writing is really hard. especially when you need to write or ELSE, and time is already crunched. but when you’re doing it without community and support? it’s so much harder.
Thrive PhD writing groups are the community and support you need to do this very hard thing.
what would feel different about your writing process if you had more support?
are you…
struggling to feel confident about your writing process, or having trouble figuring out what works for you and what really doesn’t?
wanting to learn more about the skill of academic writing, from planning to proofreading, and ask all those questions you’re too embarrassed to ask your advisor?
someone who could really use a regular meeting to help encourage progress throughout the week, and provide that nudge to show up and work on you project?wanting a place to connect with other people to ask questions, set up extra working sessions, and cheer (and be cheered!) in between meetings?
Thrive PhD writing groups focus on the how, whens, and whys of academic writing - not just “did you hit your word count goal, yes or no”
part accountability check in, part writing seminar, part coaching session, these groups are built to support you through the writing process without all the toxic competition and shame that can come with groups that focus on “getting it done, no matter what it takes”. when the group goes beyond “yes i hit my goal” or “no i didn’t”, you get to focus on your writing process and skills, gains that last way longer than the eight weeks of the group.
“Having a scheduled time each week forces me to show up. This week, for example, I hadn’t even opened my file since Sunday, but the meeting today forced me not only to open it but to go through it. I didn’t remember I had written so many things on Saturday! so it was a nice surprise and it proved to myself that the only way of going forward is little by little and constantly adding up to my work. ”
what you get
weekly meetings so you can have a reason to prioritize your writing and check in with our group about your progress, challenges, and wins
asynchronous accountability form so you can send your updates directly to me and get feedback if sharing in the group is a little scary or there are some things you want to keep private
space to ask your burning questions about academic writing, especially the ones you don’t want to ask your advisor or colleagues
recordings so that you can go back and reference our discussions or catch up if you miss a session
community space to connect with others in the group, make dates to write together, swap drafts, and share resources
schedule
the fall 2023 (or spring, for my southern hemisphere friends) sessions will be running at two different times:
wednesdays from 7-8 pm EST (october 4, 11, 18, 25, november 1, 8, 15, 29 - no meeting november 22)
thursdays from 9-10 am EST (october 5, 12, 19, 26, november 2, 9, 16, 30 - no meeting november 23)
enrollment for these groups is now open! as usual, there is a no-questions-asked sliding scale so you can choose the price that works for your budget, and there will also be a payment plan for those who prefer monthly payment options.
these groups have…
helped people who are writing their first dissertation chapter figure out an actual plan for how to do that when they didn’t know how
made a container for a busy scholar/parent where at least they know they have one hour a week to think about their project, which so often turned into way more
provided a sense of community and support for people far away from their campuses and cohorts and colleagues
gave neurodivergent people the permission to let go of how their advisor told them to do something and move into a system that actually works with how their brain works
been a space of encouragement and support when you just have to push and get the thing off your desk, knowing that getting comfortable with imperfection is hard, but not finishing it is harder
“This is the only space full of other academics where I don’t feel ashamed, judged, or alone when I veer off-course, fall short of my goals, or have a really terrible day (or month...). There’s no “one-size-fits-all” advice, just a lot of tools/ resources/ metaphors to work with so you can find what works for you. It’s a community of really kind, generous, supportive people who make me feel like I can do it... and I did it. ”
frequently asked questions!
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as private as you need to be! we will use Zoom for the meetings, so you can set your display to be something you’re comfortable with, and same with our work board. i will also be setting explicit expectations for the group about privacy and confidentiality - so important with works in progress!
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nope!!! word count is just one way to measure writing progress - we’ll be talking each week about metrics, how to measure, and importantly, how to evaluate your work rhythms so that you can make educated choices about how and why you set up your schedule and tasks for the week.
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while the focus of our group meetings will be on the process - how to schedule, how to break down tasks, how to measure progress - but i will put out a few calls for writing swaps so that if you have writing you want extra eyes on, you can get that as well.
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life happens - and the uncertainty is definitely at an 11 lately. meetings will be recorded so that if you miss, you can catch up afterwards, but our community space is always open. so even if you miss a session, you can track your work and get some visibility so that you aren’t totally alone.
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not necessarily! the group is geared towards graduate students, but we’ve had people working on master’s thesis and faculty members working on their books, too. but feel free to email or book a meeting (below) to make sure you’re a good fit if you have questions!
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you can either pay all at once or in monthly installments - both are completely the same, and both options are sliding scale. just select the price option from the drop down that works for your budget, no questions asked.
questions? let’s talk
nervous about committing? not sure if this is the tool you need? want to meet me first to see if we click?
schedule a 30 minute consultation - we'll talk about where you are, where you want to go, and what you are looking for in terms of coaching to see if we are a good fit! no pressure, just more information.
do not worry about “wasting my time” with an appointment - these are here for you!
about katy
writing groups were the most important thing i did for myself during the dissertation process - something i wrote about here - and the PhD i have proves that they work. i know firsthand how isolating it can be to feel like the only one who doesn’t get it, who is struggling, who finds all of this really really hard - so i made Thrive PhD and especially these writing groups for everyone who is feeling that way and doesn’t want to anymore.
Thrive PhD started in 2017 and has touched thousands of people all around the world in all kinds of fields. read more about my background and mission here. when i’m not at my desk, you can find me gardening, hiking, reading on my porch, or taking a nap with one of my cats.
