November is Academic Writing Month, an annual worldwide event where academics challenge themselves to meet a self-set writing goal or establish good writing habits.
From narrative CVs and storytelling secrets, to writing retreats and 1:1 tuition, we have a range of writing-related support for postdocs on offer throughout the month. Explore it all now!
One-to-one tutorials with Royal Literary Fund Fellows
Expert writing advice
These professional writers, equipped with extensive experience, provide free support to help strengthen researchers' writing skills. A tutorial could help you to express your ideas more clearly, learn how to compose fluent sentences and paragraphs, receive guidance on restructuring, and more. The focus is on empowering you to enhance your writing abilities and become an independent writer.
This year, postdocs can book a tutorial through CCTL or through the University Library.
Find out more about the CCTL Literary Fellow
Find out more about the University Library Literary Fellow
Virtual Writing Retreats
Throughout November
Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.
Explore this month's Virtual Writing Retreats
Beautiful Blogs
11 November, 9:30 am - 12:30pm
Blogs and online articles are becoming ever more important as a shop window to help spread word of your work and get your message across. They can draw attention to the great things you’re doing, generate interest, build partnerships and establish you as a leader in your field. This half-day, highly interactive course teaches you all you need to know to write beautiful and beneficial blogs, from the importance of a title to layouts, what to write about to build an audience, and even smartphone photography.
Sign up to learn how to write Beautiful Blogs
Planning fundable research using Research Canvas
12 November, 10am - 12:30pm
In this interactive workshop, you will use the Research Canvas, a business-inspired tool, to help you develop your ideas into relevant and impactful research propositions. The simple, visual format of this tool facilitates discussions with a range of stakeholders who need to quickly grasp your research vision. It is used as a living document that evolves with their input to make your research proposition clear and compelling, before tailoring it for specific funding applications.
Sign up for Planning fundable research using Research Canvas
Narrative CV Writing Retreat
27 November, 9:30am - 12:30pm
Funders and employers are increasingly using the narrative CV structure in their applications, so it is worth familiarising yourself with what it is, learning how to create an effective one, and making time to develop your own. In this writing retreat, you will have time to work independently on your own narrative CV, followed by chances to get feedback from your peers and ask questions of the facilitator. We will provide guidance, templates, and examples to support your writing. Crucially, you will leave having started an initial draft that you can polish and use for future applications.
Sign up to attend the Narrative CV Writing Retreat
The Secrets of Storytelling
27 November, 2 - 5pm
It’s a deeply human trait to love stories. They account for about two thirds of conversations, according to research, play on our emotions, light up our minds, and are far more likely to be remembered than facts alone. Which makes good storytelling the most powerful method of raising your profile, enhancing your reputation, and outlining your vision. From the hook of how to start your story, to an emotional ending, and everything in between, this high energy, highly interactive workshop covers all you need to know to become a scintillating storyteller.