The Writers Circle was started in 2010 by A Prof Lucia Thesen and Dr Clement Chihota. It is a lively community of postgraduate researchers from various disciplines, conducting research at Honours, Masters, PhD and Post-doctoral levels.
We meet every Tuesday at 3pm to offer constructive feedback to a member's draft, with a focus on 'what if' rather than 'this is missing'. The space is also occasionally used as a rehearsal for upcoming presentations and seminars. The Writers Circle is currently functioning in a hybrid mode.
The flipside is that some of our international members have also been to join and participate actively. Should you wish to join, please email Aditi Hunma (aditi.hunma@uct.ac.za).
Some Feedback on the Writers’ circles:
Emily
It is a good platform for both social and academic development …
I have presented my work for feedback from colleagues.
Mikateko
Great space to meet peers and learn more about different areas of research such as methodologies, frameworks, editing, and other technical skills such us using references software, search engines and presentation skills.
It has boosted my confidence in writing. The comments are always honest and also consider the positives in your writing.
Busisiwe
I bring my own work to the circle and receive input, but as important is the fact that I get to read other people's work. This has broadened my thinking and I have learned moves or writing tricks from others that I would not have learned had it not been for the circle.
Writing can be lonely and members of the circle have accompanied me on my journey. I have brought my writing to the circle, I have presented work to the circle and I have brought my questions about academic life to the circle amongst many things. It is not only about writing, but also about gaining academic competency. I have no family members who are academics who could pass on academic competency to me, the circle has mentored me in academia, which I appreciate.
Veronica
The circle was like an oasis for me - a place where I felt refreshed; I felt free to learn from others and share my work without judgement
I practiced presentations for conferences in the circle and received valuable advice. I asked for help with text issues and generally learnt from the struggles that others were experiencing. The discussions empowered me and allowed me to not feel alone as I grappled with a sensitive academic issue in my research.
Anon
It's a very relaxed academic space which enables us as students, academics and researchers to share our ideas with others, and also to learn from others. It's an environment that makes us feel as humans. It's also teaching us to be critical thinkers, readers and commenters too. This is a multi-academic space composed of students (and academics) from various faculties. in this space, we are given the opportunity to provide constructive and critical writing feedback. It has helped me to engage with a variety of intellectual works across faculties, and also to learn to reason beyond my field of study. It has taught us to be good academic ‘supervisors.’
Although we are not forced to take every bit of feedback we get from the participants, this space has helped me to enhance my knowledge-making process especially with regards to my research work.
Jennifer
This is a space to reflect, share your work, have it critiqued, and overcome obstacles and blockages by the Co-ordinator of the Writing Circle.
The Faculty of Health Sciences hosts its own Shut Up & Write sessions using the Pomodoro Technique. We host them through our Microsoft Teams group which was started during the pandemic to motivate and support academic writers. Every week, we share writing and research resources and write together online.
If you would like to join please see the link under 'Writing Centres' or contact Taahira for more information (taahira.goolamhoosen@uct.ac.za)