Why did you decide to write your textbook?

A: Richard Hoefer, author of Advocacy Practice for Social Justice (5e), and winner of the McGuffey Longevity Award:

Social work is founded on the idea that social justice is core to the profession. Yet, at the time of the first edition, I found the alternative texts were inadequate in conveying both the “why?” and the “how?” of advocacy to my students. It thus became my project to write such a book.

A: Myrna LaFleur Brooks, co-author of Exploring Medical Language (12e), and winner of the McGuffey Longevity Award (co-authored with Danielle LaFleur Brooks and Dale Levinsky):

In 1970, I taught a two-credit medical terminology course at GateWay Community College in Phoenix, Arizona. I used The Elements of Scientific and Specialized Terminology by Brunner and Berkowitz as my textbook, and through it, I learned to teach medical terminology with the word-part method.

The book only dealt with medical terms built from word parts, so I wanted a book that would broaden its offerings to include terms not built from word parts. Unable to find such a text, my teaching partner Winnie Starr and I proposed this concept to The C.V. Mosby Company. After our proposal was accepted, we began writing Exploring Medical Language: A Student-Directed Approach, which appeared in its first edition in 1985.

A: John Hall, co-author of Guyton & Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology (15e), and winner of the McGuffey Longevity Award (co-authored with Michael Hall):

The first edition of the Textbook of Medical Physiology (TMP) was written by Arthur Guyton and published ~70 years ago. Dr. Guyton’s main goal was to write a book that could be used as a valuable basic teaching tool for understanding how the human body works. Dr. Guyton invited me to join him in revising the 9th edition of the TMP more than 35 years ago and it was my honor to accept since it was the leading textbook of physiology and I greatly enjoy teaching and learning more about new developments in physiology. After Dr. Guyton passed in 2003, I continued to revise the TMP every 5 years for the 10th through the 13th editions. Dr. Michael Hall joined me for completion of the 14th and 15th editions. Our main goal has remained the same – to explain, in language easily understood by students, how the different cells, tissues, and organs of the human body work together to maintain life.

A: Erin Schauster, co-author of Media Ethics: Issues and Cases (11e), and winner of the McGuffey Longevity Award (co-authored with Chad Painter, Lee Wilkins, and Philip Patterson):

It was an honor to be invited to write the eleventh edition of Media Ethics Issues and Cases and work with esteemed co-authors and media ethicists. The book details novel and contemporary case studies that encourage students to develop new knowledge and activate their moral reasoning and critical thinking. I prioritize these important learning outcomes for my own students and hope the book serves other educators of media and communication coursework

A: Lee Wilkins and Philip Patterson, co-authors of Media Ethics: Issues and Cases (11e), and winners of the McGuffey Longevity Award (co-authored with Chad Painter and Erin Schauster):

We thought the field needed a case study book that was based in actual cases, not hypotheticals. The book embedded cases in chapter introductions that emphasized philosophy and the latest research findings (and some current changes) in mass communication and journalism. We believed both were essential to prepare students for professional careers.

A: Sandy Fritz, co-author of Mosby’s Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage (8e), and winner of the McGuffey Longevity Award (co-authored with Luke Fritz):

In the 1980s, massage therapy education had almost no dedicated textbooks. At my massage therapy school, we relied on a Mosby anatomy book. I repeatedly told my Mosby sales representative that the profession needed a true massage therapy textbook.

Around that time, Mosby launched a new division called Mosby Lifeline, created to publish textbooks for smaller markets. My sales representative was appointed as acquisitions editor for this new division, and he asked me if I would consider writing a textbook for massage education.

I have dyslexia and no desire to take on a project of that scale. I tried to help by identifying other potential authors, but no one was willing to commit to developing an entry‑level massage therapy textbook. The editorial team assured me they would support me through every step of the process.

That combination — the absence of any other willing authors, the profession’s need for a foundational text, and the promise of editorial guidance — is what ultimately led me to say yes. And that is how I began writing what would become Mosby’s Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage, a textbook that helped establish the educational framework for the profession.

A: Luke Fritz, co-author of Mosby’s Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage (8e), and winner of the McGuffey Longevity Award (co-authored with Sandy Fritz):

Interestingly, the first editions were written by my mother Sandy Fritz. This has thus become a generational endeavour. All professions need reliable educational texts to turn to. I am proud to be helping support hers and the book’s legacy while also updating and modifying the material for future generations.

