Calling Graduate Student Writers: Don't bowl (or write) alone

There's something about our concepts of success and writing that seem to encourage us to go it alone. We struggle in front of the flickering blank screens of our computers (writers block, anyone?) or meticulously scrub every inch of our bathrooms (procrastination at its best), hoping for a breakthrough or an escape. We think of writing as a romantically individual activity ... or maybe a painful one.

In Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam explores the eroding social ties and interactions amongst people in the United States. While he makes connections with civic and political engagement, I wonder if there might be a connection for academic writers. When we strike out on our own as writers, disconnected from others, we lose out on the support, accountability and feedback that could help us to break out of unhelpful patterns of working and thinking. Even more, we could be losing out on connections with others that result in new insights or scholarly collaborations. Think about it. Maybe we need to build our social capital as writers, as well as citizens and thinkers.

I've participated in a number of writing groups over the years. Each worked differently based on the shared goals of those involved. In every case, though, I saved time and energy, gained momentum, learned about resources, and benefited from the accountability that the groups offered. In some cases I even met people who became collaborators or mentors. I became not only a better writer, but a better scholar and collaborator.

I encourage you to consider joining a writing group. You can check out the Writing Groups page of our website for information on the groups that are currently meeting. And if you're a graduate student interested in joining a group of other graduate students, please fill out this quick questionnaire so that we can connect you with others.

There's no sense writing alone when you could join a league. Who knows, you might even get a cool shirt and few good drinks out of it.

Post by Moira Ozias, Associate Director, OU Writing Center
Member of the Breakfast of Champions and the As-Yet-Unnamed Thursday faculty writing groups