My guess is that most academics find writing hard, a lot of the time – but that most of us think others find it easier than we do. So here is a thread on what academic writing is normally like for me. 1/n First of all, even though I broadly enjoy it, it's nearly always an emotional journey. Days when I feel moderately confident about what I'm writing alternate with days, or weeks, when I feel like every word I squeeze out is banal or misleading. 2/n