Many of us in education are avid writers – or at least we’re trying really hard to keep up with that status. We’re writing blog posts, books, articles for the popular press, research summaries for colleagues, research articles for journals, and the list goes on. But, writing is hard. Really hard. Even those who are quite prolific struggle at times to put words to the page. So, this week’s digest is dedicated to free resources to help you keep up writing motivation. The tips included in this digest may be new for some, and for others will serve as a friendly reminder to keep up our writing motivation.

1) Shut up and write! By The Thesis Whisperer, @thesiswhisperer

Turn writing into a social event. Shut up and write is all about meeting online at a specific time and write as part of a group. Shut up and write uses the Pomodoro Technique which is a time management strategy. It is simple: You write for 25 minutes and then have a 5-minute break. During that break you can do whatever you want: Check emails, Facebook, whatever. Usually what ends up happening is that you will chat with other peers in the Shut up and write group and you will cheer each other on. Yes, it is that amazing! There is a Shut up and write group on Twitter that meets fortnightly on Tuesdays @SUWTues.

2) How Do I Stay Motivated? By Cara Lockwood, @CaraLockwood

In this blog post, Cara Lockwood lists six tips on keeping up the motivation to write. The number one tip being: Write something every day. This way you get into the habit of writing and it won’t be so difficult to start writing something that you actually need to get on paper. It seems strange, but the biggest obstacle to overcome when it comes to writing is one’s weaker self and these tips can help.

3) Writing Group Starter Kit by The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill, @UNCWRITINGCTR

One of the best ways to stay motivated when writing is to get together with a group of people who also need writing motivation. Having a group that meets regularly (whether it is once per week or once per month) is a good way to give yourself structured deadlines. Group members can also offer encouragement, and hold one another accountable to reaching goals. This resource provides some resources and tips to setting up an effective writing group.

4) 5 tips to create a writer’s group that lasts by Emily Wenstrom, @EmilyWenstrom

Writing with a group of people seems to be a key to keeping up the motivation But, how do you find the the right people to set up a writing group and what should you pay attention to? In this blog post, Emily Winstrom describes five ingredients that may help you form a writing group that lasts a long time. Check out the helpful comments, too.

5) Review - Paul J. Silvia: How to Write a Lot by Researchex, @ResearchEx

This blog post highlights the most important points of the book “How to Write a Lot” by Paul Silvia. Four writing obstacles (read: excuses) are described and solutions are given for each of them. The blog post author gives insight into the personal experiences dealing with the obstacles. If you like this review, you may want to check out the book. 

Every Sunday, we pick a theme and provide a curated list of links. If you have a theme suggestion, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Our 5 most recent digests can be found here:

Weekly Digest #37: Teaching Spelling

Weekly Digest #38: Teaching Spelling with Deep Underlying Structures

Weekly Digest #39: Writing Strategies for Students

Weekly Digest #40: Teachers' Implementations of Principles from "Make It Stick"

Weekly Digest #41: Preparing a Syllabus