A: Charles Desnoyers and Peter Von Sivers, co-authors of Patterns of World History (5e), and winners of the Textbook Excellence Award:

Existing world history textbooks had little structure and explanation beyond what is often called “the simple growth model.” We wanted a more coherent structure, easily grasped by instructors and students, but one that was neither deterministic nor reductive: one that had substance without being simplistic.

A: Craig Miller, co-author of Little and Falace’s Dental Management of the Medically Compromised Patient (10e), and winner of the Textbook Excellence Award (co-authored with Nelson L. Rhodus, Nathaniel S Treister, Eric T. Stoopler, and Alexander Ross Kerr):

Dr. Nelson Rhodus and I were invited by our mentors, Dr. James Little and Dr. Don Falace, to join the 4th edition of the Dental Management of the Medically Compromised Patient text in 1993. Their encouragement and that invitation carried with it a deep sense of responsibility to preserve and advance a work that had already become foundational in helping clinicians safely manage medically complex patients. From the beginning, our goal has been to translate rapidly evolving medical knowledge into practical, evidence-based guidance that can be directly applied in dental practice. Since then, expert authors in the field of Oral Medicine (A. Ross Kerr, Eric T. Stoopler and Nathaniel S. Triester) have joined the team, and Elsevier has published 10 editions of the text.

The post Award-Winning Textbook Authors Share Why They Became Authors | Part 5 appeared first on Abstract.

Drawings, graphics, photos, and media catch readers attention. Sometimes the images are specific to the study, such as data visualizations or tables, maps or pictures of the research setting. Sometimes they help us gain a sense of the place, culture and historical period of the book or article. But they might just be a colorful element that conveys a friendly and amusing touch. How can we create or find images that get our messages across visually? In this series of newsletters I’ll discuss and demonstrate ways to:

• Picture using comics
• Picture going analog to digital
• Picture creating visual maps
• Picture creating clear diagrams
• Picture using your own photographs
• Picture using found images and media

Art, Work, and Life

First a little background about why I am adamant about avoiding AI pseudo-art. Actual arts have been central to the professional and personal sides of life. A few years ago I had the opportunity to bring these sides together in a chapter I contributed to a book called Creative Expression and Wellbeing in Higher Education, edited by the wonderful Narelle Lemon. In “Journaling Right and Left” I discussed ways scholars can benefit from incorporating art journaling into their research practice.

While I created the figures and tables for the research books I’ve written, this project was more personal. I illustrated the chapter with a series of pen and ink drawings.

Art journaling is a way to use the left and right sides of our brain.

It was just a contributed chapter, but I feel it represents some of my best work. Imagine my surprise when I got a message from a colleague letting me know that Routledge had signed a licensing deal with major AI companies. In an instant I had an email written and sent to my editor saying in no uncertain terms: I want to opt out. No can do, they said, too late. It was such a fantastic deal they saw no reason to inform writers, let alone ask for consent to use our work in this way. But don’t fret, the multimillion dollar deal will mean lots of money for writers! Two years have passed and I have not seen a dime. They got this chapter with all the artwork, in addition to three books that represented decades of research. Needless to say, I was not amused.

I have zero interest using AI to generate figures or art that builds on creative work that has been stolen or licensed without permission. I find it aesthetically displeasing. lt is garish and ugly. Plus, using an AI generated image calls the writing into question. When I see an AI image I assume that if the person didn’t care enough to create or find a real picture then they probably didn’t care about the writing either, and left it to bots. I move on to blog posts or articles by real living humans.

Whether or not you are an artist or photographer, there are many ways to convey complex ideas, show place or context, and liven up your writing.

Picture using comics in scholarly blogs, articles, or books

Let’s start with a fun option: comics. Create a single frame or tell a little story across multiple frames. You can draw your own, like Liza Donnelly, Grant Snider, and other fantastic visual journalists and cartoonists on Substack.

Or you can create simple comics without artistic skills using this free tool: MakeBeliefsComix. (Find them on Substack too! ) MakeBeliefComix was developed for children, but why should kids have all the fun? The advantage is that the learning curve is pretty short. You can use the tutorials to get a head start, or just play around and learn along the way.

Once you’ve logged in you can start making comics. Name it and add your name. You can create comics with 1 to 18 panels, just add new panels at any point.

