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Odegaard Writing & Research Center

Write for You Podcast

Season 6 out now!

Writing in graduate school is hard, but it doesn’t have to be. Through a series of conversational interviews with graduate and postgraduate students, this podcast from the Odegaard Writing and Research Center offers a practical companion to writing at the graduate level by asking experienced writers about their processes and practices. By placing current and former graduate students in dialogue with one another, we aim to open up a conversation about how writing actually happens across disciplines. Listen in as our guests reflect on their own writing processes and how they learned what works for them. Maybe you’ll even find a strategy that is right for you!

Listen to the podcast here, through Anchor.fm, or any other major podcast platforms including:

Episodes

Season six

Episode 1: Alyssa

Audio transcript: Episode 1

In this episode,  we hear from Alyssa (she/her), a Ph.D. candidate in Biology. Speaking with me from her fieldsite in Colombia, Alyssa shares her approach to writing across genres, working in collaboration, and finding the strategies that suit your writing process. 

Material and resources discussed:

  • ​​The Pomodoro Method/Technique – This productivity strategy is summarized uses a cycle of work and break time to avoid creating burnout. Learn more via UNC-Chapel Hill’s Writing & Learning Center here. 
  • Explore OWRC’s resources on starting your own writing group using our guide to social and independent writing.
  • Learn more about UW’s Sharepoint access here.
  • R Markdown – A software that allows users to code and embed data within the document.
  • Scrivener – Scrivener is an app designed with lengthy writing projects in mind.

Episode 2: Gabrielle

Audio transcript: Episode 2

In this episode, we chat with Gabrielle (she/her), a Ph.D. candidate from the Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering. Listen in as we talk about writing, technology, and finding confidence in your work. 

Materials and resources discussed:

  • How the Page Matters – Bonnie Mak (University of Toronto Press, 2011; accessible via UW Libraries) 
  • Otter.ai – An AI-based transcription and notetaking software
  • The Master and his Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World – Iain McGilchrist (Yale University Press, 2010; accessible in print or ebook via UW Libraries)
  • Association for Computing Machinery – a major professional association focused on computing science and technology
  • The Notebooks of Simone Weil – Simone Weil (Routledge, 2004; available via UW Libraries.
  • Tim Ingold – Emeritus Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Aberdeen
  • Phenomenology of Perception – Maurice Merleau-Ponty (Routledge, 2012 [1945]; available via UW Libraries.
  • Writer’s Routine podcast – a chat-based podcast in which published authors describe and reflect on their writing routine

Episode 3: Richa

Audio transcript: Episode 3

In this episode, we hear from Richa (she/her), a Master’s student in Communications with a background in business and marketing. With her current studies and professional experience, Richa brings an informative perspective on practical writing, focusing on the audience, and the value of reading broadly.

Materials and resources discussed:

  • The Culture Code: An Ingenious Way to Understand Why People around the World Buy and Live as They Do – Clotaire Rapaille (Crown Business, 2007; accessible via UW Libraries) 
  • The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion – Jonathan Haidt (Crown Business, 2012; accessible via UW Libraries)

Episode 4: Sikose

Audio transcript: Episode 4

On this episode, we talk with Sikose (she/her), a Ph.D. student in the Department of English studying underground literature in South Africa during apartheid. Together, we talk about how her research informs her perspective on writing and why writing matters to her. 

Please note that this episode contains discussions of police and state violence. 

Historical context:

  • 1948 – the first apartheid law is enacted in South Africa
  • 1952 – Regional pass laws, which required Black South Africans to carry identifying documents to travel through internal checkpoints within the country, are replaced by a national pass law
  • 1953 – The Bantu Education Act is enacted, effectively restricting education access for non-White South Africans
  • 1960 – Sharpeville Massacre occurs when police ambush crowds protesting against the national pass law
  • 1963-64 – The Rivonia Trial takes place, sending many leading anti-apartheid activists to prison for life, including Nelson Mandela
  • 1976 – Soweto Uprising, a protest that begins as a response to planned language policy instituting Afrikaans as the language of instruction for Black South African students, becomes a broader challenge to the authority of the apartheid government
  • 1990 – Negotiations begin to end apartheid in South Africa; Nelson Mandela is released after 27 years of imprisonment

