Content

It can be hard finding the time to write-up your research. This event has been organised to provide researchers with dedicated uninterrupted blocks of time to progress their writing. Attendees will all write together, in the same room, in a series of scheduled writing sessions. These sessions are most effective if they are just used to write; not to check references, obsess over style, do another ‘quick look’ over your research or read through what you wrote last week, month, year…! Don’t worry about your writing being perfect; you can’t edit a blank page.

It’s helpful if you can set aside time before the Retreat to have a think about what you’d like to achieve in advance and come to your writing with clear goals. Goals should be something you can measure—for example, write a certain number of words, pages or paragraphs. At the start of the day, you’ll share this goal with your peers and then informally discuss your progress in the breaks. There will be opportunity to take a short walk at lunch if you’d like to join!

These Retreats works best when you:

• Focus exclusively on writing.
• Agree not to use internet or your phone (emergencies excluded, of course) in the writing room.
• Define specific goals and sub-goals, i.e. sections of article/chapter, number of words.
• Take stock of your achievements of these goals throughout the day.
• Discuss your writing-in-progress with peers for mutual support.

Before you go to the Retreat:

• Decide on a writing project. Do reading and other preparation.
• Plan writing tasks for each timeslot.
• Get notes, plans, outlines etc. together. Outline the structure of your article/chapter.
• Use downloads rather than internet at the Retreat.

Participants should bring a laptop, and any research papers or data which will enable them to write their research paper/chapter/proposal.

Facilitator

This course will be facilitated by Dr Shannon McLaughlin, a Research Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast.

Eligibility 

The session is open to Queen's postdocs and research staff of all disciplines. It is limited to 15 participants; a waiting list will be created and further sessions organised based on interest.