they each found the Amplify program and why they joined What's changed for them in the past year as a result of the program Mentality shifts and how they have developed intentionality and clarity Developing a writing system for the long term Experiencing burnout and learning to develop healthy decision-making practices Tools they continue to go back to Learning to reflect and re-center when things get hectic Writing, publishing and project successes, and a more streamlined timeline to achieve them Gaining self-awareness and spotting problems as they arise Planning for the future with intention Their favorite parts of the Amplify program Who they believe can benefit from being a part of Amplify Key Quotes: "What comes first is feeling comfortable, less stressed, understanding who you are as an academic and who you want to be." -Melva Treviño Peña "I thought I was the only person that had graduated without the publication skills and I started to learn that that is not true." -Melva Treviño Peña "It helped me transform how I see myself and how I see the writing system." -Melva Treviño Peña "I was worried that after the program is done..the benefit is done; but that's not the case at all...I changed the way that I work and I'm definitely not going back to the way I was." -Silvie Huijben "It's a continuous work in progress, all the time." -Silvie Huijben "In this program, I have the tools that, if I start to feel more frazzled, now I know what to do." -Silvie Huijben "Not all hours are created equal." -Silvie Huijben "With coaching and with programs, what you get is...facilitated speed." -Cathy Mazak "Getting a guilt project out of the way was such a sense of relief." -Silvie Huijben "It's such a beautiful part of the program: to find out that you're not alone." -Melva Treviño Peña "I learned a lot from Cathy and the coaches, but I learned a lot from the other people in the program." -Melva Treviño Peña Is your writing project languishing, mired in the messy middle, or stuck on revise and resubmit? Grab my Writing Sprint Blueprint, a powerful productivity tool to help stalled out publications get out of your pipeline and into the world. As a bonus, you'll also gain access to my private podcast feed "Stick to the Plan", a 10 episode series of short, inspirational messages to keep you going. Click here to get the Writing Sprint Blueprint and "Stick to the Plan" podcast series for just $27! Connect with me: Website Facebook Group Facebook Page Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak This episode was first published at cathymazak.com/episode87.

On this episode I'm talking with Angel Kaur, a member of the founding co-hort of my Amplify program, about what brought her to Amplify, what she learned, and how she has gained the tools and confidence to make the best decisions for her career. Key points discussed: What brought her to the Amplify program Trying to figure out her path, and deciding between two areas that she loved After she joined Amplify, realizing how overwhelmed she had truly been Learning to purposefully give less in certain areas in order to be able to give more to an area she was focusing on Ah-ha moments during the program The importance of community in helping to solidify decisions and speak truth back to you Creating the career identity she wanted for herself, and what she was able to accomplish in her field Learning systems and processes that worked for her, and learning to accept how she works Addressing the inner critic How productivity jumps when we accept our own personal preferences Key Quotes: "You talk about that overwhelm, and how it doesn't have to be how academia works." -Angel Kaur "I really wanted some support that came from outside my institution." -Angel Kaur "You can't be 100% of yourself for all the things that you're responsible for." -Angel Kaur "Academia doesn't have to be toxic...it can be a calling without being all of that." -Angel Kaur "Mindset work has been my secret weapon." -Angel Kaur "We put the bar so high, in our heads, for everything." -Cathy Mazak "There was an opportunity to connect with people in a way I hadn't seen before until Amplify." -Angel Kaur "Writing is bigger than words on a page." -Angel Kaur "You have to know you and how you work." -Cathy Mazak "Everyone is a three-dimensional human being." -Angel Kaur "You've become an expert on yourself and that is really powerful!" -Cathy Mazak Connect with Angel Kaur: Twitter Etsy shop Connect with me: Website Facebook Group Facebook Page Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak This episode was first published at cathymazak.com/episode86.