Materials and resources discussed:

  • South Africa Belongs to Us: A History of the ANC – Francis Meli (Zimbabwe Publishing House, 1988; accessible via UW Libraries)
  • Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto – Tricia Hersey (Little, Brown Spark, 2022; accessible via UW Libraries)
  • On the Stage of Time – Sikose Mji (Beyond the Vale Publishing, 2024; available soon via UW Libraries)
  • Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature – Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o (Heinemann, 1986; accessible via UW Libraries)
  • The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-love – Sonya Renee Taylor (Berrett-Koehler Publishers; accessible via UW Libraries) 
  • Storytelling Fellows – a program for UW students, faculty, and staff organized by the UW Libraries offering beginner-level workshops on podcasting, digital exhibition, and video storytelling

Season Five

Episode 1: Lizzy

Audio Transcript: Episode 1

In this episode,  we talk with Lizzy (she/her), a Ph.D. candidate in the University of Washington’s Archaeology Program. Listen in as we talk about getting organized, thinking about audience, and confronting the blank page!

Find out more about the material and support mentioned in this episode:

  • Zotero – An integrated citation manager. Access the UW Libraries’ Zotero guide here.
  • Dian Million – Associate Professor of American Indian Studies
  • Sapiens – a digital magazine that poses anthropological perspectives for non-specialist readers 
  • Nature (accessible via UW Libraries) – a longstanding and well-respected peer reviewed journal publishing on topics related to the natural sciences and technology
  • Science (accessible via UW Libraries) – a longstanding and well-spected peer reviewed journal publishing on topics related to leading scientific discoveries.

Episode 2: Sue

Audio Transcript: Episode 2

In this episode, we talk with Sue (she/her), a Ph.D. candidate from the Department of History, who talks us through a creative approach to writing academically, and how working in different genres and languages helps her avoid writer’s block. Listen in to hear more. 

Find out more about the material and support mentioned in this episode:

  • What I Talk About When I Talk About Running – Haruki Murakami (Alfred A. Knopf, 2008; accessible via UW Libraries) 
  • Dramatists Guild of America – an American trade guild for writers in theatre and musical theatre
  • Red Poppies – Alai (Houghton Mifflin, 2002; accessible via UW Libraries)
  • “How Writing Leads to Thinking” – Lynn Hunt (in Perspectives on History, Feb. 2010)
  • Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity – Judith Butler (Routledge Classics, 2006 [1999]; accessible via UW Libraries)

Episode 3: Jenna

Audio Transcript: Episode 3

In this episode, we talk with Jenna (she/her), a Master’s student in the College of Education in the midst of writing her final thesis. Together we talk through the tips, strategies, and habits that have helped her, and where she’s hoping her writing takes her next. Listen in to hear more.

Episode 4: Runhua

Audio Transcript: Episode 4

In this episode, we talk to Runhua (she/her), a first year Ph.D. student in Information Science. Drawing from a wealth of graduate and professional writing experiences, Runhua shares her practical approach to making peace with imperfection and why her writing is the dog’s pajamas.  Listen in to hear more! 

Season Four

Episode 1: Madalena

Audio Transcript: Episode 1

In this episode, we talk to Madalena (she/her), a first-year Ph.D. student in the University of Washington’s  Department of Geography, about gaining confidence, working through translation, and getting to know your process. Listen in to hear more!

Episode 2: Jeevan

Audio Transcript: Episode 2

In this episode, we talk to Jeevan (he/him), a recent graduate from the University of Washington’s Master of Arts for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL) program (Department of English) and future first-year Ph.D. student, about inspiration, writing with goals in mind, and the importance of knowing when to take a break. Listen in to hear more!

Episode 3: Andrew

Audio Transcript: Episode 3

In this episode, we talk to Andrew (he/him), a Ph.D. Candidate in the University of Washington’s  Department of History and Associate Director of the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies, about navigating a changing writing process, writing across a range of genres, and the richness of editorial feedback. Listen in to hear more!