Think about how you want to use each panel. What messages do you want to convey?

Choose your characters. They usually come in sets so you can show different poses in each panel. Just click on the one you want and they pop into the panel. Use your mouse to position it or flip it if you want characters to face each other.

These are just some of the fun zany characters!

Leave panels white or add a background.

A castle or the moon?

Add objects to the story.

Add balloons, thought bubbles. or text frames so you can include information or create dialogue.

What do your characters have to say?

The tool set is easy to use, and if you don’t like something just click and delete.

Save by clicking the “update” button. Export completed comics as png files to use online, save them as pdfs, email or print them.

Here are a couple of examples I made:

Illustration for posts about visual research methods.

A fun way to encourage use of comics to share findings.

No, they are not great art. But comic-making with this tool is flexible and can be customized to your mood and message. Your readers will know you cared enough to make an effort! Give it a try.

Learn more

As research community manager for Sage Methodspace (now Sage Research Methods Community) I offered a series about comics and animation in scholarly research and writing in 2022. The open-access posts are still live:

A three-part series by Lydia Wysocki:

• Comics as a research method: An ongoing journey (part 1)
• A collaborative methodology for using comics in research (part 2)
• Why – and why not – use comics as a research method (part 3)
• Also see her website with a link to download the how-to guide Applied Comics Collaborations: Ways for humanities and social science researchers to work together with comics creators.

An interview with Daria Khanolainen: Graphical Vignettes for Studying Sensitive Issues

Comics are more than fun! Journal articles show research potential. A curated list of open-access articles.

This license enables reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. In other words, you can use and share but you do NOT have my permission to upload the newsletter or art to AI.

Thanks to Beth Spencer for this badge, indicating that no AI tools were used to create this post!

Originally posted on “When the Field is Online,” a free blog and newsletter from TAA member Janet Salmons. Subscribe at http://tinyurl.com/qualnews

The post Illustrate your writing with AI-free Comics, Part 1 appeared first on Abstract.

42% of Colleges Haven’t Fully Submitted Required Student Outcomes Data (8/19/26)

Florida Responds to McMahon ‘Call to Action’ (8/19/26)

AI Helped Researchers Win NIH Grants. Will Science Suffer? (8/18/26)

Universities Were Forced to Pay Up Despite Little Evidence of Antisemitism, Trump Whistleblowers Say (8/18/26)

The Academic-Integrity Council Can’t Keep Up With AI (8/13/26)

As Disability Accommodations Soar, This College Offers a Playbook (8/4/26)

The post Industry News Round-Up Week of 8/17/26 appeared first on Abstract.

Q: I’m burned out but don’t feel I can take a break. Help!
          — Written Out

A: Like this writer, have you lost your dissertation fervor? Even mild enthusiasm? Do you long to regain that old rush of excitement (or at least a little)? Maybe, like companies that close temporarily for renovation or universities on a holiday break, you need to close your writing shop for some needed rejuvenation.

It’s tough, I know. When we think of stopping, even for a little while, too many excuses rear up . . . .

“I’ve Got So Much to Do!”

Like many of us, you’re probably surrounded by a mass of hydra-headed notes, projects on paper, files, Post-its, and pdfs, not to mention those in your head. The deceptive dream that you’ll finally really finish everything pushes you to do “just one more thing.” At that point, you feel overwhelmed and sapped. Your creative freshness has palled and editorial detachment has withered.

Remedy: Make a list. List every project you’re working on and would like to. Get it all out. For today, choose only one or two from that master list (likely the chapter you’ve been stalling in that your chair is politely bugging you about). Then hide the list. When you’ve completed this project, turn to another. Focus and monotasking are the keys.

Write out a reasonable schedule—for work stints, real lunch breaks (not gulped over your keyboard), and one other nonwork activity (walk outside, fifteen minutes of delicious phone gossip, a stupid sitcom you love). Even if you don’t stick to your schedule exactly, you’ll have a structure. And a daily treat.

A related defense:

“I’ll Get Behind!”

“I can’t take a break!” we scream. “Every other writer is getting ahead of me! They’re writing nine hours a day, churning out their dissertation, articles, essays, stories, and book proposals. They’re teaching classes to make into their next book. They’re creating webinars. They’re landing hot agents. I’ll never catch up!”

