Dr. Editor’s summer reading list

Question: I’ve just finished end-of-semester grading and I’m not yet ready to dive into my planned writing for the summer. I’m taking a week off as a pause, and then I want to read a book or two, to recharge my batteries and get myself excited about a summer of writing, submitting, revising, and getting published. Any recommended reads? 

— Anonymous, Health humanities 

Dr. Editor’s response:

I love reading books about academic writing, so I’m delighted to answer this question! While of course I caution you not to dedicate too much time to reading instead of writing, your approach to starting the summer sounds to me to be careful and considered. Maybe take two weeks off instead of just one? Once you’ve done that, here are some of my favourite books designed to approach your writing in a healthy — even, I hope, happy — way:  

Every Day I Write the Book: Notes on Style by Amitava Kumar (Duke University Press, 2020) 

Amitava Kumar’s Every Day I Write the Book argues for a transformation in scholarly communication. Through interconnected essays that range from brief meditations to extended reflections, Dr. Kumar challenges conventional academic writing practices while providing nuanced guidance as you seek to develop your voice as a writer. The book’s strength lies in its unconventional take on academic style: rather than prescribing rigid rules, Kumar demonstrates how you can integrate narrative techniques, sensory details and personal experience into your work without sacrificing intellectual rigor. By drawing on diverse examples from literature, art and writing across genres, Dr. Kumar shows how your scholarly work can become more effective, and more powerful, through careful attention to craft. This isn’t a “how-to” book: it’s a vision made real. For those struggling to balance disciplinary conventions with creative expression, Dr. Kumar provides both practical strategies and theoretical frameworks for reimagining scholarly writing. His provocations will encourage you to move beyond mere clarity toward genuine innovation in academic prose. Take inspiration from this book — it’s wild, in the best way.

Black Feminist Writing: A Practical Guide to Publishing Academic Books by Stephanie Y. Evans (SUNY Press, 2024) 

Stephanie Y. Evans’ Black Feminist Writing centres wellness, purpose and community alongside academic excellence. Drawing from her expertise in Black women’s intellectual history and her extensive experience as a faculty member and administrator, Dr. Evans provides both practical publishing guidance and a deep meditation on writing as your path to intellectual freedom. The book stands out for its dual focus on concrete publication strategies and the broader mission of creating scholarship that serves communities beyond academia. Through reflection questions and actionable tasks, Dr. Evans guides you to develop personalized writing practices while maintaining high standards — without succumbing to perfectionism. If you’re seeking to align your writing process with your politics and values, this book offers both tactical strategies and a liberatory perspective on academic authorship. While especially valuable if you work in Black women’s studies, its insights about purposeful writing and community-oriented scholarship will resonate across disciplines. 

Write No Matter What: Advice for Academics by Joli Jenson (Chicago, 2017) 

Joli Jensen’s Write No Matter What offers an approach to scholarly productivity that acknowledges and addresses the complex psychological and institutional barriers you face within academia. This isn’t your conventional “be productive!” self-help screed. Through practical strategies and incisive analysis, Dr. Jensen dismantles some common myths about writing productivity — that you need more confidence, time or inspiration to write effectively. Instead, she provides concrete techniques for maintaining momentum while critically examining how institutional pressures and perfectionism can alienate you from your own work. Her most compelling insight centres on “following the lilt” — reconnecting with genuine intellectual curiosity as a catalyst for meaningful scholarship. If you’re struggling with motivation or feeling overwhelmed by publication pressures, Dr. Jensen’s book provides both concrete steps and a deeper framework for understanding how low-stress, regular engagement with writing can lead to both enhanced productivity and more satisfying scholarly work. Her message ultimately transcends mere productivity advice to offer a thoughtful critique of academic writing culture. 

Air & Light & Time & Space: How Successful Academics Write by Helen Sword (Harvard University Press, 2017) 

Helen Sword’s Air & Light & Time & Space draws from 100 interviews with academics across career stages to share options on academic writing practices. Rather than prescribing a single method, Dr. Sword identifies four fundamental dimensions of writing practice — behavioral, artisanal, social and emotional — and demonstrates how you can develop individualized approaches within this framework. The book’s strength lies in its rejection of one-size-fits-all solutions, instead mapping diverse ways you can maintain productive writing practices. If you’re seeking to develop sustainable and enjoyable writing habits, Dr. Sword’s work provides a flexible framework for understanding how different combinations of practices can support your scholarly productivity. Her analysis validates multiple approaches to academic writing while offering concrete examples of how successful scholars navigate the challenges of scholarly production. Through this comprehensive yet adaptable approach, the book empowers you to construct personalized writing practices that align with your individual circumstances and preferences. 

Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing By and About Indigenous Peoples (2nd Edition) by Gregory Younging, lead editor Warren Cariou (Brush Education, 2025) 

While especially valuable for academics directly engaged with Indigenous peoples and cultures, this new edition of Elements of Indigenous Style offers lessons about respectful collaboration and mindful writing practices that will resonate if you’re doing community-engaged academic work across the disciplines. Through its 22 comprehensive principles, Elements of Indigenous Style provides crucial frameworks for representing Indigenous realities accurately and respectfully while navigating complex considerations around cultural rights, terminology and knowledge sovereignty. The book addresses topics as diverse as the proper citation of Oral Traditions and the implications of double-blind peer review for Indigenous scholarship, while maintaining a thoughtful balance between practical guidance and deeper reflections on positionality and trauma-informed writing practices. This edition helpfully includes five new chapters addressing topics such as author–editor relationships, identity and community affiliation, Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer identities, sensitivity reading, the representation of Indigenous languages and oral narratives in print, and emerging issues in digital publishing. If you’re seeking to produce ethical, informed scholarship that honors Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems, this guide provides both foundational principles and nuanced insights into the evolving conventions of Indigenous style.