Four Week PhD Writing Sprint
Get a major piece of writing done with a highly-personalised, high-touch four week PhD writing sprint.
What’s Included
Four Writing Skills Workshops
Personalised, interactive, small-group workshops exclusive to this programme. Dates and times can be found below.
Writing Feedback & Mentoring
One-to-one, personalised support and writing feedback to tackle your specific challenges.
Chapter Templates & Worksheets
Ready-to-use, editable chapter templates and worksheets for a smoother writing process.
Daily Writing Sessions
Build a consistent writing habit with 90-minute daily silent, structured group writing sessions. Dates and times can be found below.
Full Day Writing Retreat
Join your cohort for a full day of guided focus to accelerate your writing.Dates and times can be found below.
PhD 101 E-Book
A step-by-step guide to structuring every chapter of your thesis.
A Variety Of Support On Each Cohort
Each PhD Writing Sprint comprises a mix of self-paced, one-to-one and group support. Find out more below and scroll down to find the dates and times of the next cohort.
Four Exclusive Writing Skills Workshops
Join the rest of your cohort every Thursday at 5-6.30pm UK time during the programme for interactive workshops designed to solve the toughest writing challenges.
Using the latest research into doctoral writing, together with real world examples from successful theses, these workshops will teach valuable skills you’ll take with you through the writing sprint and the rest of your PhD journey.
These workshops are exclusive to this programme, and not available anywhere else. They’re interactive, small group, and high-touch, and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to ask questions and get tailored advice.
All workshops take place on Zoom and are recorded so you’ll be able to watch back later if you can’t make it in real-time.
Strategies for Effective Writing: Writing Often
Host: Professor Jane Creaton
At the end if this session you will:
- Recognise the Benefits of Regular Writing: Gain insights into how consistent writing can improve productivity and confidence in your academic work.
- Understand Your Writing Style: Reflect on what type of writer you are and discover which strategies best support your style and goals.
- Explore Diverse Writing Techniques: Experiment with various approaches, from spontaneous and daily writing to time boxing and binge writing, and find ways to incorporate them into a regular routine.
Dates and times can be found on each individual cohort listing page.
Interweaving Your Argument & Finding Your Thread
Host: Dr. Max Lemprière
At the end if this session you will:
- Understand how to develop and articulate different types of argument in your writing.
- Learn how to craft and work with thesis/chapter statements, and the important role they plan in planning and structuring written work.
- Be able to more clearly understand what you’re trying to ‘do’ in each chapter and what the central and subsidiary arguments are.
- Learn what links each chapter or section and how to tie each together so that the finished product is bigger than the sum of its parts
Dates and times can be found on each individual cohort listing page.
Writing At Doctoral Level
Host: Professor Jane Creaton
At the end of this session you will:
- Develop a clear understanding of the unique characteristics and expectations of doctoral-level writing compared to master’s level work.
- Have a clearer understanding of what it means to write critically and how to make an original contribution.
- Analyse examples of doctoral writing to recognise and apply key academic conventions and rhetorical techniques.
- Establish a confident and authentic academic voice in your writing.
- Gain familiarity with methods you can use to critically engage with literature and integrate it cohesively within your own writing.
Dates and times can be found on each individual cohort listing page.
Fixing Your Academic Writing
Host: Dr. Max Lemprière
At the end of this session you will:
- Be clear on where and how to discuss the contribution your thesis makes
- Understand to introduce each chapter or section, and the article/thesis as a whole.
- Learn to use your arguments and thesis statements (explored in workshop two) to strengthen the overall structure.
- Learn how to make your writing more academic (building on workshop three)
- Understand how to ensure each chapter/section flows.
- Learn how you can reduce the word count of each chapter or section.
- Understand how to make the transition from individual chapter/section drafts to working on the thesis/article as a whole.
Dates and times can be found on each individual cohort listing page.
Writing Feedback & One-To-One Mentoring
Get feedback on your writing and personalised support with two hours of direct coaching from a dedicated thesis mentor.
- Customisable Support: Use your one-on-one time for email support, Zoom calls, or feedback on your drafts. Or a mix of all three.
- Tailored to Your Needs: Whether you need help planning your time or structuring your thesis, or you need detailed feedback on specific sections, this is your chance to get bespoke guidance from an experienced supervisor.
Yours to use in your own time over the 4 weeks of the programme. You’ll liaise directly with your dedicated mentor at the start of the programme to design a programme of support that works for.
Location: Zoom. Details sent by email at the start of the programme.
Structured Writing Sessions
These writing sessions offer a focused, supportive space for you to make significant progress on your writing. With options for intensive, immersive single-day retreats or more flexible, recurring daily sessions, you can choose a format that best suits the way you work.
Each session combines structured writing blocks with guided support, helping you to build a more consistent and accountable writing habit. They’ll sit alongside the group workshops and one-to-one support that are offered elsewhere in this programme.
You’ll also have the support of a writing facilitator and the rest of your cohort to keep you company, so you won’t feel so alone. Plus, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get on-the-fly advice.
All the sessions take place on Zoom. Come to as many or as few as you need.
One Day Writing Retreat
Host: Professor Jane Creaton
Join Professor Jane Creaton and the rest of your cohort for a dedicated, immersive writing retreat designed to help you produce a significant amount of work in just one day.
- Guided Focus Blocks: Structured time to write with live support, goal-setting, and real-time accountability.
