Support & Accountability Community
for Academic Writers
This group helps build accountability and community into your writing life, to make it easier for you to make sustained progress on your writing project(s) without feeling isolated or burning out.
Program includes:
Regular 2-hour guided Zoom cowriting calls (T-W-F during summer, T-W in the fall),
A “cheering-each-other-on” thread on a private forum,
An “extra-support” cowriting call each month when we have 30 min. for a reflective writing prompt & group conversation and 90 minutes when I’m available for one-on-one mini coaching conversations in a break-out room),
An editorial Q&A call each session.
Enrollment will be capped at 20 participants.
Summer option: Jun. 1–Aug. 7
Fall option: Sept. 8–Dec. 18
Summer & fall option: Jun. 1–Dec. 18
SLIDING SCALE PRICING:
Summer option: $100, $130, or $160
Fall option: $112, $154, or $196
Summer + fall option: $212, $284, $356
Through Feb. 28: All enrollment fees will go to organizations supporting immigrant communities in Minneapolis.
(Or you can make a donation & I’ll waive your enrollment fee; see enrollment form for details.)
Note from Ellen:
I’m based in Minneapolis. Through the end of February, I’ll donate 100% of enrollment fees for the Support & Accountability Community to organizations providing food support and rent relief to immigrant communities in Minneapolis. You can also support organizations directly and send me a receipt of your donation; see the enrollment form for details. You can sign up for an email reminder before my donation window ends at the end of February.
Note about the Summer + Fall Option:
There will be a pause in the cowriting sessions from August 8th through September 7th. But if you choose the “summer + fall option,” you can keep participating in the cheering-each-other-on thread during these weeks.
Schedule:
Jun. 1–Aug 7: Guided cowriting calls from 10:00–12:00 ET Tuesdays, 2:00–4:00 ET Wednesdays, & 10:00–12:00 ET Fridays.
Sept 8–Dec 18: Guided cowriting calls from 10:00–12:00 ET Tuesdays and 2:00–4:00 Wednesdays (to accommodate both T-Th and M-W-F teaching schedules). No cowriting the week of Nov. 23rd.
Second week of each month: during one of the cowriting calls, an opportunity for coaching conversations and a longer reflection & check-in period.
Ongoing: “Cheering-each-other on” thread on private forum.
Additional details below!
Program Details:
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Come as often as you like, for part or all of each session!
In each 2-hour call, we’ll generally have
a moment to stretch, share goals, and “settle in” at the start,
two 45–50 minute cowriting blocks (with a short break and “check-in” in between),
an optional prompt for reflection + for leaving yourself “breadcrumbs” (to make it easier to get going the next time you write), and
a final moment when you can share how things went or mention any goals for the coming days.
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During the second week of each month, I’ll be available for on-the-spot one-on-one coaching in a breakout room during one of the cowriting calls. (If I offer the coaching during the Tuesday call one month, I’ll offer it during the Wednesday call the next month.)
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During the cowriting call with the on-the-spot coaching, we’ll also have a longer check-in time at the start (more like 25–30 minutes than 5–10). This longer check-in will include a short reflective writing prompt as well as time for group conversation.
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I’ll create daily check-in threads on the private online forum for the group (weekdays only) where you can post about goals, challenges, or little wins (giving a high-five or encouragement to the person who posted above you in the thread).
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Writing prompts and strategies (shared in a Google doc during each cowriting session) tailored to the generating, shaping, and polishing phases of the writing process. You can look at the prompts for inspiration if you’re feeling stuck.
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Once during the 6-month session, I’ll hold an editorial Q&A where you can pick my brain about revision challenges or academic book publishing. (If I don’t have an answer for you regarding some aspect of the publishing process, I can reach out to my network to see if I can get information!)
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My goal in creating this group is to foster a supportive community to help you make consistent progress on your writing projects without burning out.
You can also include this Support & Accountability Community as an “add-on” to my small-group coaching program, Sustainable Productivity for Academic Writers, or my summer book development workshop, Crafting Your Scholarly Book. (I’m offering a 10% discount for the community when it’s purchased as an add-on to either of these programs.)