My super-star writing coaches, Rocío Caballero-Gill and Gina Robinson, are taking over the podcast to talk about the pre-tenure period and many of the issues, fears, hopes, accomplishments, and successes they see with our Amplify clients. If you're pre-tenure, I'm betting you will recognize yourself in this episode, and get a feel for whether this program and these fantastic coaches are a fit for you. Key points discussed: The challenges that our Amplify clients face when they are coming into the program: Negative, unsure mindsets Isolation, amplified in competitive departments and institutions Self-doubt and fear Lack of community and resources, fear of asking questions Lack of time, systems, and sustainable practices Impacts Amplify has had for our clients Immediate like-minded community Vision creation and implementation with structured steps, tools and systems Gaining confidence and implementing change Creating a mission allowing clients to trust themselves, recognize what matters and find time for it Recognizing their own wisdom and power Specific client results Publications completed using peer review, co-writing and support, including stubborn revise-and-resubmits, and languishing or difficult projects Completed books and deciding to write books Funding secured Getting tenure, promotion, and new jobs Skills gained to continue with a sustainable writing practice and strong mindset Main hesitations about applying for Amplify Money: the importance of investing in yourself, and a good return on investment Time: how a time commitment is also investing in yourself, and balancing time needs with the value of the program What our coaches enjoy most about the program The people. Watching clients come into the program unsure, frustrated, unclear and leave with vision, a mission, and a way to get there Seeing the achievements clients make while part of the program, and hearing back from them later on continued success Key Quotes: "As soon as you come into the Amplify program, you've got this automatic community." -Gina Robinson "Once you have a mission, that helps to deal with a lot of the time issues." -Gina Robinson "You do the job because you're trying to make some kind of impact." -Gina Robinson "Going through the program allows you the space to refine that writing process in a way that you can sustain it for later." -Rocío Caballero-Gill "We're not competing against each other, we're doing things together for the better science, better academia, better everything." -Rocío Caballero-Gill "That's our goal, is for it to not be such a rare feeling that you are actually in charge of your career." -Gina Robinson "You can't think about your career trajectory or your career success without thinking about everything else around it." -Gina Robinson "We help each other create time." -Rocío Caballero-Gill "Sometimes, as an adult, building connections and friendships can be difficult." -Gina Robinson There are just a few slots in the only 2021 enrollment group for Amplify! Applications close August 25, so don't wait. Go to cathymazak.com/amplify to apply. Is your writing project languishing, mired in the messy middle, or stuck on revise and resubmit? Grab my Writing Sprint Blueprint, a powerful productivity tool to help stalled out publications get out of your pipeline and into the world. As a bonus, you'll also gain access to my private podcast feed "Stick to the Plan", a 10 episode series of short, inspirational messages to keep you going. Click here to get the Writing Sprint Blueprint and "Stick to the Plan" podcast series for just $27! Connect with me: Website Facebook Group Facebook Page Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak This episode was first published at cathymazak.com/episode85.

What does the early career, pre-tenure period usually feel like for academic womxn? What should it feel like? With intention, we can steer ourselves toward a better experience. The early career period of proving yourself to gain that stamp of approval, whether you call it permanence or tenure, is a pivotal time in our careers. What does this pre-tenure period often feel like? What should it feel like? And perhaps most importantly, what do you believe it can be like for you? What the Pre-Tenure Process Feels Like 1. Scary It can feel like your whole career is on the line, and the pressure is enormous. You might worry that if you don't do enough, or if you aren't fast enough, you'll fail. 2. Insecure It might feel like you're walking on eggshells, afraid to say no, or to say the wrong thing and upset someone on your tenure review team. 3. Exhausting There's so much to learn when you start a tenure-track position! Course preps, service, admin duties, department politics, and unspoken expectations can all be piled on top of your actual tenure requirements. Maybe you've moved to a new town, or had to change family schedules as well. "A lot of our actions pre-tenure are, understandably, motivated by fear." -Cathy Mazak What the Pre-Tenure Process Should Feel Like 1. Fulfilling You are in the developmental process of becoming who you want to be as a scholar. This should be a time of figuring out your next steps for your best career and finding out what lights you up as you contribute to your field. 