Empower Your Campus to
Gather. Write. Thrive!
From quick coffee-break sprints to half-day retreats, Shut Up & Write! gives scholars a friendly
space to beat procrastination, reduce isolation, and get words on the page—together.
What if one hour a week could change how your campus writes?
Shut Up & Write! is a global community of scholars who show up, set a timer, and move their writing forward—together. What began in a café has become a worldwide movement across universities, libraries, and research institutes. For administrators, faculty, and students, it’s a low-lift, high-impact way to boost writing productivity, reduce isolation, and foster leadership—without adding complexity or high costs.
Shut Up & Write! isn’t just about quiet writing time
It’s about building a sustainable writing habit, reducing isolation, and cultivating community. And when institutions adopt the model with intention, the outcomes are measurable and significant.
One study found Shut Up & Write! increased manuscript progress and thesis submission confidence (Proulx et al., 2023).
Others documented reduced writing anxiety and improved well-being among doctoral students participating in SUAW-style groups (Beasy et al., 2020).
At Singapore Management University, 77% of student participants reported a mood lift and stronger writing engagement after attending SUAW sessions (SMU, 2025).
How do universities use Shut Up & Write! to meet their goals?
Universities implement Shut Up & Write! because it solves real problems with simple structure. Whether you're trying to increase dissertation completion rates, improve mental health outcomes, or provide leadership opportunities, SUAW offers a flexible framework that fits into your existing academic ecosystem. Here’s how institutions around the world are using it to meet their most pressing goals:
| University Goal | How Shut Up & Write! Supports |
|---|---|
| Improve writing outcomes | Increases weekly page counts, manuscript progress, thesis submission confidence (Pitt, 2023) |
| Boost student well-being | Reduces isolation and writing anxiety (University of Oxford; Beasy et al., 2020; Singapore Management University, 2025) |
| Offer peer leadership roles | Undergrad and grad organizers run sessions across Australia National University, University of Stockholm, University of Kansas, and many others |
| Deliver efficient, high-impact programs | 0.1 FTE or less; $0–$300 cost per year typical |
| Foster cross-disciplinary ties | Brings together scholars from across departments—no expertise required |
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Beat procrastination & finish drafts
Reduces isolation & writing anxiety (see wellbeing data)
CV-worthy leadership roles for student organizers
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Ready-made, low-prep writing pedagogy—no critiquing, just timed focus blocks
Builds cross-disciplinary community
Works online, on-campus, or both!
Administrators
Raise completion & publication rates without new lisence fees
Low-cost model, volunteer-friendly
Enhances student well-being & sense of belonging
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Raise completion & publication rates without new lisence fees
Low-cost model, volunteer-friendly
Enhances student well-being & sense of belonging
Faculty & Libraries
Ready-made, low-prep writing pedagogy—no critiquing, just timed focus blocks
Builds cross-disciplinary community
Works online, on-campus, or both!
Administrators
Raise completion & publication rates without new lisence fees
Low-cost model, volunteer-friendly
Enhances student well-being & sense of belonging
Students & Post-grads
Beat procrastination & finish drafts
Reduces isolation & writing anxiety (see wellbeing data)
CV-worthy leadership roles for student organizers
But what is Shut Up & Write!, really?
Shut Up & Write! is a writing ritual, not a workshop, course, or critique group. There’s no prep, no feedback, and no pressure. Just a welcoming host, a timer, and dedicated time to write in community.
Most academic sessions follow a proven format rooted in behavioral psychology:
25 minutes of silent writing, 5 minutes of break and chat—then repeat.
This simple structure supports:
Habit formation
Peer accountability
Reduced writing anxiety
Greater productivity across disciplines
It works because it’s flexible: sessions can run daily, weekly, in-person, or online—hosted by faculty, librarians, staff, or students. And when run consistently using our method, the impact is tangible (Mewburn et al., 2014).
Unfortunately, some campuses only experience a fraction of SUAW’s potential—especially when it’s passed along informally. That’s why partnering with us directly makes a difference.
We Want to Connect With You
Over the past decade, Shut Up & Write! has quietly spread across hundreds of campuses through word-of-mouth, peer replication, and grassroots leadership. While this organic growth is part of what makes SUAW powerful, it also means that some universities are using the name without the method—and as a result, missing the outcomes.