When we picture other writers producing with unflagging zeal while we get the tires rotated or hover over the gutter-cleaning guy, anxiety floods us, and we push ourselves harder. Face it: there will always be others who produce more and collect more stellar credits.

Remedy: This truism is still true. Remind yourself that you alone—individually, uniquely—can write what you write. You alone possess your vision and sensibility. You alone can express what you need to, in the ways you need to, in the time you need. Good, even great, writing can’t be hurried. Emblazon these truths on your brain, heart, and keyboard.

Nevertheless, another cry may stop us from pausing.

“I Feel So Guilty for Stopping!”

If you find it very hard to stop—for holidays, vacations, and even a weekend afternoon, you’re in much company. “Many authors castigate themselves,” observe psychologists and writers Jean and Veryl Rosenbaum (1985), “when they take vacation time or even when they relax from a regular writing schedule” (p. 165). We can’t stop because we find it almost impossible to separate our writing from ourselves. We believe we are what we write. No matter how much we earn from other endeavors, how many tasks we check off on the endless lists, how many compliments we get on our hair or six-pack, none of it matters. Under our fragile self-worth lives self-worse. So we suffer the guilt of barely thinking about stopping.

Remedy: Rachel Ballon (2007), the “writer’s therapist,” offers some admonitional tonic. “Maintain your self-worth and your self-confidence based on who you are, not on how [or that] you write” (p. 54)

How to do this? Credit yourself with accomplishments other than a completed chapter that your chair finally grudgingly approved or journal acceptance of one of your pieces. Take in others’ praise when you do something not associated with writing, whether it’s small or huge. Thank them graciously. Make a list of your nonwriting accomplishments and strong points, and you may just start to recognize that you are indeed separate from your writing.

And do you really think it matters to your spouse, partner, child, or pet whether you’re writing or publishing? Do they yearn to sit on the loveseat cuddling under the quilt with your manuscript, your diploma (finally), or the latest journal your story is in? It’s you they crave.

Alas, another objection may rear up.

“I don’t deserve it; I must earn it.”

Who’s tallying up your deservingness? This conclusion is the result of false social expectations you’ve probably ingested. You’ve already earned a break (and many)—by being human. Oscar Forrester (2024) points out that our brains need breaks: “the secret to performing better isn’t working harder, but taking smart, intentional breaks” (para. 1). In corroboration and quashing the idea that we don’t need to prove our deservingness, Sarah Kesty (2026) points out a cogent and practical reason:

The major flaw in [pushing] is that taking breaks can increase productivity; the task we force ourselves to complete so we “earn” our break may take 20 minutes with a tired brain but only 5 after refreshing for a few minutes. (para.7; my emphasis)

Are you convinced now?

“I’ll Lose My Ideas/Talent/Motivation!”

You won’t! When I was drowning in a long block, I agonized incessantly that I’d lose my previously unassailable motivation, and my writing ability would dribble down the sink. Thankfully, I discovered Julia Cameron’s (1992) The Artist’s Way and clutched it to my chest everywhere I went, like an amulet to ward off creativity-draining demons.

Faithfully I practiced Cameron’s “Morning Pages”—three handwritten pages, daily, religiously—on anything. After the first few weeks of scribbled self-pitying laments and self-righteous complaints, as Saint Cameron already knew, an amazing thing happened. My moaning and whining yielded to new ideas, passionate phrases, effortless alliteration, and fresh metaphors. Absent over six years from writing, I felt again the long-buried power I thought I’d lost. And turned a few of those little stars into (later published) articles, essays, and stories.

Remedy: To nudge your ideas/motivation/abilities back into view, engage in good block-breakers, like the Morning Pages or writing prompts available in many writing publications. You may be familiar with Maya Angelou’s famous, comforting, and uplifting words on creativity in a 1982 interview: “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have” (Ardito, 1982, p. 33).

So you won’t lose it. It may grog out in bed for a while but it will reawaken. And after such renewed and exhilarating production, though, you may still need to take a break.

But another objection springs up . . .

“I’ll Be Like Everyone Else!”

Ah, the writer’s ego! Despite our bouts of imposter syndrome, we know we’re elite, special, kissed by the gods, whether we’ve published a single syllable or tomes. We may do all the things ordinary people do—ferry the children, wrangle the laundry, traipse to the commuter job, argue with the plumber, pine over the new iPhone, rush to the latest action flick before our friends see it. And yet—we’re writers. Can we stand not to write and still murmur, with modestly lowered eyes, “Yes, I’m a writer”?

