Dr. Stacey Garrepy explains why we procrastinate: our brains crave finished loops, need rest to process ideas, and avoid the vulnerability of writing. She reassures listeners that procrastination is not laziness.

She offers practical strategies, namely: naming and befriending your feelings, trying an imposter or "worry hour" to get them out, set tiny, achievable goals (even one paragraph), and use grounding changes to reset your brain so you can make steady writing progress.

Want to support the channel? A cup of coffee is the quickest way to an academic’s heart! You can buy her one here: https://buymeacoffee.com/staceygarrepy.

Dr. Stacey Garrepy explores writing anxiety and the inner critic, sharing a personal story about harsh feedback and the physical, emotional toll it can take on academic writers.

She offers practical strategies—self-compassion, mindfulness (5-4-3-2-1), creating a supportive environment, short regular writing sessions, reframing the inner critic as a coach, and celebrating small wins—to help writers move from paralysis to progress.

This episode normalizes writing anxiety, addresses challenges faced by nontraditional and non-native English writers, and gives clear tools to reclaim confidence and momentum in scholarly work.

Want to support the channel? A cup of coffee is the quickest way to an academic’s heart! You can buy her one here: https://buymeacoffee.com/staceygarrepy.

Launch day is here! 🎉

I originally planned to release three full episodes today, but my final one encountered technical rendering issues on my current computer. Rather than delay the entire launch, I’m releasing two full episodes now — and next Tuesday you’ll hear a minisode on what to do when your writing tech fails you (a very timely topic).

Welcome to Crayons in My Manuscript — where real academic life meets sustainable writing.