Adding classes and creating a Studio

In the first few years, I started drawing on other models I’d experienced in the community of online entrepreneurs to create complementary classes: Establishing a Writing Practice, Planning Your Semester, Dealing with Reviewer Comments. These were delivered using the same conference line and recorded for participants.

By the summer of 2015, I wanted to find a way to share the class recordings and materials so that clients could use them as needed. I was entering a very intense time in my personal life and knew my capacity for synchronous delivery would be limited. I decided to create a members only website, the Academic Writing Studio.

Once my life settled down, I was able to offer synchronous classes regularly and add monthly Office Hours to provide group coaching and build community. I experimented with different classes, including regular planning classes. In late 2019, I switched from a telephone conference line to Zoom. When the Covid pandemic really hit, the value of the Studio became more obvious.

A new crisis, this time more generalized, prompted further changes. Through the first 6 months of the COVID pandemic, I experimented with more frequent Office Hours and tried to adapt the planning classes to suit the new context. It became obvious that the format I was using for planning classes was bursting at the seams. There were so many things affecting members’ ability to find and protect time for writing, and so many variations in members’ circumstances. Frequent Office Hours helped but were unsustainable for me.

By the summer of 2020, I realized that I needed a radical shake up. A Meeting With Your Writing would remain unchanged, and the classes would be optimized for coaching and community support. The website would also get a major overhaul.

Focus and Growth

In 2021, my priority has been to improve the Studio by building on what’s working and refocusing on supporting your writing: finding and protecting time for writing and using that time effectively, without overworking. We introduced a new registration process and a new pricing structure. Synchronous events are at the heart of the Studio. Classes have been redesigned to focus on coaching and community support.

To accommodate the wide variation in academic calendars, the cycle of planning classes has been shifted to calendar quarters, beginning the academic writing year in the northern hemisphere summer. I’m still experimenting with other classes to complement this cycle, focusing initially on helping members use their writing time effectively.

The new website design includes a classes function that will enable me to add asynchronous classes. Office Hours has the flexibility to provide coaching support for a wide range of issues. My intention is to gradually build up the number of resources and improve them through live iterations.

The Team

I realized that I needed help to deliver this well. I have 2 permanent part-time staff members for marketing and tech support.

Alice Kendrew – Marketing Assistant 

Alice is working as a social media, marketing and administrative assistant for Jo and The Studio. She lives in Liverpool UK after graduating in Politics there, and offers freelance services for other businesses needing marketing or admin support. 

Sarah Marie Lacy – Tech Support

Sarah, former tech fairy and web wizard, is the detail person. She helps turn big ideas into practical plans, creating systems that mostly run themselves. Sarah is also an accomplished artist. As her art career has grown, she’s stepped back, but she’s still there to advise and is the person behind Studio Support.

A Meeting With Your Writing

I’ve added regular hosts for A Meeting With Your Writing, and brought on a co-host for synchronous classes. The current team started out as occasional cover for my holidays. Both of them have been members of the Studio themselves and fully understand the ethos.

Joely Black

Joely Black has a PhD in Geography and is finishing up a PhD in Classics & Ancient History. She also writes fiction in the fantasy genre. In addition to being a longstanding member of the Studio, she’s been taking various fiction writing courses. She brings this experience and knowledge to the team and the micro-coaching she is able to offer during A Meeting With Your Writing, and her support for the classes.

Jeanette Hannaford

Jeanette Hannaford is an independent scholar with PhD in Literacy Education and many years of experience as a teacher. Her specialist expertise includes how global mobility impacts on identity and community in educational contexts. She also writes fiction. In addition to being a longstanding member of the Studio, she has experience of working in a writer’s critique group. She brings this experience and knowledge to the team and her support for the classes, and the micro-coaching she is able to offer during A Meeting With Your Writing.

Serena Williams, Jamie Pei and more recently Rosie Ward also help host Studio events.

Guest Contributors

I’ve also invited people with specific expertise to contribute resources.

Alexandra Murphy from Yoga in the High Peak, has made a series of very short videos to help you incorporate stretching and self-massage into your day. They are ideal for addressing those parts of your body that get stiff when you are sitting writing for a while.

Along with various guests on Jo’s blog over at JoVanEvery.co.uk.