Remedy: Dare to be like everyone else. When you are, you’ll be better able to understand other people, transmute your feelings and observations into your writing, tap into their similar feelings and observations, and move many more readers.

Our Need for Rest and Respite

Many writers, especially consistently prolific ones, realize the dangers of pushing. Cameron again (p. 96): “An artist must have downtime, time to do nothing. Defending our right to such time takes courage, conviction, and resiliency.”

When I worry that I’ll suffer from being away and I’m afraid of losing it, Elizabeth Gilbert (2016) reassures me that I’m a creative person: “Too late,” she says, “you already are one. To even call somebody ‘a creative person’ is almost laughably redundant; creativity is the hallmark of our species” (p. 89).

With this consolation in mind, we can admit we need rest. Pressing toward our writing goals, in the midst of paralysis of ideas, creativity, brain, and fingers, and drained of all motivation, we hate to admit we need a rest. But respites help us recharge and reinvigorate our heads, emotions, and writing.

Of course, our downtime can be anything we dream up, especially activities you haven’t allowed yourself: a ramble through the hardware store bins of museum-worthy copper pipe fittings, the delicious buffet in a stationery emporium of pens and quilted- cover blank journals, a long walk in the country, a visit to the beach at sunrise, a foray through an ethnic neighborhood, a horseback ride, a day with a friend’s six-year-old. Take yourself out for fun and give your writing self a rest.

Trust the Process

To your probable surprise, you’ll come back refreshed and renewed, possibly with inspiration from an improbable source for the rationale for your choice of participants for data collection or that pesky hole in your plot. Also to your probable surprise, you’ll crave to get back to the project that earlier threatened to stifle you like a soaked wool blanket.

When you withdraw to what pleases and rests you, coming back your enthusiasm will spring up stronger, your mind will bubble over with ideas, your critical eye will laser in. Trust the process and listen to your need for taking occasional or regular breaks. You’ll return—refreshed and rarin’ again to write. And you’ll be glad you had the foresight and fortitude to close your shop.

References

Ardito, M. (1982). It’s the thought that counts. Interview Bell Telephone Magazine, 61(1), 32-33. See also J. M. Elliot (Ed., 1989), Conversations with Maya Angelou, p. x. University of Mississippi Press.

Ballon, R. (2007). The writer’s portable therapist. Adams Media.

Cameron, J. (1992). The artist’s way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. Tarcher/Putnam.

Forrester, O. (2024, October 15). The power of taking breaks: How smart resting habits lead to better performance. Very Big Brain.

Gilbert, E. (2016). Big magic: Creative living beyond fear. Riverhead/Penguin/Random House.

Kesty, S. (2026, June 2). The paradox of taking breaks. Psychology Today.

Rosenbaum, J., & Rosenbaum, V. (1985) The writer’s survival guide. Writer’s Digest Books.

Dissertation coach, nurturer, bolsterer, handholder, and editor; scholarly and mainstream writing consultant; author of writing craft, spiritual, and academic articles; and spiritual and motivational counselor, Noelle Sterne has published many pieces in print and online venues, including Author Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Children’s Book Insider, Graduate Schools Magazine, GradShare, InnerSelf, Inspire Me Today, Transformation Magazine, Unity Magazine, Women in Higher Education, Women on Writing, Writer’s Digest, and The Writer. Noelle’s ninth story for Chicken Soup for the Soul appears in June 2025 in the volume Self-Care Isn’t Selfish. With a Ph.D. from Columbia University, Noelle has for 30 years helped doctoral candidates wrestle their dissertations to completion (finally). Based on her practice, her Challenges in Writing Your Dissertation: Coping with the Emotional, Interpersonal, and Spiritual Struggles (Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2015) addresses students’ often overlooked or ignored but crucial nonacademic difficulties that can seriously prolong their agony. See the PowerPoint teaser here. In Noelle`s Trust Your Life: Forgive Yourself and Go After Your Dreams (Unity Books, 2011), she draws examples from her academic consulting and other aspects of life to help readers release regrets and reach lifelong yearnings. Following one of her own, she is currently working on her third novel. Visit Noelle at www.trustyourlifenow.com

The post Dear Dr. Noelle: Closing Your Writing Shop appeared first on Abstract.