We’ve seen SUAW sessions reduced to “just a quiet hour.” But when the true method is applied—with intentional structure, consistency, and community—the results speak for themselves:
Greater writing output and satisfaction
Stronger sense of academic belonging
Measurable improvements in student well-being (Beasy et al., 2020)
Increased thesis submission confidence (Proulx et al., 2023)
By connecting with us directly, you ensure that:
Your facilitators receive support, orientation, and plug-and-play materials
Your students and staff engage in sessions with meaningful structure
Your campus becomes part of a global network where data, insights, and stories can be shared
We can advocate for the program’s continued success through research, reporting, and funding
Our goal is not control—it’s coherence. When the SUAW model is implemented consistently, it works. We’re here to help you make that happen.
Across universities, Shut Up & Write! is changing how scholars write—together!
What started as a one-hour writing ritual has grown into a quiet revolution: no critiquing, no overthinking. Just focused time, shared space, and real progress.
Whether you're supporting PhD students, first-years, post-docs, or faculty, SUAW offers a proven, low-cost, high-impact structure that boosts both productivity and well-being.
Well-being & Community
Writing is often a solitary act—but the challenges of academic writing are rarely solved in isolation.
For many scholars—especially doctoral students, postgraduates, and early-career researchers—writing alone can intensify self-doubt, increase procrastination, and diminish well-being. Shut Up & Write! counteracts these effects by fostering regular, peer-supported writing habits in a low-pressure environment.
This isn’t just anecdotal. A growing body of research confirms what participants report:
| Evidence | Well-being Benefit |
|---|---|
| Doctoral writing groups study found participants experienced reduced writing anxiety and increased confidence after regular group sessions | Less stress, stronger belief in “I can do this” |
| Writing together to foster well-being describes SUAW-style “write-ins” as “spaces of well-being,” giving candidates respite from isolation | Sense of community & belonging |
| SMU Library pilot: 77% said sessions “lifted my mood” and they would definitely return | Mood boost & ongoing engagement |
Undergrads Welcome, Too!
Although Shut Up & Write! is often associated with graduate students and researchers, many universities have successfully adapted it to support undergraduates—especially those navigating increased academic demands, time management challenges, and new forms of writing.
At Stockholm University, Shut Up and Read / Write sessions are open to students of all levels. First-years have called it “a reset button” and “a way to start the weekend with purpose.” These aren’t study halls—they’re structured, peer-led writing environments where students learn to prioritize focused work and develop sustainable writing habits.
Facilitating these sessions can also be a powerful leadership opportunity. Undergraduate hosts build real-world experience in communication, time management, and group facilitation—skills that transfer directly to both academic and career success. Many campuses link SUAW facilitation to learning centers, student success initiatives, or co-curricular records.
Early writing support builds early writing confidence. SUAW offers a model that’s simple to run, widely accessible, and developmentally impactful.
What a SUAW Partnership Can Include
Shut Up & Write! is—and will always be—free to use. But for universities seeking deeper integration, training, or institutional alignment, we offer optional partnership pathways.
A formal relationship with SUAW may include:
Facilitator certification & onboarding – to build confidence and consistency for session hosts
Access to the SUAW platform – for streamlined scheduling, visibility, and participation
Support materials – slide decks, outreach templates, how-to guides, and session signage
Optional data support – attendance tracking, reflection tools, and outcome reporting (upon request)
Institution-specific visibility – the ability to share your campus’s writing resources across our global platform, regardless of department or discipline
Partnerships don’t just help your students and staff—they strengthen our shared impact. They allow us to advocate for writing support programs globally, backed by data, structure, and your success stories.
We’re building a global ecosystem of writing support—and we want your campus to help shape it.
Let’s Talk!
Whether you’re already running SUAW or just exploring how it might fit into your campus culture, we’d love to hear from you.
We’re here to answer questions, share examples, and help your team implement SUAW in a way that works—consistently, sustainably, and in alignment with your university’s goals.
Email us → academia@shutupwrite.com
Book a 15-minute chat → [Insert Calendly or scheduling link]
This isn’t a pitch. It’s an invitation to build something that works—together.
Already running SUAW?
If you’re already hosting Shut Up & Write! sessions—formally or informally—we’d love to hear from you.
Many campus groups have adopted SUAW organically, often passed down from a colleague, student, or department. That’s part of what makes this community special. But staying connected helps ensure your sessions are aligned with the method that’s proven to work best—and ensures your efforts are recognized and supported.
When you get in touch, we can:
Offer tools and training if you need them
Share stories from other facilitators
Include your chapter in our global map
Help you bring consistency and visibility to your work
Tell us what SUAW looks like on your campus
No cost. No obligations. Just a chance to connect, learn, and strengthen what you’re already building.
Write With Us!
Become part of something bigger at Shut Up & Write! Our community believes in the power of connection and creativity. When you join us, you'll make progress on your own writing while also supporting fellow writers.
