An online retreat for University of Bristol staff and students

The retreat gives any University staff or students working in the field of digital futures the opportunity to devote a whole day to writing in a quiet, structured and supportive atmosphere. Whether you’re writing a research proposal, a paper, or a blog, this retreat provides insight into effective writing, and the space to get it done.

We’ll talk about different approaches to collaborative writing and including planning and check-in time through the day to help you stay on track, together.

The retreat is facilitated by Dr Pam Lock, a lecturer in the English Department who has been running these retreats in person and online since 2014. The feedback from these sessions is always resoundingly positive.

We have a limit of 25 places, so please sign up ASAP to avoid disappointment. There will be a waiting list for those who don't get a space initially. 

Register now

What you need to know

You will need to arrive 'ready to write' so please have any materials (books, data etc) to hand. There will be some short discussions on good writing practice and how to approach your writing as a professional task but the vast majority of the day will be devoted to writing without distraction. To this end, we encourage you not to use mobile phones etc during the writing periods.

Please arrive promptly for a 9.15am start. We will finish promptly at 4.30pm. Pam will be online from 9am if people want to join earlier to set up and check their connection.

The retreat will take place online via Zoom. You have two hours of breaks through the day. The sessions you must attend for are the introduction (9.30-10.00)  so you understand the set-up of the day and the summing up/planning session at the end.

Schedule

09.15 Arrival and setting up (time to connect)
09.30 Introduction, warm up and planning time
10.00 Write
11.15 Break
11:45 Write
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Write
15.00 Break
15.30 Write
16.15 Final audit and forward planning
16.30 Finish

Facilitator

Dr Pam Lock has been running retreats for about 6 years in person, and online since the first lockdown began. She is pleased to see how productive people still find it and surprised to find how comforting it is writing with people, even when we are not breathing the same air.