PUBLISHING ACADEMIC RESEARCH | Complete Your Scholarship, Thesis, or Dissertation and Maintain Your Mental Health

Have you ever opened an email from a journal, seen the words “Revise and Resubmit,” and felt relief and panic hit at the exact same time? Have you found yourself rereading reviewer comments over and over, unsure whether or how to start revising? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’re talking about R&R anxiety—that strange in-between space where your work isn’t rejected, but it’s not accepted e...

Have you ever wondered what reviewers actually mean when they ask you to “build on past scholarship”? Have you ever been told that your tone is antagonistic or belligerent? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’re unpacking what it really means to engage prior research in ways that reviewers recognize as credible, thoughtful, and genuinely contributory. We move beyond the idea that good writing has...

Have you ever received an unexpected email from a reader, student, or colleague saying your work helped them think differently, teach differently, or feel less alone? Have you ever paused and realized that a single article can influence ideas in the future in ways you never imagined? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we continue our joy-forward reframing of academic publishing by focusing on what h...

Have you ever opened an article you published and felt the rush of joy to see your name in print? Does your stomach still get a little flutter when you get an “Accepted” decision? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we intentionally shift the focus onto the joys of publishing academic research. In a field where publishing is often framed as exhausting, stressful, or joyless, it’s easy to forget that...

 Hey, co-authors! I'm really excited today because I get the chance to talk with Dr. Danielle De La Mere, who is the founder of Self-Compassionate Coaching and the podcast creator and host of the Self-Compassionate Professor podcast. She has over 200 episodes featuring guests who have paved, creative and self-compassionate career paths, both within and outside of academia after struggle. Tune into...

Have you ever sat down to write and immediately felt your chest tighten, your mind go blank, or your motivation evaporate? Has it seemed like forever since you haven’t had a day of foggy, vague, or unmotivated thinking? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we explore what’s actually happening in your brain and nervous system when writing (and everything else!) feels a bit overwhelming. We break down h...

Have you ever gotten glowing feedback from a professor or advisor and wondered, “Is this really good enough to publish?” Have you ever hovered over that “Submit” button wondering whether you are ready for what the decision may be? Hey co-authors, in this episode we break down the most common indicators that your manuscript isn’t quite submission-ready as well as the markers for success. You’ll lea...

Do you ever dread that journal review request hitting your inbox? Do you get worried you’ll either spend way too long on it or, worse, become Reviewer 2 in the process? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’re talking about how to review other people’s work without becoming Reviewer 2, the condescending, nitpicky, or ego-driven academic villain we’ve all encountered (and, if we’re honest, sometimes...

Do you ever stare at a half-written literature review paragraph and think, “Where the heck am I going with all of this?” Do you ever worry that your paragraphs are either too convoluted or just an endless stream of summaries? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we dig into how to write crisp, compelling paragraphs in your literature review. We’ll unpack the common traps and then walk through a clear,...

Are you teaching all week, grading at night, and going to endless committees in between? Have you never taken a real vacation or enjoyed a weekend because you spend them “catching up” on research? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’re talking about how to manage your energy—not just your time—so your writing life becomes sustainable. Academia often rewards output over balance, but overwork doesn’...

Do you arrive at your qualitative discussion section so tired and burned out that it feels like a slog to put anything on paper? Do you keep getting feedback that says that your discussion isn’t doing enough to interpret your findings? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’ll discuss how to develop a discussion section for your qualitative research that highlights your scholarly contribution while h...

Do you ever walk into an academic conference and feel a knot in your stomach because of the pressure to sound brilliant, network flawlessly, and not accidentally embarrass yourself in front of your field’s big names? You’re not alone. Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’re unpacking how to make a strong, authentic impression at academic conferences without losing your mind. From your presentation...

Do you ever worry that your qualitative research results section just isn’t doing justice to your participants’ stories? Or that your analysis ends up being either too thin, too cluttered, or scattered for your readers to make sense of? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’re talking about how to write a rigorous and evocative qualitative research results section, one that captures peoples’ lived e...

Have you ever looked at your CV and thought, “I did all that…but who was it all for?” Have you chased deadlines, won awards, and met every metric, but feel further from the ideas that first inspired you? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’re talking about how to protect your academic identity and purpose in a system that all-too-often rewards output over authenticity. We’ll unpack the pressures t...

Do you feel like everyone around you is getting published, winning grants, and stacking accolades? Have you seen colleagues celebrate on social media and felt that quiet sting of “why not me?” Hey co-authors! In this episode, I talk about the culture of comparison in academia and how it can drain joy from our work and even turn colleagues against each other. We’ll discuss why this culture exists a...

Do you feel crushed when a rejection email lands in your inbox? Do you spiral into self-doubt, avoidance, or shame, unable to moving forward? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we dive into dealing with rejection in academic publishing. We’ll unpack why rejection cuts so deeply and how you can respond in healthier, more productive ways. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Recognize and interrupt u...

Have you ever read a research article where the findings seemed interesting, but the method section left you with more questions than answers? Have you ever wondered how much detail is really necessary to convince readers that your qualitative research is rigorous and credible? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’re diving into one of the most important but often overlooked parts of qualitative re...

Do you ever find yourself with a paper you’re excited about, only to realize there’s no journal where it quite fits? Have you felt the frustration of pouring your energy into an idea, only to shelve it because you couldn’t find the right scholarly home? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we talk about how to find journals that are a good fit for your work. We’ll walk through how you can avoid the tr...

Have you ever sat down at your desk, opened your laptop, and felt like you had absolutely nothing left to give? Do you find yourself staring at the screen, exhausted because you’ve been running on empty for too long? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’re going to talk about writer’s block: what it looks like, why it happens, and how to restore the energy you need to keep moving forward. We’ll exp...

Have you ever felt like you’re your own worst critic? Do you read your own work and only think about why it’s not good enough? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’ll talk about identifying when your inner negative critic rears its ugly head and how to manage and overcome it. We’ll talk about how to recognize the voice of self-doubt, manage it, and move forward with clarity and focus in your writin...

Do you keep getting desk rejections? Does it feel like your best ideas never make it past the editor’s decision? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we’ll dig into the most common reasons submissions get desk rejected and, more importantly, what you can do to fix them. Along the way, I’ll also share some behind-the-scenes insights from the editor’s chair and practical strategies to get your work past...

What if I told you your literature review should be the most compelling part of your paper? How would you change your writing or citation? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we explore the three most common pitfalls in literature reviews and show you how to transform your review into a focused, engaging narrative. You’ll learn why tone and structure matter just as much as content, and discover pract...

Are you knee-deep in your thesis or dissertation and wondering how you’ll make it through? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the process whether it’s navigating formatting rules, managing technology, or just finding the motivation to keep going? Hey co-authors! In this episode, I sit down with Kellen Schmidt, our university’s Thesis and Dissertation Services Coordinator, to unpack what really goes o...

Do you find that you are rewriting yourself out of your work just to get published? Can you handle harsh reviews and hold onto your purpose? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we unpack the challenges you face in the review and editorial process and then share concrete practices to turn feedback into forward momentum. We'll talk about how to develop the ability to handle productive, but uncomfortabl...

Is academic writing supposed to feel this lonely…or have we just accepted it as normal? What if the real barrier to writing isn’t motivation, but isolation? Hey co-authors! In this episode, we explore why so many scholars feel cut off from others when writing and how that loneliness undercuts our productivity, passion, and well-being. We uncover the social, institutional, and cultural forces that...