Thread by @BucarLiz

I'm helping lead a workshop on #publicscholarship for humanities faculty at @Carleton_PW tomorrow, and preparing a handout with tips for writing for non-academic audiences. Sharing here, including a list of further reading at the end, b/c twitter threads with GIFs are my jam:

@Carleton_PW First the "Dos":
1/ Do read more popular writing, and then as @SarahEBond has said, try to imitate that style with citation habits of scholars. You are likely a scholar because you are good a learning things...so learn from the best writers out there!

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond 2/ Do identify which publics you want to reach. Perhaps there are conversations you what to shift or communities you want to reach/advocate for? Who you want to speak to will determine where you want to pitch.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond 3/ Do treat your audience with respect by meeting them where they are. They aren't dumb, but they don't know what you know. You are the scholar--your job is to communicate what you know. Do your job.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond 4/ Do think of your writing as a conversation between you and the reader. This will help you write less "stiffly" but also remind you that no one likes to be lectured at/talked down to....invite the reader to see/discover with you.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond 5/ Do start with a hook--a scene, a problem, something counterintuitive. And yes, this is the SAME advice I give for fellowship proposals. Get the reader interested, quickly.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond 6/ Do consider using stories and humor in your public writing, even (especially) if you don't in your scholarly writing. Your reader will thank you.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond 7/ Do write concise and clear arguments (which like @kelly_j_baker says does not mean dumb and simple)

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker 8/ Do aim to be effective (instead of merely right). This is especially true for opinion writing when you are trying to persuade people who don't already agree with you and one of the hardest things for scholars to do. @TheOpEdProject emphasizes this in their A+ trainings.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject 9/ Do become friends with editors and journalists who work in your area. Signal boost their work, answer their callas. They are your allies and collaborators and possible mentors. Plus, they way better at public writing that we are.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject 10/ Do make a public scholarship plan like we do with our @Sacred_Writes cohorts: topics you want to write about, venues you'd like to pitch, possible newshooks for your work.But also recognize that the newscyle doesn't care about your plans, so be ready to move FAST.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes 11/ Do set a public writing goal/quota. This tip I learned from @AntheaButler and it is super important if you are on the tenure-track (or hope to be) and your institution doesn't count public scholarship for P&T. My goal is 25/75, public scholarship/peer reviewed & books.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler Now for the "Don't":
12/ Don’t write “looking over your shoulder." @SarahEBond calls this stopping the academic "performance cycle" because academic prose is overwrought and or so booooring.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler 13/ Don’t use jargon, I know you love it, but it prevents non-specialist from being fully engaged.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler 14/ Don’t hedge: All those qualifications are distracting and hurt your credibility with the reader. Be bold and say what you mean directly.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler 15/ Don’t use or at least limit signposting, previewing, and summarizing. @stevenpinker calls this "metadiscourse," it is tedious and we don't do this in conversation so why do we write this way? You know a thing. Just say it.

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler @stevenpinker 16/ This advice is for TT folks: Don’t neglect “traditional” scholarly writing (peer-reviewed articles and books at scholarly press) if you want to stay legible in TT. For everyone else, check out @krgpryal's book #TheAcademicFreelance

amazon.com/gp/product/194…

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler @stevenpinker @krgpryal 17/ There is no "one size fits all" model of scholar engaged in public scholarship, so seek out advice from anyone who is willing to give it. A list of some of my favorite short pieces below, but please add your favorites!

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler @stevenpinker @krgpryal .@kelly_j_baker on writing for a public audience is GREAT advice

kellyjbaker.com/writing-for-a-…

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler @stevenpinker @krgpryal .@krgpryal has a new series for @chronicle on "The Public Writing Life" and first piece is out (I can't wait for the rest!):

chronicle.com/article/10-Que…

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler @stevenpinker @krgpryal @chronicle .@sapinker's piece about why academics stink at writing is a must read:

chronicle.com/article/Why-Ac…

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler @stevenpinker @krgpryal @chronicle @sapinker .@SarahEBond has these two super helpful pieces

this one on how to transition to public scholar:

forbes.com/sites/drsarahb…

and this one co-written by @TheTattooedProf especially for jr. scholars:

chronicle.com/article/Public…

@Carleton_PW @SarahEBond @kelly_j_baker @TheOpEdProject @Sacred_Writes @AntheaButler @stevenpinker @krgpryal @chronicle @sapinker @TheTattooedProf And @tressiemcphd reminds us of the risks of doing this work, and how these risks are not the same for everyone:

insidehighered.com/blogs/universi…

@threadreaderapp Unroll