2. Exciting It's a time of huge growth! You are meeting new people in your field, and creating knowledge. You are creating something new and stepping into your potential. That should be exciting! "I would love for everyone to feel excited pre-tenure...excited about what they are going to create." -Cathy Mazak 3. Strategic During this period you are working to align your teaching, research and service to your academic mission. It's a time to make connections, meet people in your field, and get strategic about what you are creating and what path you are taking to success. 4. Spacious and Easeful Let me be clear: pre-tenure is not easy. You are solving scholarly problems that do not have easy solutions. However, I truly believe it can be easeful. You can and should have spaciousness and ease in the process. You should not be obligated to work 60 hour work weeks or nights and weekends to stay afloat. You should have room to think. Your whole job is about thinking, so it's important! This is the hardest idea for many to wrap their brains around, and I admit, it's revolutionary...the best kind of rebellious. And I believe it can change knowledge-making in the best possible way. It's time for academia to change, and it can start with us! "I really believe that pre-tenure should and can feel spacious and easeful." Getting Intentional With Amplify Giving you the tools to plan your career with intentionality is what we do! It's my jam, and I am always thinking about ways to help you shift your mindset, get strategic, and have the career you want. In our 6 month Amplify program, we use a combination of coaching, training and community to help you make your pre-tenure experience feel more like it should. Enrollment is open now, so head to cathymazak.com/amplify for more information and to apply. Our 3 cohorts will be running September through February, but once you're approved, you'll get access to our first event, an invite-only training in August to give you a taste of what the program is like. Don't wait, spots are filling fast! Click here to apply. Connect with me: Website Facebook Group Facebook Page Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak This episode was first published at cathymazak.com/episode84.

I'm joined on this episode by Dr. Anatu Mahama, founder and editor-in-chief of The Academic Woman magazine. She shares her journey through academia as an ambitious and determined woman, always looking for ways to increase her knowledge and increase her reach. She launched The Academic Woman magazine about a year ago to share stories of women who are contributing to the world and not always being seen. Her vision is to create a community of like-minded women who inspire one another, share knowledge, and bring their varied knowledge and experiences to bear on the issues they all face. Key points discussed: Growing up in Ghana as a chatty, ambitious little girl who loved to read, and going on to study publishing, information and knowledge management Working at an NGO in the water and sanitation sector, and utilizing her knowledge management skills on each project. Getting pregnant, moving to a more forgiving schedule, lecturing, and going for a PhD with 2 small children Realizing there were many women doing great things that no one had heard of, and being inspired to share their stories in a magazine Creating The Academic Woman magazine to celebrate women's contributions to knowledge, what they go through, and how they handle challenges they face. Who writes for the magazine, how they balance the busy lives of academics with running features and finding content Organizing and growing an editorial team Who the magazine is for and a future vision of community, in-person events, and larger and more frequent circulation Key Quotes: "I always wanted to know more, and always wanted to see myself excel at whatever I do." -Anatu Mahama "I think that word, ambition, is one we need to claim." -Cathy Mazak "There's always that need for progression." -Anatu Mahama "We've got all these women at the forefront, who are doing great jobs, but nobody hears of them." -Anatu Mahama "If we tell our stories, then we are able to inspire one another." -Anatu Mahama "I'm so grateful for all the women who have told their stories...incredible stories, incredible journeys." -Anatu Mahama "Getting people to write is a challenge because academics are busy." -Anatu Mahama "I don't believe in spending too much time in planning; I believe in getting on with it." -Anatu Mahama To contribute or subscribe to The Academic Woman magazine, visit: https://theacademicwoman.co.uk/ Is your writing project languishing, mired in the messy middle, or stuck on revise and resubmit? For just $27, grab my Writing Sprint Blueprint, a powerful productivity tool to help stalled out publications get through the pipeline and into the world. As a bonus, you'll also gain access to my private podcast feed "Stick to the Plan", a 10 episode series of short, inspirational messages to keep you going. Click here to get the Writing Sprint Blueprint and "Stick to the Plan" podcast series for just $27! Connect with me: Website Facebook Group Facebook Page Follow me on Clubhouse: @cathymazak This episode was first published at https://www.cathymazak.com/episode83.