Writing, coaching & real talk
for academics
Notes on academic writing, publishing, coaching, and building an intellectual life that lasts.
Why Risky Research Feels Impossible on Short-Term Contracts
Fixed-term academic contracts push early-career researchers toward safe, doable projects. Here's why that's a rational response to precarity — and three ways to protect your intellectual creativity anyway.
February 6, 2026
Progress Over Perfect: What Academics Get Wrong About Perfectionism
Perfectionism keeps brilliant researchers stuck for months or years. Here's how to loosen its grip, build momentum with imperfect drafts, and finally get your writing out into the world.
February 2, 2026
What Does Academic Coaching Actually Do? Real Talk from Inside the EMERGE Café (AcWriMo Edition)
Two myths about academic coaching, two real client stories, and an invitation to bring your biggest writing or career question to the EMERGE Café this Academic Writing Month.
November 17, 2025
November Planning: Reflections from Our Open Academic Writing Month Session
Highlights from November's open planning session — how researchers from across Europe set realistic writing goals, chose small rewards, and worked through internal interruptions during Academic Writing Month.
November 3, 2025
Why Academic Writing Doesn't Fit into a Productivity App
Discover how professors, postdocs, and PhD students can protect writing time, reduce admin overload, and make real progress with online co-writing support.
October 29, 2025
Why Mondays and Fridays Are the Most Productive Writing Days in My Writer's Studio
Monday and Friday co-writing sessions fill up first — and it says a lot about how academics approach their writing. Here's what I've learned from watching PhDs, postdocs, and professors write together in one-hour blocks.
October 24, 2025
Why You Don't Need to Be "Ready" to Return to Your Academic Writing
A reset for your academic writing practice: why you don't need motivation or a perfect plan — just a space that welcomes you back.
October 8, 2025
When Grant Funding Meets Luck: Would a Lottery Make It Fairer?
The European Commission is exploring a lottery model for Horizon Europe grants. Here's what that could mean for how we write — and how we cope with rejection.
October 7, 2025
Welcome to the Emerge Scholars Blog: Writing, Coaching & Real Talk for Academics
A space for researchers navigating the complex, sometimes messy, often beautiful world of academic life — with writing support, coaching insights, and honest reflections.
October 2, 2025