Approach academic writing as a craft

When organizing your PhD or any kind of major writing project, you’ll likely be more successful if you think of it as a job and a craft, rather than your passion or your life. During the PhD phase, especially if you’re passionate about your subject, and particularly in the humanities, there’s a tendency to blur the lines between your work and your personality, which will negatively impact your work-life balance. This will cause you to deteriorate over time, which is why I’ve said that the PhD is the most un-Zen phase of your life. But let’s not get sidetracked—that’s not my main point here.

Why should you view academic writing as a job or craft?

Because it’s much more effective to view it as a job and a craft. Viewing it as a passion brings this notion of genius, implying that either you have it or you don’t (patriarchal bs if you ask me), but academic writing and research are skills that can be developed. Even handling rejection or learning to accept it gracefully is a skill that you can improve. You can build it like a sort of confidence muscle (or a “willpower muscle” as the hustle bros say, although that is not scientifically legit from what I know—willpower is a resource you use up during the day, so you better don’t waste it, says Queen Barbara Oakley).

If you look at it this way, it gives you the opportunity to not take things so personally and not think that if you can’t get something right immediately, you’re untalented or bad at it (which would be a fixed mindset, not a growth mindset, although, from what I know, this cute motivating theory has sadly not withheld replication studies). Whether or not fixed and growth mindsets truly make a difference, often it’s just that you lack experience.

A craftsperson mindset helps you hone your skills

For instance, before my PhD, I didn’t receive much training in how academic writing actually works. I had written a few academic texts, but what I mostly learned was how to cite things. I never learned how to make a strong argument. I wrote several master’s theses, but I think most of them were either not read or only read superficially and I didn’t get much feedback. So, I didn’t really have a chance to learn from those experiences.

As a result, I entered my PhD pretty clueless about academic writing as a craft, even though I thought I knew what I was doing. I think that was probably the most dangerous part of it all. I wasn’t as open to feedback because I had the mindset that either you have it or you don’t. Since I showed promise in certain areas, people told me I was talented, but that didn’t exactly help me adopt a growth mindset.

So, both for your work-life balance and for improving your skills, it’s better to think of your PhD work as a craft, not a passion. You can also look into Cal Newport’s So Good They Can’t Ignore You, which is all about passion versus craft mindsets.

Become a professional

This advice comes from the realm of fiction writing (Procrastination, addiction and Turning Pro), but I believe it applies here as well: you should approach your craft like a professional.

You show up, get started and do the work without procrastinating. If unsure of what to do, a professional will spend a few minutes figuring it out (see also How to stop procrastinating on academic writing (it may be simpler than you think)). They have a plan for what they’re going to do and when. They give it their best and when they receive negative feedback, they think about how to incorporate it (trying to not take it personally as best as they can, although getting negative feedback is always hard for everyone!). But just as importantly, when it’s time to stop and relax at the end of the day, they do that too.

That’s it for today. I hope you’re doing well on your journey.
Maybe you needed a little hype talk today—but I’m sure you have what it takes. In fact, I know it!
Let us know in the comments if you have any thoughts or questions and best of luck!

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