Write Now …

The Realities and Challenges of Academic Writing

Do any or all of the following statements ring true for you?

• Academic writing is an especially challenging form of writing.

• Academic writing has its own unique conventions that need to be learned and practiced.

• Academic writing demands a lot of time and focused attention.

• The process of academic writing is not a natural inclination for many individuals.

Consider the next group of statements:

• I am verbally articulate; yet, I experience difficulty expressing myself in writing.

• I pride myself on my superior intellect and academic success; yet, I still experience writing challenges.

• I prefer “practical functions” over “theorizing;” yet, I still need to research and write!

• I am told that I am a high-achieving scholar; yet, I still get frustrated and overwhelmed with the demands of academic writing.
  
  I have found all of the preceding statements to be commonplace among the many highly intelligent and highly skilled individuals with whom I have worked. Academic writing is a more formal writing genre that typically requires a competent editor’s touch.