Women Writing(in)

the Academy

“The best writing emerges from . . . writing.”--Tom Fields-Meyer

http://6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/04/letter-to-a-young-writer-get-lost/?_r=2&

Let’s begin with your experience as writers.

Please complete the brief survey.

1. I am an effective writer2. I enjoy writing3. I write regularly4. When I write, I need to block off at least 4 hours5. I can work on my writing even if I only have 30 minutes 6. I often experience writer’s block 7. I am satisfied with how much writing I do8. I am satisfied with the quality of my writing.9. I am comfortable sharing my writing when it’s messy or unfinished10. I benefit from feedback on my writing11. I benefit from talking about my writing with others12. Before I can write, I need to complete other necessary work-related tasks13. Before I can write, I need to complete other necessary home-related tasks14. I procrastinate when I need to write15. I am good at meeting deadlines set by others for my writing16. I am good at meeting deadlines for my writing that I’ve set myself17. The best thing about writing is:18. The worst thing about writing is:

Why does writing matterfor academic women?

Some facts. . .

College Enrollment for 2012 High School Graduates

Women 71.3 %Men 61.3 %

Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/news.release/hsgec.nr0.htm

Increase in College Degrees Earned by Women (1999-2000 to 2009-2010)

Associate from 60 to 62%Bachelors from 57 to 58%Masters from 58 to 60%Doctorate from 45 to 52%

Within each racial/ethnic group, women earned the majority of degrees at all levels in 2009–10

National Bureau for Education Statistics http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=72

According to survey respondents, women earned two-thirds of the graduate certificates, 60% of the master’s degrees, and 53% of the doctorates.

Academic year 2010-11 marked the third straight year women earned a majority of doctoral degrees

Council of Graduate Schools http://www.cgsnet.org/graduate-schools-see-growth-applications-and-degrees-enroll-fewer-new-students-2011

http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/women-academia

Where Faculty Women Work

Non-Tenure Track

Women 32.2 %

Men 19.0 %

Tenure Track

Women 19.0 %

Men 23.9 %

Tenured

Women 44.0 %

Men 62.0 %

AAUP Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession, 2011-12.http://www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres/33D4FF44-CEF5-45F7-8845-00E5D40525BB/0/Tab11.pdf

Tenure Status of Faculty, 2011–12

Rank Women Men

Professor 9.0 22.9

Associate 11.6 15.7

Assistant 12.8 12.7

Instructor 4.0 2.6

Lecturer 3.9 3.0

No Rank 0.9 0.8

Combined 42.2 57.8

AAUPAnnual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession, 2011-12.http://www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres/889956C2-6DBE-48A1-B64A-BB69DAF4C6C6/0/Tab12.pdf

Distribution of Faculty by Rank, 2011-12

Women as Academic Authors, 1665-2010

http://chronicle.com/article/Women-as-Academic-Authors/135192/

It’s not all your fault.

Women PhDs are less likely than men to choose research-focused careers

Tenure-earning years coincide with childbearing years

Women faculty spend more time on teaching and service than male faculty

In some disciplines, women have fewer positiverole models and mentors.

What is in your control?

*Image courtesy of Charlotte Hogg

1. Clarify your writing goals2. Create accountability3. Start each day with a pause4. Get your butt in the chair5. Set a timer6. Manage your resistance7. Stop when the timer goes off8. Track your writing9. Give yourself a treat10. Review your progress on Friday11. Assess and adjust as necessary12. Take the weekend off

Writing Daily: A 12-Step Program

Kerry Rockquemore, “Jumpstart Your Productivity” http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2012/07/09/essay-mid-career-productivity-issues

1. Admit you need support (most people do).

2. Ask yourself: What do I need to get my writing done?

Kinds of Writing Groups Traditional Writing GroupsWriting Accountability GroupsWrite-on-siteOnline Writing Groups Coaches and Nags

Kerry Rockquemore, “Shut Up and Write” http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/summer/summer2

Why Writing Groups Work

MotivationAccountabilitySupportMeta-cognitionFeedbackMentoring

“While writing group does not give me more hours in the day, or make my kids' lunches, or grade my students' exams, it has given me a weekly time set aside to discuss ideas, and a cohort to whom I am accountable.” –Claire Curtis

1. Difficulties of being new faculty 2. Pressure to obtain tenure3. Difficulty of balancing teaching, research, service 4. Lack of time to write, to think, to conceptualize5. Difficulty of writing for publication6. Challenge of balancing family and career7. Need to overcome isolation of academic individualism 8. Need for reassurance that their experiences

were not abnormal

Concerns shared by writing group for new women faculty:

In “A Writing Group for Female Assistant Professors,” the authors studied 57 women faculty in medicine who participated in structured writing groups and found an “increase in publishing rate from 1.5 papers per year . . . to 4.5 per year.”

“The results also suggest that this program works across the board for junior female faculty, regardless of race or family status.”

http://www.med.upenn.edu/focus/user_documents/WritersGroupPapercopy.pdf

Writing Group Guidelines(for traditional writing groups)

1. Find willing participants (3-5)2. Create a group contract3. Commit to meeting for a set length of time (i.e. semester)4. Set individual and group goals.5. Develop trust by following the rules.6. Shoot for a balance of structure and flexibility.7. Commit to shared leadership8. Work against competitive feelings and perfectionism9. Bring snacks.10. Renegotiate the contract at the end of the contract period.

“A successful writing group is not a stage for proving how smart you are.”--Claire Curtis

What’s in a writing group contract?

1. Agree on how much time to commit to the group.2. Decide how often you’ll meet. 3. Decide how you’ll share writing4. Decide how you’ll respond to writing5. Decide how you’ll structure meetings—or decide to

try different structures before deciding.

What kind of writing group do you need?