03/06/2023
By Susan Puryear

It’s the middle of the semester: there are classes to teach, and grading to do, and oh yes, the committee work. But you still want to get some writing done. Maybe you’ve got an R&R you need to turn around, or a conference presentation coming up.

Here’s one strategy: Block off some time on your calendar and attend the next Writing Spaces faculty retreat on Friday, March 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Hoff Center on East Campus. Join a supportive community of faculty from across the university who have found that writing alongside each other boosts our productivity!

You’re welcome to attend for the whole day or just part of it, as your schedule permits. We will also keep our Slack channel active for those who wish to write with us remotely. Please register online to ensure we can plan for a light breakfast, lunch, and coffee for attendees. The schedule for the retreat includes:

9:00-9:15 Introductions and Goal Setting
9:15-11:45 Focused Writing Time
11:45-12:00 Accountability Session
12:00-1:00 Workshop and Discussion: Writing While Tired: Strategies for Real Life
1:00-1:15 Goal Setting
1:15-3:45 Focused Writing Time
3:45-4:00 Accountability Session and Wrap Up

As a way of developing an active writing community at the university, the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation will again sponsor Writing Spaces this year. This series of monthly retreats welcomes faculty from all ranks and disciplines to write together in a collegial, focused environment. Each retreat includes accountability sessions, blocks of writing time, and a lunchtime workshop.

If you are interested in joining the Writing Spaces listserv or have questions about the retreats, please email Natalie_Houston@uml.edu or Jonathan_Silverman@uml.edu.