Dissertation writing can be an isolating experience. The magnitude of the project can overwhelm. Dissertation writing groups—comprised of fellow dissertators who provide feedback—are a lifeline.
There are three kinds of writing groups:
- Quiet writing with company. Meeting with others to write for a specified time period; also called Shut Up and Write (here is a virtual SUAW community) or DIY Writing.
- Support groups. These groups focus on helping each other through the process, and may include accountability check ins. (University of Michigan has a guide for Dissertation Support Groups.) I write about these first two kinds of groups in Dissertation Accelerators.
- Feedback groups. These groups share writing, and provide peer feedback. These are the groups I am focused on here.
The dissertation feedback groups I participated in as a doctoral student were instrumental in my success. They certainly improved my work. My productivity increased. In this blog post, I reprise and update the advice I compiled shortly after I graduated. [1]
