Celebrating five years of the Whitaker Writers’ Development Programme

Dr Rachel Hilliard

The Whitaker WDP began as a pilot back in November 2011. The programme was developed by Dr Rachel Hilliard with the support of Dr James Cunningham, Director of the Whitaker. With the continuing support of the Whitaker Institute the programme is now a permanent fixture in the Institute’s calendar of events with over a hundred academic participants in WDP events over the past five years. The WDP brings experts on academic writing to NUI Galway – Prof Sarah Moore (University of Limerick), Prof Rowena Murray (University of West of Scotland), Prof Pat Thomson (University of Nottingham); and Dr Hilliard facilitates a twice-yearly retreat which runs in November and April, as well as a weekly writing group.

On 7th November we marked the occasion of our first five years with a celebration. We had a packed room of past participants and supporters for a seminar on academic writing and the importance of writing supports.

Professor Sarah Moore has championed academic writing development in Ireland and was a key support in the development of the WDP at the Whitaker Institute. She was the guest speaker and spoke about the value and beauty of writing – as a mode of learning, a way of sharing our message with others, and a way to create our identity. She also spoke about the harm done by the ‘deathly silence’ around academic writing, arguing that writing development is a way to open up discussion around the process, the strategies, the struggles and the emotions of academic writing. In providing space and strategies for writing, writing development programmes can be a key element in helping universities and individuals to achieve their publication goals.

Dr Rachel Hilliard drew together the lessons learnt on effective writing practices over the five years of the programme. She emphasised the value of a regular writing routine, the benefits of social writing (camaraderie and accountability), and ways to achieve concentrated focus.

Writers on the first Writers’ Retreat, November 2011