While the final settlement in the landmark $1.5 billion copyright infringement class action Bartz v. Anthropic was finalized by the court on July 20, Class Counsel said class members will not begin receiving payments until at least the end of the year. Payments could be further delayed, they said, if anyone files an appeal of the court’s decision before the 30-day appeal period that ends on August 19. Payments will also be made in two stages, roughly 70% in the first stage and 30% in the second, as Anthropic will be making settlement payments in installments through September 2027.

If no appeals are filed, an online portal will be launched by the end of August that contains claimants’ consolidated claim forms. The portal will include the title of each work, its copyright number, the names of other claimants and the percentages each are claiming. If the claim percentages match for all claimants of a work, said Class Counsel, funds will be dispersed via the method submitted by each claimant. ACH and wire payments are preferred. If you have not provided payment information to the Settlement Administrator, JND, contact them at (877) 206-2314 or info@AnthropicCopyrightSettlement.com. You do not have to wait until the portal is available before requesting a report on your claim. You can contact JND at the contact information above. If an appeal is filed, according to Class Counsel, the claims process will be on pause temporarily until they can determine how to proceed.

If percentages claimed do not match, e.g., if you and your publisher each claim 100%, Class Counsel said claimants can reach out to each other directly to resolve, or contact JND, which will serve as an intermediary with the goal of reaching a compromise between the claimants. During this “meet and confer” process, authors can also ask JND to share a note with other claimants (including the publisher) that supports their claim, ask for a copy of their publishing contract, or ultimately if no compromise can be reached, request that their claim be submitted to the Special Master for review and final decision. Once the claim reaches the Special Master, all communications with claimants will go through the Special Master, rather than JND, according to Class Counsel.

While the details of each claim will be confidential, Class Counsel will issue a publicly available accounting at the end of the claims process that identifies all claimants and the total dollar amount each received from the settlement. However, whether the Special Master was involved will not be made public.

​View TAA’s guidance for educational authors on how to navigate the meet and confer process in the event fellow claimants don’t agree on the percentage split. This guidance is available for TAA members only. Not a member? Join for only $30.

The post Bartz v Anthropic: When to Expect Payments, Next Steps appeared first on Abstract.

The post Industry News Round-Up Week of 8/3/26 appeared first on Abstract.

Writing can be emotionally challenging. You have probably experienced this yourself. As writers, we often feel frustrated when we cannot find the right words to express our thoughts and ideas, annoyed when we get stuck, lost when we are unsure where our ideas are leading, confused when we struggle to connect them, and disappointed when our work is rejected. The emotional challenges of writing can seem endless.

Have you ever experienced any of these emotions as a writer? I bet you have.

In The Secret Life of Pronouns, James W. Pennebaker discusses research on expressive writing, which he defines as writing openly and honestly about one’s deepest thoughts and feelings concerning emotionally significant or stressful experiences. His research has shown that people who engaged in expressive writing often experience a wide range of benefits, including stronger immune system, improved physical health, fewer physician visits in the months following the writing sessions, reduced depressive symptoms and psychological distress, improved mood, greater optimism, and increased social engagement, openness, and more positive interactions with others.

These findings suggest that expressive writing truly works. But why?

Here are two main reasons based on Pennebaker’s work:

1. Writing releases emotional tension.

Suppressing difficult thoughts and emotions requires considerable mental effort and creates chronic stress, which can negatively affect both your physical and psychological health. Writing honestly about painful or stressful experiences reduces the need for emotional inhibition, allowing both the mind and body to function more efficiently. In other words, when you write about what is troubling you, you release some of that emotional tension, often leaving you feeling calmer and more at ease.

2. Writing transforms chaotic experiences into a coherent narrative.

Stressful experiences are often stored as disconnected memories, emotions, and thoughts. Expressive writing encourages you to organize these fragments into a meaningful story by connecting events, emotions, and their consequences. This process helps you better understand what happened and why it affected you. Based on Pennebaker’s research findings, you can benefit more from expressive writing when you use insight words (e.g., realize, understand, know, and recognize) and causal words (e.g., because, reason, why, and therefore). These words signal that you are making connections, identifying patterns, and constructing meaning from the experience. As you develop a coherent narrative, experiences that once felt confusing or overwhelming begin to make sense.

