If you want to get your writing done, you’ve got to block off time and write. There is no way around it.

That’s precisely what we did today in the op-ed writing session I facilitated for the SARChI Mineral Law in Africa team at the University of Cape Town.

We opened today’s session with a discussion about writer’s block and how that shows up for different people. For me, it always manifests as procrastination – my inner voice telling me that right this minute, watering the garden, doing the dishes, or alphabetizing my bookshelf is more important than the writing I need to produce.

I have devised a set of tips that help me push through writer’s block (which I posted about recently; click on the image below to read it). I often need to follow my own advice!

Today, we allocated two blocks of time for writing together as a group. Notifications off, phones on silent. Just the quiet hum of the air conditioner and the tapping of fingers on keyboards. Serene.

The shared writing space created a safe container for the team to make a start on their drafts.

When starting a draft, some words on the page are better than none. When you’re writing in a group, it’s important to remember that it’s not a race. As a facilitator, I’m happy if some participants leave with a handful of sentences they’re satisfied with or if they leave with 1,000 words bashed out in a burst of inspiration.

I am proud of the MLiA team for showing up today and tackling their writing head-on. It’s not always easy.

In all the trainings we run, Tali Hoffman and I ensure that participants apply their science communication skills in real-world scenarios.

Each participant will leave this training with a draft op-ed that they can pitch to a media outlet of their choice. Previous training participants have gone on to publish op-eds in South African publications like The Daily Maverick (here and here). Their work also features on the MLiA blog and in an occasional paper series on COVID-19 and mining.

This is the third science communication training Tali and I have run with MLiA. Thanks to Professor Hanri Mostert for seeing the value in what we offer. I would love to see more academics in leadership positions equipping their students (and staff) with the skills to communicate about their research outside of the academic environment. The results are tangible.

After four years of virtual facilitation, I am back doing science communication training in person. And it's great!

If you or your organization are looking for science communication training or facilitated writing support, get in touch!

Brendon Bosworth is a communications specialist and science communication trainer. He is the principal consultant at Human Element Communications.