The Scholarly Writing Retreat offers Washington University humanities and humanistic social sciences faculty, post-docs and graduate students the opportunity to jump-start their summer writing in a motivated, supportive and collaborative atmosphere, even as we are spread out in our own work spaces while the campus is closed. Participants will work intensively on their individual projects, following a schedule of check-ins, focused writing periods and virtual communal breaks.
Writing retreat participants will begin each day with a daily prompt email — a no-wrong-answer conversation starter on topics from the silly to the sublime. (Reading the responses from your fellow retreaters is half the fun!) Once everyone is divided into common-interest writing groups (based on the type of writing you’re tackling this summer), your group will meet via Zoom daily to check in and talk about your writing projects. Two daily drop-in coffee breaks, at 11:30 am and 2 pm (Session 1 only), will give you the chance to chat about the daily prompt, to catch up, or just to hang out with some new faces.
Read on to learn more about our daily schedule, check out our daily prompt, find writing resources and more!
For questions about the Scholarly Writing Retreat, contact IGNACIO INFANTE, acting director of the Center for the Humanities.
Daily Schedule
Zoom details will be provided for all events; check your daily email.
Week 1
Monday, May 18
10 am: 2020 SRW Welcome meeting (all participants invited) VIEW THE WELCOME POWERPOINT HERE
Coffee breaks — #1 at 11:30 am, #2 at 2 pm
Tuesday, May 19
10 am: Some general resources for the writing process, challenges of doing research in the humanities, especially now in the current situation (all participants invited)
Coffee breaks (#1 at 11:30 am), (#2 at 2:00 pm) VIEW THE INTRO, PART 2 POWERPOINT HERE
Wednesday, May 20 / Thursday, May 21 / Friday, May 22
Small groups meetings (Check your Group Assignment email for meeting dates and times; not all groups will meet each day. Groups may decide to add complementary meetings; check with your group leader.)
Coffee breaks — #1 at 11:30 am, #2 at 2 pm
Week 2
Monday, May 25
Happy Memorial Day! No meeting.
Tuesday, May 26 / Wednesday, May 27 / Thursday, May 28
Small groups meetings
Coffee breaks — #1 at 11:30 am, #2 at 2 pm
Friday, May 29
No meeting; some groups will have open writing times
Extended Session, June 1–5; June 8–12
Schedules below for the Session 2’s three groups. Participants are not required to attend all meetings. If you haven’t been assigned to a group, please contact Ignacio Infante.
Group 1 (Kita)
June 1-5 - see times below. Please also see group email for details on the accountability Google doc.
Tues., June 2: Quiet Zoom, 10-11 am
Wed., June 3: Quiet Zoom, 10-11 am; check-in/discussion 2 pm
Thurs., June 4: Quiet Zoom, 10-11 am
Fri., June 5: Check-in/discussion, 11:30 am
Tues., June 9: Check-in/discussion, 1 pm
Fri., June 12: Check-in/discussion, 11 am
Group 3 (Infante)
See group email for details about Microsoft Teams check-ins.
Tues., June 2: Zoom check-in/discussion, 10-11 am
Wed., June 3: Zoom check-in/discussion, 10-11 am
Thurs., June 4: Zoom check-in/discussion, 10-11 am
Tues., June 9: Zoom check-in/discussion, 10-11 am
Thurs., June 11: Zoom check-in/discussion, 10-11 am
Fri., June 12: Zoom check-in/discussion, 10-11 am
Group 4 (Chandra)
Tues., June 2: Quiet Zooms, 10 am-12 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm; group hangout, 4:30 pm
Wed., June 3: Quiet Zooms, 10 am-12 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm; group hangout, 4:30 pm
Thurs., June 4: Quiet Zooms, 10 am-12 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm; group hangout, 4:30 pm
Fri., June 5: Quiet Zooms, 10 am-12 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm; group hangout, 4:30 pm
Mon., June 8: Quiet Zooms, 10 am-12 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm; group hangout, 4:30 pm
Tues., June 9: Quiet Zooms, 10 am-12 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm; group hangout, 4:30 pm
Wed., June 10: Quiet Zooms, 10 am-12 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm; group hangout, 4:30 pm
Thurs., June 11: Quiet Zooms, 10 am-12 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm; group hangout, 4:30 pm
Fri., June 12: Quiet Zooms, 10 am-12 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm; group hangout, 4:30 pm
