Writing has never been a solitary practice for me, perhaps because I was shaped by an early career as a journalist and editor. Working at a news desk of a daily paper, every story I edited was a collaboration crafted by many. At every stage of my academic career, I have approached writing as a collective practice, even without formal co-authorship. I have participated in or organized many writing groups and retreats, shut-up-and-write collectives, and standing weekly writing dates with friends in coffee shops. In all these settings, I have felt supported and mentored by other historians in profound and meaningful ways. Writing with other people is good for scholarship and good for the soul.
Since July, I have held a new position at the American Historical Review (AHR) as the consulting editor for engagement and mentoring, which affords me the opportunity to share this ethos with a new and different community. AHR editor Mark Bradley created this role as part of the journal’s broader efforts to support work from scholars who are in early career stages, working off the tenure track or outside academia, at institutions with less resources to support faculty writing, and in fields and geographies that have been underrepresented in the journal in the past. These scholars are doing work on the cutting edge of historical scholarship that the discipline’s flagship journal needs.
Writing with other people is good for scholarship and good for the soul.
Over the three years of my appointment, my efforts to support these goals will take a variety of forms, including one-on-one developmental editing with authors, especially early career scholars, who submit work to the AHR. This fall, I began hosting weekly writing groups for authors who the AHR has requested to revise and resubmit articles. I will continue to create writing groups and peer-mentoring opportunities for both scholars with work in the AHR pipeline and those working toward submission. Plans in the works include collaborations with other journals and professional societies to build structures of support for these authors across the discipline.
At the upcoming AHA annual meeting, it’s possible to benefit from AHR support before ever submitting an article to the journal. In Chicago, there will be multiple opportunities to engage with the AHR team. On Friday, January 9, at 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Hilton Chicago Williford C, “Publishing in the AHR: Early Career Experiences” will feature several early career scholars who have recently published in the journal and will discuss their experiences.
On Thursday and Friday from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. in Hilton Chicago Salon C Prefunction, I will be hosting two meetups on submitting to the AHR. Early career scholars and graduate students are especially welcome to come by to talk about your project and discuss what makes a successful AHR submission. These 20-minute sessions are first-come, first-serve, so arrive early to put your name on the list!
Early career scholars and graduate students are especially welcome to come by to talk about your project and discuss what makes a successful AHR submission.
Regardless of your interest in publishing in the AHR, all attendees are invited to meetups called “write-ins” on Friday and Saturday morning, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. in Hilton Chicago Conference Room 4M. The format could not be simpler: Come with a piece of writing you want to make progress on and devote anywhere from one to four pomodoros—an uninterrupted 25-minute unit of focused work. This will be a safe space for introverts, with no chit chat, no introductions, no ice breakers. It is just a chance to start the day with the warm glow of making progress on your project, thereby ensuring the rest of the day will feel great. Between each pomodoro, I will play music from a themed playlist. Past playlist themes from the weekly AHR-hosted writing group include “Pop Anthems by Ladies Telling You That You Are Stronger Than You Think,” “Songs That Convey Despair About Writing an Introduction,” and “National Anthems That Are Secretly Bangers.” Join a write-in to discover a special conference-themed playlist!
Why, you might be asking yourself, should you spend time during the annual meeting on a writing group? Doing so, I believe, will help you feel connected to our shared intellectual endeavor and fill you with the pleasant tingle of knowing you crushed it.
A perfect conference day, in my mind, involves feeling inspired by the work of other people, connecting to one’s own research, and eating takeout in the hotel room with a Shark Tank marathon. If you could use support in achieving the first two goals, consider stopping by one of these AHR engagement and mentoring sessions. You are on your own for the third goal, but please know that I believe in your ability to achieve that one as well. I hope to see you in Chicago!
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