The next time you encounter a difficult moment in your writing, consider journaling about it. As you write, try using insight and causal phrases such as:

• I realize that…
• It dawns on me that…
• I see that…
• Now I understand…
• That’s why…
• That’s because…

These phrases encourage you to reflect more deeply and connect ideas, helping you move from simply describing an experience to understanding it. Expressive writing can help you integrate difficult experiences, construct meaning from it, and gain clarity about situations that initially seemed confusing or senseless. Beyond improving your understanding of yourself, it may also contribute to better physical health, greater emotional well-being, and a more positive outlook on life.

Reference

Pennebaker, J. W. (2011). The secret life of pronouns: What our words say about us. Bloomsbury Press.

Angelica Ribeiro is a writer, researcher, and professor. She is the author of How to Create Happiness at Work, Running into Happiness, and My Happiness Habit Journal. She holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a focus on English as a second language from Texas A&M University. She has taught English learners and preservice teachers in the United States and Brazil for over 25 years. Angelica has several publications on second language acquisition. She works as a professor in higher education and helps others benefit from her happiness research. When she was a Ph.D. student, Angelica struggled with balancing her academic commitments and personal life, which motivated her to embark on a journey to increase happiness. Her journey was so successful that now she encourages others to create happiness in their busy lives by sharing science-based strategies. Visit https://www.creatinghappiness.today

The post How Writing Can Get You Unstuck appeared first on Abstract.

Getting our writing done has a lot to do with how we respond to expectations. Here’s why.

As writers, we are constantly expected to meet different expectations. For example, we may be expected to write about a particular topic, publish in a certain journal, submit by a specific deadline, or complete a project in a certain format. With so many expectations, writing can become overwhelming if we don’t have strategies to help us manage them. However, before looking for strategies, we need to understand ourselves better and identify what approaches are most effective for us.

Gretchen Rubin developed the Four Tendencies—a personality framework that focuses on one important aspect of human behavior: how people respond to expectations. According to Rubin, there are two kinds of expectations: outer  expectations, which are expectations placed on us by others (e.g., a work assignment, a journal submission deadline, or a writing commitment), and inner expectations, which are expectations we place on ourselves (e.g., the desire to exercise regularly or write every day).

Based on how people respond to outer and inner expectations, they tend to fall into one of four categories or tendencies: Upholder, Questioner, Obliger or Rebel. According to Rubin, as shown in the image, the Four Tendencies overlap. While people may display characteristics of more than one tendency, their primary tendency reflects their core pattern of responding to inner and outer expectations.

Below I briefly describe each tendency, common writing challenges associated with each one, and strategies that can help writers complete their projects (Rubin, 2017). As you read, consider which tendency best describes you.*

Image Source: https://gretchenrubin.com/four-tendencies/

Upholder: Meets both outer and inner expectations

Upholders readily meet both external and internal expectations.

Main characteristics:

• Demonstrate self-starting, high motivation, and consistent reliability
• Meet deadlines and follow through commitments
• Maintain routines and personal goals
• Want to understand others’ expectations while also valuing their own expectations
• Enjoy schedules, to-do lists, and established systems
• Excel at following plans and completing tasks
• Require little supervision, reminders, or external pressure to stay on track
• Rarely fall behind on responsibilities

Writing challenges:

• May struggle when expectations are unclear or when a writing project lacks structure or a defined process.

Strategies for writers:

• Create a detailed writing schedule (e.g., writing time: Monday-Friday, 6:30-7:30 a.m.)
• Use milestones and checklists (e.g., break a book or article into sections, track progress)
• Define the finish line (e.g., set a deadline for first draft to be completed)

Questioner: Meets inner expectations but resists outer expectations

Questioners tend to meet expectations when they understand the reasoning behind them.

Main characteristics:

• Question expectations and seek justification
• Follow expectations when they make sense
• Customize approaches based on their own needs
• Look for efficient solutions
• Value research, evidence, and information
• Make decisions based on logic and available information
• Commit fully once convinced of the right approach
• Enjoy sharing knowledge and resources
• Ask questions frequently, sometimes appearing uncooperative

Writing challenges:

• May spend too much time researching, analyzing, or questioning the writing process or content to include instead of moving forward.

