Writing groups and the art of the Pomodoro #LTUacwrimo (Priscilla Ennals, Carmel Hobbs and Ingrid Wilson)
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| Writing in progress! Photo by Carmel Hobbs, Priscilla Ennals and Ingrid Wilson. |
This is repeated multiple times. We generate a rhythm of 6, 8, or 10 blocks of silent writing interspersed with bursts of talk, support, advice, and listening.
The PhD, and writing more generally, can be a very lonely and isolating process. No-one else really gets what you are doing, no-one really wants to engage in your argument or hear the pain of your struggle and effort. Connecting with others who are doing something similar, who get the effort involved, who might care about methodological intricacies or chapter structure dilemmas, and who are also negotiating with supervisors, can be a tonic for the isolation.
Rule 3: Find a space where you can meet that suits your needs – writing does not require a lot of infrastructure but decent chairs, access to a cup of tea, and natural light can help.
We write in a lovely room with a floor-to-ceiling window. There is no wi-fi; we’ve come to appreciate this as a boon for writing productivity. It forces us to be organised, to come with a plan and any sources we need pre-downloaded. We found this space at Bouverie, a La Trobe campus in Brunswick. Jeff Young (Director) and Penny (Business Manager) generously allowed us to use the space without cost.
The common theme of grounded theory and being at a similar stage in our research process seemed to be important in making our group work. Our questions and struggles often progressed along a similar arc and the group was a learning space for us all. We shared epiphanies, headway, blocks and barriers.
Together we interpreted and re-interpreted complex constructivist grounded theory analytic processes. Our research topics varied widely and yet we often found our ideas or arguments or struggles were similar.
Carmel, Ingrid, and Priscilla were part of a La Trobe-generated writing group in 2014 and 2015. Between them they have one PhD in the bag, one submitted, and one very close, along with multiple published articles – all of which progressed through this group. They still meet up occasionally and the group has dinner planned in a few weeks’ time to celebrate writing and non-writing milestones: PhD submissions, publications, well-received conference presentations, new jobs, and a baby.
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Priscilla Ennals was a PhD candidate at La Trobe University from 2012-2015. Her thesis explored the experiences of university students with mental health issues.
She is an occupational therapist and lectured at La Trobe in Occupational Therapy for 12 years until mid-2015.
She is currently the Senior Manager of Research and Evaluation at Neami National, a large national provider of community mental health services.
Carmel Hobbs is a PhD candidate in the School of Psychology and Public Health at La Trobe.
Her research is a qualitative project exploring the experiences of young people who disengage from mainstream schools and re-engage in an alternative setting. Carmel currently works as an Associate Lecturer in the Department of Public Health here at La Trobe.
Ingrid Wilson is a PhD candidate at the Judith Lumley Centre. Her research explores opportunities to reduce alcohol-related intimate partner violence, drawing on the experience of women survivors.
She established and co-ordinates the La Trobe University Violence Against Women Research Network (LAVAWN).
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