WriteFest
Write Fest is an academic write-a-thon that happens every year, catering to the specific needs of research and academic writers.
Drawing on the format of academic writing retreats, the festival aims to provide protected time and space to help researchers to develop good writing practices and strategies; overcome writing blocks with a proactive approach; and spend some time out writing with others and broadening one’s professional network. Here at Liverpool, we will be joining the celebration with a month of writing related activities.
Power Hour of Writing sessions
Each week during WriteFest22 there will be a Power Hour of Writing session, this will consist of 60 mins of protected time which allows participants to focus on a writing project of their choice, strengthened by accountability and supported by a community of peers.
The Power Hour, involves 5 mins introduction where participants set out their writing goal, followed by two 20-minute writing sessions, a short break in between writing helps reset ready for the next creative interval. At the end of the second writing session, there is a short discussion on progress made. Participants are welcome to attend one or more of the sessions throughout the month, further details are in the table below.
Programme
Please note: In order to view some of the videos on this page, you will be asked to sign in to Stream using your University sign in details.
Week 1: 31st Oct-4 November |
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Monday |
Strategies to help make the power hour work for you (pre-recorded session) Presenter Dr Eli Saetnan |
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Tuesday |
Power Hour of Writing |
10:00-11:00 am – Register |
Wednesday |
How to write more! A podcast by The University of Sheffield Learning technologist and productivity guru Andy Tattersall on how to be a more productive academic writer. |
19mins 45s podcast |
Thursday |
Raising your research profile by writing for The Conversation (pre-recorded session) |
Time: 9.30-10.15am (or a time that suits you |
Friday |
Virtual Writing Retreat |
1-3pm on Teams Join the SUAW Teams group |
Week 2: 7-11 November |
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Monday |
Power Hour of Writing |
10:00-11:00am – Register |
Tuesday |
Turbo charge your writing (Pre-recorded workshop) |
Time: 12-1.30pm (or at time that suits you) |
Wednesday |
Researcher KnowHow: Advanced Endnote This session would be particularly useful to those who have already attended the Knowhow session 'Introduction to Endnote’ but also those who are familiar with the basics of endnote and want to know more about this referencing tool. |
9:30-10:25am (or a time that suits you) |
Thursday |
Desk Yoga (pre-recorded session) Sat at your desk writing? Need an energy boost? Desk Yoga is accessible for all levels and abilities that you can use at your desk throughout the day to energise, stretch and refocus the mind, instantly change mood and boost overall wellbeing. |
9:30-10:00am (or a time that suits you) |
Friday |
Virtual Writing Retreat |
1-3pm on Teams Join the SUAW Teams group |
Week 3: 14-18 November |
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Monday |
Power Hour of Writing |
10:00-11am – Register |
Tuesday |
Possible Future for Academic Writing and Publishing (live session) How and where do you think you’ll be publishing your academic writing over the next ten years? Open access policies, the rising visibility of pre-prints, continued reforms of research assessment, financial pressures, all indicate that what is published, and how, will see much change. This session will highlight some of the areas of change and reflect on engagement with scholarly publishing in the future. |
10:00-10:45am – Register
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Wednesday |
Researcher KnowHow: Visual Abstracts (recorded session) |
9:30-10:10am (or a time that suits you) |
Thursday |
How to get published in Nature - an ex-editor’s perspective (pre-recorded session) |
Time: 12.30-1.15pm (or a time that suits you) |
Friday |
Virtual Writing Retreat |
1-3pm on Teams Join the SUAW Teams group |
Week 4: 21-25 November |
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Monday |
Researcher KnowHow: Choosing the right journal |
Time: 12.30-12:50pm (or a time that suits you) |
Tuesday |
Power Hour of Writing |
10:00-11:00am – Register |
Wednesday |
Desk Yoga (pre-recorded session) Sat at your desk writing? Need an energy boost? Desk Yoga is accessible for all levels and abilities that you can use at your desk throughout the day to energise, stretch and refocus the mind, instantly change mood and boost overall wellbeing. |
9:30-10:00 (or a time that suits you) |
Thursday |
How to beat digital distraction and write more podcasts The University of Sheffield Learning technologist and productivity guru Andy Tattersall shares tips and digital resources for writing productivity and also for avoiding digital distractions |
2 short podcasts (up to 5mins each) |
Friday |
Virtual Writing Retreat |
1-3pm on Teams Join the SUAW Teams group |
Week 5: 28-30th November |
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Monday |
Power Hour of Writing |
10:00-11:00am – Register |
Tuesday |
How to beat digital distraction and write more podcasts The University of Sheffield Learning technologist and productivity guru Andy Tattersall shares tips and digital resources for writing productivity and also for avoiding digital distractions |
2 short podcasts (up to 5mins each) |
Wednesday |
Desk Yoga (pre-recorded session) Sat at your desk writing? Need an energy boost? Desk Yoga is accessible for all levels and abilities that you can use at your desk throughout the day to energise, stretch and refocus the mind, instantly change mood and boost overall wellbeing. |
9:30-10:00 (or a time that suits you) |
WriteFest playlist
Listen to the WriteFest playlist, especially created to celebrate Academic writing. The playlist has some background instrumental songs, some that are slightly upbeat to recharge energy as well as those with writer in the title! Enjoy.
Researcher development resources
- Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Blog post Making time for writing
- ResDevInYourPj’s bitezised video on Academic writing and WriteFest
- Free templates and planners to help with your writing, planning and collaboration.
- Data Statements – after you have cracked writing up your research and are pleased with your article, don’t forget that to maximise its impact and to comply if you are funded you need to add a data statement.
- Open Access – Now you have your article, you need to consider how to publish open access. If your research is funded you should be aware of your funder’s policy too.
Further resources
Researcher KnowHow at the library
LDC Development Team resources

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