Writing is core to academic success, but it’s often the first thing to get pushed aside when schedules fill up. Teaching, service, mentoring, administrative tasks, and life outside of work can easily crowd out even the most well-intentioned writing plans. For faculty and academic leaders alike, the challenge isn’t knowing that writing matters: it’s figuring out how to sustain it when everything else feels urgent.
Whether you’re trying to finish a manuscript or support a department full of writers, here are a few strategies to help make consistent writing more realistic, even in the midst of a demanding academic life.
1. Treat Writing Like a Professional Priority
It’s easy to fall into the trap of treating writing as optional, a bonus activity that happens after everything else is done. But writing is core faculty work. It drives research agendas, contributes to tenure and promotion, and shapes institutional visibility.
Treating writing like any other professional responsibility means putting it on your calendar, honoring it as protected time, and resisting the urge to “make up for it later.” Even short, consistent sessions—30 minutes daily, for instance—can help maintain momentum over time.
A tip for academic leaders: Model this behavior when possible, and talk about writing as a shared priority. When writing is publicly valued and normalized, it becomes easier for faculty to protect time for it without guilt.
2. Start with Structure, Then Add Support
Writing regularly requires more than good intentions; it needs structure. That might look like:
- A recurring weekly writing block
- Clear, measurable goals (e.g., 200 words/day or two hours/week)
- A system for tracking progress
- A community or accountability partner to check in with
Writing also doesn’t have to be solitary. Faculty often gain traction when they’re part of a structured program or writing group that keeps the practice visible and supported.
A tip for academic leaders: Consider creating space for writing groups, offering low-barrier challenges, or promoting campus-wide initiatives that support sustained writing.
3. Redefine Progress
Writing progress isn’t always linear, and it isn’t always word count. Reading a key article, revising a section, outlining a new idea, or even deciding not to pursue a project are all meaningful steps.
When expectations are too rigid or perfectionistic, momentum stalls. Giving yourself (or others) permission to define progress more broadly can help restore a sense of movement, especially during busier stretches of the semester.
A tip for academic leaders: Acknowledge that writing looks different across disciplines and stages of career. Flexibility is part of what makes long-term productivity sustainable.
4. Plan for the Hard Parts
Every academic faces writing disruptions—midterms, grant deadlines, caregiving needs, burnout, etc. Momentum isn’t lost when writing stops; it’s lost when we assume we’ve failed and don’t plan how to re-engage.
Planning for writing disruptions can be as simple as identifying “minimum viable goals” during busy periods or scheduling a check-in after a major project wraps. Knowing how you’ll get back on track before you fall off can reduce guilt and increase resilience.
A tip for academic leaders: Create systems that allow for re-entry. Whether it’s supporting a colleague coming back from leave or offering time-bound writing programs, the goal is to help people restart without shame.
5. Connect Writing to Long-Term Purpose
Sustaining momentum is easier when writing feels connected to something bigger. That might be advancing a research agenda, amplifying underrepresented perspectives, building credibility for future leadership roles, or simply regaining clarity about your intellectual identity.
Returning to that “why” can help writing feel less like a chore and more like a form of professional grounding. When writing aligns with personal and professional values, it becomes worth fighting for.
A tip for academic leaders: Invite conversations about writing goals beyond outputs. Ask what faculty are excited about, what’s getting in the way, and how the institution can better support their work.
Final Thoughts
Writing momentum doesn’t come from willpower alone. It comes from structure, support, and a culture that values the process as much as the product. Whether you’re trying to protect your own time or help others do the same, the key is consistency over intensity, and connection over isolation.
The good news? Writing doesn’t have to be lonely, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to keep going.
For those looking to jumpstart their writing practice or regain a sense of rhythm, the free NCFDD 14-Day Writing Challenge is a great starting point. Faculty commit to writing just 30 minutes a day, no pressure, no perfection. Learn more and sign up for the next free challenge here.