Strategies for writers:

• Define the purpose behind the project (e.g., write a “Why this matters” statement, connect the project to a larger goal)
• Limit information gathering (e.g., decide how many sources are necessary before beginning)
• Create a personalized writing system (e.g., experiment with writing times, session lengths, and routines)

Obliger: Meets outer expectations but resists inner expectations

Obligers readily meet expectations from others but may struggle to follow through on personal
goals without accountability.

Main characteristics:

• Keep promises to others but struggle to keep promises to themselves
• Need external accountability, even for personal goals
• Readily support and help others
• Feel a strong sense of responsibility toward other’s expectations
• Often go the extra mile for others
• Respond well to deadlines, support, and accountability systems

Writing challenges:

• May have strong intentions to write but struggle to prioritize writing when no one else is depending on them.

Strategies for writers:

• Create accountability (e.g., join a writing group or share progress with someone)
• Transform personal goals into responsibilities (e.g., shift from “I want to finish my book” to “My readers are waiting for this book.”)
• Build accountability systems (e.g., schedule weekly check-ins or writing appointments)

Rebel: Resists both outer and inner expectations

Rebels value freedom and are motivated by choice rather than expectations.

Main characteristics:

• Act because they choose to, not because they are told to
• Prefer flexibility and independence
• Resist rules, schedules, and pressure
• Often challenge traditional approaches
• Think creatively and outside the box
• Value spontaneity and autonomy
• Respond well to the information-consequence-choice framework

Writing challenges:

• May resist writing schedules, routines, or external pressure.

Strategies for writers:

• Frame writing as a choice (e.g., replace “I have to write today.” with “I choose to write because this expresses what I care about.”)
• Connect writing to identify (e.g., “I am a writer who explores meaningful questions.”)
• Create choices or choose from them (e.g., “Do I want to write this morning or afternoon?” or “Do I want to draft or revise today?”)

Once you identify your tendency, you can apply strategies that support the way you naturally respond to expectations. You can use the strategies above or develop your own based on your tendency’s strengths and challenges. The goal is not to force yourself into a particular system but to create a writing process that works with your tendency. Understanding how you respond to expectations can help you complete your writing projects in a way that feels more effective, sustainable, and enjoyable.

Reference

Rubin, G. (2017). The four tendencies: The indispensable personality profiles that reveal how to make your life better (and other people’s lives better, too). Harmony Books.

*If you aren’t sure what your tendency is, you can take the Four Tendencies quiz at https://gretchenrubin.com/quiz/the-four-tendencies-quiz/

Angelica Ribeiro is a writer, researcher, and professor. She is the author of How to Create Happiness at Work, Running into Happiness, and My Happiness Habit Journal. She holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a focus on English as a second language from Texas A&M University. She has taught English learners and preservice teachers in the United States and Brazil for over 25 years. Angelica has several publications on second language acquisition. She works as a professor in higher education and helps others benefit from her happiness research. When she was a Ph.D. student, Angelica struggled with balancing her academic commitments and personal life, which motivated her to embark on a journey to increase happiness. Her journey was so successful that now she encourages others to create happiness in their busy lives by sharing science-based strategies. Visit https://www.creatinghappiness.today

The post How Understanding Your Tendency Can Help You Finish Your Writing Projects appeared first on Abstract.

Academic Freedom at UT ‘Being Dismantled,’ Says Professor Denied Tenure (July 22, 2026)

Portland State Will Lay Off 36 Employees, Close 2 Departments (July 21, 2026)

Trump Administration Can’t Cite Changed Priorities to Terminate Grants (July 21, 2026)

‘A razor’s edge’: How colleges are navigating civil rights probes under Trump (July 20, 2026)

The New “Book Club” Scam Targeting Authors and How to Spot It (November 26, 2025)

The post Industry News Round-Up Week of 7/20/26 appeared first on Abstract.

Demonstrate your professional excellence and support the authoring community by submitting a proposal today!

We are seeking sessions designed for a live environment and educational in nature, specifically in areas like:

• How to get started
• Copyright infringement
• eBooks
• Grant writing
• Finding/Identifying a publisher
• Pedagogy ……and many others!

To learn more about submitting a proposal, please click here. You will need to create a Cvent account or log into an existing Cvent account to submit a proposal.

Thank you for your consideration in submitting a conference proposal.

The post Submit a Proposal for the 2027 Textbook & Academic Authoring Conference appeared first on Abstract.