As is the way for those who work freelance, working circumstances and work pressures (and opportunities) fluctuate. The last few weeks have seen me add two new contracts which each have to be completed before the end of July. These last-minute opportunities often come up at the end of the budget year when universities discoverContinueContinue reading “Excuse the gap…”
Tag Archives: AWP2024WritingZoo
Day 17 – How many words in your sentences?
I’ve been writing… and reading. My reading is often tailored to the time of day that it happens. Daytime is for complicated reading. Nighttime is for reading that doesn’t require too much attention before I go to sleep. My nighttime reading at the moment is Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series. I’m interspersing that with IanContinueContinue reading “Day 17 – How many words in your sentences?”
Day 15 – (Valid) reasons to pause
After a day off in the middle of last week, I came back to my desk on Friday, all ready to start writing. Only to find an email from Gallaudet University Press’s proof-reader, with the final proofs of the Afterword that I recently wrote for them, and a request for me to approve and returnContinueContinue reading “Day 15 – (Valid) reasons to pause”
Day 14 – Four different types of writer
in 1997, OUP published a book by Phyllis Creme and Mary Lea entitled “Writing at University”. It was a book aimed at students, but the content is just as useful for more established academics. After all, when we consider that how we write is a lot to do with how we’re wired as people, weContinueContinue reading “Day 14 – Four different types of writer”
Day 13 – The clarity of a week off. And now…
The last time I posted was just before Easter, about 10 days ago. At some point over the Easter break, the full argument of the article has crystallised out. It’s not what I thought it was. It’s bigger, simpler, and makes so much more sense. At various points over the last 10 days, I’ve sketchedContinueContinue reading “Day 13 – The clarity of a week off. And now…”
Day 12 – One-touch is all it takes
Have you ever been in that situation where you know you had perfect evidence for something, but you either can’t remember quite exactly what it was, or quite where you found it. But you really need it. And you remember that it was probably in a book that you read a week or so ago,ContinueContinue reading “Day 12 – One-touch is all it takes”
Day 10 – “I can get them for you in a couple of weeks”
Roadblock… there are two really key documents that I need to read before I can really say that I’ve covered everything I need in my background work. Unfortunately, they’re in Paris, and I don’t have an electronic copy in my (vast, but sadly missing in this case!) electronic archive. I have a colleague there whoContinueContinue reading “Day 10 – “I can get them for you in a couple of weeks””
Day 9 – Invasion of the ‘more’
It was inevitable that it should happen at some point, but I’ve started this morning assailed by the conviction that anything that I write will be reductive, and that I really need to include more (and more, and more, and more) information. This isn’t driven by a desire to show off… actually, possibly the opposite.ContinueContinue reading “Day 9 – Invasion of the ‘more’”
Day 8 – Tightening the focus
After nearly two weeks of reading – specifically revisiting known material and finding some new information, I’ve probably got enough to start planning out a structure to the article. In fact, I paused on day 6 (after the dishwasher, and the birds) to write a brief outline. That held yesterday as I was dipping moreContinueContinue reading “Day 8 – Tightening the focus”
Day 7 – Reading, translation and possible pause projects?
In continuing today’s prepping of the article, I’ve come up against a challenge. Lots of my materials are in French, which I can either read and note from straight… or I can translate. Normally I do the former. After all, there’s no point in having loads of translated text which I don’t then use. ButContinueContinue reading “Day 7 – Reading, translation and possible pause projects?”
The Garage of Books 