- Breakthroughs Guaranteed: Push past writer’s block and make serious progress on your chapter or article.
Dates and times can be found on each individual cohort listing page.
The Writing Retreat takes place on Zoom. Given its nature, the one day writing retreat won’t be recorded.
Daily Writing Drop-in Sessions
Hosts: Dr. Max Lemprière & Professor Jane Creaton
Join Dr. Max Lempriere or Professor Jane Creaton and the rest of your cohort every weekday during the programme to build and maintain a productive writing habit with daily 90-minute guided writing sessions.
- Daily Accountability: Write alongside a facilitator and your cohort, ensuring you make progress every weekday.
- Structured Focus Time: Silent, focused writing blocks designed to help you hit your word count targets and stay productive. Log on, say hi, write together, debrief and Q&A at the end.
- Works around you: Come to as many or as few writing sessions as you wish. They’re there for you.
Dates and times can be found on each individual cohort listing page.
Location: Zoom. Given their nature, the daily writing sessions won’t be recorded.
E-Book: How To Plan, Structure & Write Your PhD
A complete guide to structuring every chapter of your PhD, from introduction to conclusion.
- Step-by-Step Guidance: Get detailed instructions on how to approach and organize each chapter.
- Holistic Overview: Learn how all the chapters fit together to create a cohesive, impactful thesis.
Sent by email once the PhD Writing Sprint starts. Yours to keep forever.
Chapter Templates &Worksheets
Streamline your writing process with ready-to-use templates for each chapter of your thesis.
- Save Time: These editable templates and worksheets take the guesswork out of structuring and formatting, so you can focus on writing.
- Professional Quality: Ensures that your chapters meet the required standard from the start.
Sent by email once the PhD Writing Sprint starts. Yours to keep forever.
The Power of a Cohort – Build Connections and Accountability
One of the unique benefits of this programme is that you’ll be working alongside the same small cohort of 20 PhD students for the entire four weeks.
This cohort model fosters a sense of community, accountability, and shared progress that will keep you motivated over the four weeks and beyond.
- Accountability and Motivation: Knowing that others are working toward the same goals will inspire you to stay on track and push through challenges.
- Peer Support: Benefit from shared experiences, tips, and encouragement that make the writing process less daunting.
- Build Lasting Connections: Beyond the 4-week sprint, many students form lasting academic connections with their cohort.
- Shared Progress: Seeing your peers make progress will keep you motivated to meet your own writing milestones.
Together, and with our support, you’ll reach your writing goals faster and with more confidence.
Meet Your Instructors
Professor Jane Creaton
Coaching, Workshops, Writing Retreats, Writing Sprints
Professor Jane Creaton is Emeritus Professor of Higher Education and has published on professional doctorates and the mental health and wellbeing of postgraduate researcher students and was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2019 for her work on doctoral education. Jane offers coaching, writing retreats, writing sprints and writing workshops.
Dr. Max Lemprière
Coaching, Workshops, Writing Guides, Writing Sprints
Dr. Max Lemprière is the founder of The PhD People. Since his PhD he has supervised and coached over 100 students. He has also written hundreds of writing guides for The PhD Knowledge Base. Max runs writing workshops, writing sprints and offers one-to-one coaching.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can’t attend a live workshop?
Can I receive feedback on my writing?
Yes, during your one-to-one contact time, you can receive personalised feedback on your drafts, structure, or writing challenges. Your mentor can provide detailed, bespoke feedback tailored to your needs. At the start of the programme, you'll have a chance to connect with your mentor to develop a mentoring plan that works best for you.
Who is this programme for?
How much time do I need to dedicate each week?
You are free to attend as many sessions as you like. Each week includes a 90-minute daily writing session (Monday to Friday) and a weekly 2-hour workshop. Additionally, you’ll have a full-day writing retreat and two hours of one-to-one coaching (the latter of which you can schedule at your convenience).
There is no obligation to attend every session.
Will the sessions be recorded?
Can I use the one-to-one contact time in different ways?
Where will the sessions take place?
All the live elements (workshops, writing retreats, writing sessions, coaching) take place on Zoom.
Is this a subscription?
No - this is a one time fee to join a four week writing cohort. The price is all inclusive, and there will be nothign more to pay.
When does this programme start?
Select a cohort below to find out the dates and times of the various elements.
In what ways is this sprint personalised?
You'll start the programme with a kick-off call with your writing mentor to discus what kind of one-to-one support you need during the programme. You'll the develop a plan that's unique to you and your PhD.
This will sit alongside the workshops and writing sessions.
You can use your mentor for email support, feeding back on draft writing, or to discuss your writing on Zoom calls. The choice is yours.
How do the daily writing sessions work?
Is this sprint only for PhD students writing a thesis?
How is this different from other writing programs?
Is there a refund policy?
Yes, we offer a money-back guarantee if you don’t feel that the program is helping you make meaningful progress within the first two weeks. Terms and conditions apply.
Do I need to come to every live session?
No, there's no obligation to attend every live session (workshops, writing retreats, writing session). However, you will get the most from the programme if you maximise your attendance.
What are the dates and times of the live sessions?
Select a cohort below to find out the dates and times of the various elements.
What's included?
Included in your registration fee are:
- Entry to four skills workshops
- Two hours of contact time with a writing mentor
- Access to one full day writing retreat
- Access to daily writing drop in sessions
- Chapter templates & worksheets
- An e-book on planing and structuring your thesis
What Other Students Say…