I'm Dr Malini Devadas, a coach who helps academics become confident and productive writers.

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There are many reasons why people do not make progress with their academic writing projects:

  • They are unable to create the time they need — For many academics, particularly women, every day is spent doing things for other people, whether that be students, colleagues or family members. To actually put aside time for their own writing feels selfish to some, even though it's part of their job description.
  • They spend their time in an endless cycle of writing and rewriting — With no clear writing process to follow, many academics swap between the creative process of writing and the analytical process of editing, which means it can take a long time just to write one paragraph.
  • They lack confidence — Imposter syndrome is rife throughout academia and people can be their own harshest critic when it comes to writing. And often the only feedback people get is negative feedback, meaning that they think their writing is not as good as it really is.