Find out more about the material and support mentioned in this episode:

Episode 4: Renee

Audio Transcript: Episode 4

In this episode, we talk to Renee (she/her), a recent Ph.D. from the University of Washington Department of English, about how she finished her dissertation, the importance of community, and what comes next. Listen in to hear more!

Find out more about the material and support mentioned in this episode:

Season Three

Episode 1: Megan & Mikhail

Audio Transcript: Episode 1

In this episode, we hear from Megan and Mikhail, graduate students in Clinical Informatics and Patient-Centered Technologies and Archeology, respectively. In their discussion, we hear about utilizing multiple forms of communication, negotiating audiences, and the ongoing process of refining your approach. Listen in to learn more!

Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:

  • ​​The Pomodoro Method/Technique – This productivity strategy is summarized uses a cycle of work and break time to avoid creating burnout. Learn more via UNC-Chapel Hill’s Writing & Learning Center here. 
  • Zotero – An integrated citation manager. Access the UW Libraries’ Zotero guide here.
  • StatQuest with Josh Starmer – Find engaging digital content about statistics and mathematics from Josh Starmer on his YouTube page.
  • Atul Gawande – Learn more about Gawande’s work in writing, medicine, and public health on his website here.
  • “To Save The Science Poster, Researchers Want To Kill It And Start Over” — Nell Greenfieldboyce (NPR, 2019).
  • “Why Doctors Hate Their Computers” – Atul Gawande (The New Yorker, 2018)
  • Bitch Doctrine: Essays for Dissenting Adults – Laurie Penny (Bloomsbury, 2017; accessible via UW Libraries)

Episode 2: Anna & Safi

Audio Transcript: Episode 2

In this episode, we hear from Anna and Safi, doctoral candidates in the fields of history and English. Together, they talk about writing and research practice, reflections on their own habits and processes from a teaching perspective, and clarifying the audiences and stakes of their work. Listen in to learn more!

Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:

  • Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life – Anne Lamott (Penguin Random House, 1995; accessible via UW Libraries in print or ebook)
  • This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage – Ann Patchett (2014, HarperCollins; accessible via UW Libraries in print or audio)
  • The Creative Habit – Twyla Tharp (Simon & Schuster, 2006; accessible via UW Libraries)
  • A Disability History of the United States – Kim E. Nielsen (Beacon Press, 2013; accessible via UW Libraries in print or ebook)
  • “Beach Boys” – Barb Rabe (poem)
  • Yến Lê Espiritu – Learn more about Espiritu’s work on critical refugee studies and peruse her publications here
  • The Theory of the Novel – Georg Lukács (The MIT Press, 1974; accessible via UW Libraries)

Episode 3: Sarah & Maria

Audio Transcript: Episode 3

In this episode, we talk with former graduate students Sarah and Maria. Now a few years out from earning their doctorates, Sarah and Maria reflect on writing both within and beyond the scope of their dissertations, and what they wish they knew before they finished. Listen in to hear their tips, insights, and recommendations!

Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:

  • National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) – Access the NCFDD’s vast range or resources and support for free through the University of Washington’s institutional membership.
  • Scrivener – Scrivener is a an app designed with lengthy writing projects in mind. Learn more here.
  • ​​The Pomodoro Method/Technique – This productivity strategy is summarized uses a cycle of work and break time to avoid creating burnout. Learn more via UNC-Chapel Hill’s Writing & Learning Center here. 
  • Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success­ – Wendy Laura Belcher (University of Chicago Press, 2019; accessible via UW Libraries)
  • Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life – Anne Lamott (Penguin Random House, 1995; accessible via UW Libraries in print or ebook)
  • Find collected essays from John McPhee on writing through The New Yorker here.
  • How to Write a Thesis – Umberto Eco (The MIT Press, 2015; accessible via UW Libraries in print or ebook)

Trailer: Season 3

Audio transcript: Trailer

Season Two

Episode 1: Karen & Elyse

Audio Transcript: Episode 1

In this special episode, we hear from Karen and Elyse, graduate students in the University of Washington’s Master of Library and Information Science and Master of Arts for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages programs, respectively. Listen in as they chat about they chat about their experiences, including grappling with perfectionism, navigating pressure, and reflecting on one’s one writing.  

Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:

  • How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy – Jenny O’Dell (Melville House, 2019; accessible via UW Libraries in print or ebook)

Episode 2: Lily & Madison

Audio Transcript: Episode 2

In this episode, Lily and Madison – both nearing the end of their dissertation writing – share their takes on time management, responsibility in writing, and the specter of critique.

Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:

  • What I Talk About When I Talk About Running – Haruki Murakami (Alfred A. Knopf, 2008; accessible via UW Libraries) 

Episode 3: Biljana & Lily

Audio Transcript: Episode 3

In this episode we hear from pre-candidacy doctoral students Biljana and Lily as they chat about experiences of writing early on in a doctoral program, finding your niche, balance, and thinking about feedback.

Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:

Episode 4: Brittney & Christopher

Audio Transcript: Episode 4

In this episode, we talk to Brittney and Chris, doctoral candidates from the College of Arts and Sciences. Listen in as they discuss transformation, problematizing the production of knowledge, sustaining oneself, and engaging conversations outside of traditional academic spaces.

Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:

  • Image Matters: Archive, Photography, and the African Diaspora in Europe — Tina Campt (Duke University Press, 2012; accessible via UW Libraries)
  • Heaven – Emerson Whitney (McSweeney’s Publishing, 2020; available here)
  • “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action” – Audre Lorde in Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches (Crossing Press, 1984; accessible via UW Libraries in print, ebook, or audio)
  • The Black Embodiments Studio – The Black Embodiments Studio is a creative residency program from the Jacob Lawrence Gallery and the School of Art + Art History + Design at the University of Washington. https://www.blackembodiments.org/
  • #CiteBlackWomen
  • Evernote – A notes and productivity app

Episode 5: Christina & Ayda

Audio Transcript: Episode 5

In our final episode of the season, we chat with doctoral students Christina and Ayda and get their takes on beginnings, challenges of interdisciplinary practice, seeking out feedback, and finding inspiration.

Find out more about the material mentioned in this episode:

  • Evernote – A notes and productivity app
  • Muddying the Waters: Coauthoring Feminisms Across Scholarship and Activism — Richa Nagar (University of Illinois Press, 2014; accessible via UW Libraries in print or ebook)
  • Epistemologies of the South: Justice Against Epistemicide – Boaventura de Sousa Santos (Paradigm Publishers, 2014; accessible via UW Libraries)
  • Unruly Visions: The Aesthetic Practices of Queer Diaspora — Gayatri Gopinath (Duke University Press, 2018; accessible via UW Libraries in print or ebook)
  • In the past, the OWRC facilitated regular semi-formal open writing circles for University of Washington graduate students. For resources on independent and social writing practices, check out the OWRC’s guide here.
  • Borderland: The New Mestiza = La Frontera (Fourth Edition) – Gloria AnzalduÌ a, Norma E. CantuÌ, and AiÌ da Hurtado (Aunt Lute Books, [1987] 2012; accessible via UW Libraries)
  • Dicteé — Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (University of California Press, [1982] 2009; accessible via UW Libraries)

Trailer: Announcing Season 2

 Audio Transcript: Trailer

Season One

Episode 1: Hollis & Hope

Audio Transcript: Episode 1

In our first episode, we hear from doctoral candidates Hollis and Hope from UW’s Department of Anthropology as they discuss their changing processes of writing and one of the most common challenges of writing – revision.

Episode 2: Yoli & Glenys

Audio Transcript: Episode 2

This episode brings together doctoral candidate in archeology, Yoli, and museology master’s student, Glenys, to discuss how they have navigated writing for different contexts, aims, and audiences with a special focus on public-facing work.

Episode 3: Caroline & Aaron

Audio Transcript: Episode 3

In this episode, we talk with graduate students Caroline and Aaron from the Art History and China Studies programs at UW, who discuss their master’s theses, the challenges of adapting to writing at home, seeking input from others, and the ongoing work of refining one’s writing process.

Episode 4: Sam & Michelle

Audio Transcript: Episode 4

In our final episode of this season, we listen in on doctoral candidates from UW’s Department of Philosophy, Sam and Michelle, who discuss how to manage expectations from yourself and others to find a productive balance between academic work, writing, and everyday life.