It’s normal to feel a bit vulnerable about seeking support. You want to know that you are not alone, there is no shame in needing this kind of support, and that you will be welcome in the community. You might be wondering if there are other people like you in the Academic Writing Studio.

I’ve been hosting A Meeting with Your Writing since September 2012, creating the Studio in 2016. I can assure you that a lot of different people join for a lot of different reasons. I’ve written some anonymized profiles focused on a few of the common reasons for joining to help you decide.

We have had members at all stages of career from dissertation writers (Masters and PhD) to retired academics who are still writing. Some join only in the summer and when on sabbatical. Some join to help them write when they have other things to juggle and pause their membership for the summer or their sabbatical. There are writers who use the Studio resources year round.

Some writers join the Studio to help them develop a practice they can maintain without the support of the community. They leave, grateful for the boost, and keep writing on their own. Other writers recognise that the support of the Studio is essential for them to maintain their practice and remain members for years. The Studio is for you to use however you need to.