Publish Not Perish

You know that feeling when you finally sit down to write—tea brewed, document open—only to type a few sentences and think, What am I even trying to say? I feel you, friend! In this episode, I talk about a shift that’s helped me and so many of my clients: understanding the difference between writing to think and writing to communicate.

We’ve been trained to believe writing should sound polished from the start, but most meaningful academic work begins in the mess. I share practical ways to embrace the exploratory parts of writing—brainstorming, voice notes, Post-its—and take the pressure off your early drafts.

If you’ve ever felt like a bad writer just because your first words didn’t shine, this episode is for you. Let’s reframe what counts as progress and make space for the thinking that has to happen before the clarity comes.

Related Content:

https://www.publishnotperish.net/p/what-counts-as-writing

We often tell ourselves we need ideal conditions to write: a quiet morning, a clean desk, an empty inbox, or that magical four-hour block of time. But these “perfect” circumstances rarely arrive—and waiting for them often keeps us stuck.

In this episode, I walk through three common excuses scholars use to delay writing and offer practical strategies for writing anyway. Whether you’re overwhelmed by reading, tempted to clear your to-do list first, or just craving inspiration, this episode will help you shift from waiting to doing.

Let’s stop postponing our writing lives and start making space for real progress—right here, right now, even in the middle of the mess.

Related Content:

https://www.publishnotperish.net/p/bursting-the-writing-is-inspired?utm_source=publication-search

https://www.publishnotperish.net/p/writing-when-you-dont-want-to?utm_source=publication-search

Welcome to the very first episode of Publish Not Perish: The Podcast! In this inaugural episode, I’m peeling back the layers of academia to share five things I really wish we all learned in grad school.

From how to write academic genres step-by-step to managing big writing projects, protecting your time, resisting overwork culture, and choosing kindness over brilliance—I’m naming what so many of us had to figure out the hard way. If you’ve ever felt like you were dog-paddling through academia without a clear map, this one’s for you.

Whether you’re still in grad school or years into a faculty role, this episode is a reminder: it’s not too late to learn the skills you never got taught—and it’s not your fault you didn’t learn them sooner. Let’s bring more clarity, support, and grace into academic life.

Greetings, dear listeners!

You’ve asked, and it’s finally here—Publish Not Perish is now also a podcast! I’m bringing some of the best-loved themes and new reflections from the newsletter straight to your ears. Starting this Thursday, you’ll get weekly episodes with practical strategies, real talk about academic life, and encouragement to help you write, publish, and actually enjoy the process.

You’ll get an email through Substack each time a new episode drops, but you’ll soon be able to subscribe on Apple and Spotify if you’d rather get it that way (and skip the emails). Just follow the opt-out instructions here.

Whether you're commuting, walking the dog, or just need a little company while you gear up to write—this is your space to find support and a little joy in the scholarly grind.

I hope you'll tune in!

Trailer Transcript

Welcome to Publish Not Perish, the podcast where we turn that well-worn academic mantra on its head. You know the one I'm talking about, publish or perish. It's a phrase whispered in grad seminars, repeated in department meetings, and etched into the very fabric of academia. We hear it early on, often from that admired faculty member who tells us that publishing is the key to breaking into the academic job market.

It becomes a barometer for success, a metric we carry with us through every milestone, landing that first job, striving for the better job, and holding on to that job once it's ours.

For many of us, publish or perish isn't just background noise. It's a relentless hum that shapes our every move.

But what if it didn't have to be that way?

Here on Publish Not Perish, the podcast, we're rewriting that narrative. This podcast isn't just about surviving academia.

Each episode will explore practical strategies and real stories that help you not just meet the demands of scholarly writing but thrive while doing it.

So if you're ready to ditch the pressure and embrace a more sustainable, fulfilling writing life, then buckle up friends, because here we go!