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A Proven, Global Model for Sustainable Academic Writing

Shut Up & Write! is a free, evidence-based methodology that helps universities reduce isolation, foster belonging, and build sustainable writing habits. Whether your campus already has a SUAW group or you want to start one, you can connect to a global network that’s transforming academic writing communities.

Start a SUAW Group

Connect Your SUAW Group

About Shut Up & Write!

Shut Up & Write! began in 2007 at a local café in San Francisco when writer Rennie Saunders invited others to join him for an hour of focused, silent writing. What started as a simple way to protect writing time resonated around the world.

Today SUAW communities are active in more than 60 countries and hundreds of universities. The method is simple, inclusive, and adaptable.

To sustain and support this growing movement, we founded the nonprofit Writing Partners in 2018. Our mission is to help writing communities thrive by providing a clear methodology, practical support, and a global network for connection.

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How Shut Up & Write! Works

Shut Up & Write! (SUAW) is a methodology that fosters sustainable writing habits through structured, judgment-free writing sessions.

Each session follows a consistent structure:

Brief Welcome & Intention Setting – participants share goals for the session (if they wish) and get settled.
Focused Silent Writing – typically in timed intervals (often using Pomodoro timing) to balance productivity and breaks.
Short Breaks – to recharge, stretch, and chat if desired.
Reflection & Wrap-Up – participants can share progress, challenges, or next steps.
Connection & Community – informal conversation and relationship-building that keeps people coming back.

No critique. No read-alouds. No performance pressure. Just consistent, inclusive space to focus on writing alongside others.

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.

Research across disciplines has shown SUAW’s impact:

Impact Highlights

In 2023, Chelsea Proulx et al. demonstrated that writers showed significant gains in self-efficacy and self-regulation through attending Shut Up and Write! (Cambridge University Press)
Reduces isolation and supports researcher wellbeing (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)

Two Pathways to Join

Our methodology is used at universities around the world — sometimes under the name Shut Up & Write!, sometimes under other names. What matters most to us isn’t the name, it’s the impact. By connecting your group, whatever it’s called, we can measure its reach, share resources, and strengthen the global network. If you’re starting fresh, it’s free and easy to launch a group using our proven approach.

Connect Your Existing Community

Already running sessions based off of Shut Up & Write! on your campus? Connect with other practitioners, share knowledge, and access resources to help you grow and sustain your group.

Connect Your SUAW Group

Start a SUAW at Your Institution

Ready to launch a SUAW group? Our simple, flexible methodology adapts to any discipline, career stage, or campus size, and instantly connects you to a worldwide community of facilitators and writers.

Start a SUAW Group

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 completion rates, improve mental health outcomes, or provide leadership opportunities, SUAW offers a flexible framework that fits into your existing academic ecosystem.

University Goal	How Shut Up & Write! Supports
Improve Writing Outcomes	Increases weekly page counts, manuscript progress, thesis submission confidence (Pitt, 2023) During SUAW, participants usually get more writing done than they would in isolation, not just due to allocated time but also due to the motivational impact of writing alongside other engaged peers (McGrail et al., 2006)
Boost Student Well-Being	Reduces isolation and writing anxiety (University of Oxford; Beasy et al., 2020; Singapore Management University, 2025) Collective approaches to writing can significantly reduce anxiety, enhance emotional resilience, and alleviate impostor syndrome (Johnson et al., 2017; MacLeod et al., 2012)
Offer Peer Leadership roles	Undergrad and grad organizers run sessions across Australian National University, University of Stockholm, University of Kansas, and many others Students involved in peer support writing groups feel that they gain skills to communicate better through their writing, leading to better rates of publication success (Manzano-Nunez et al., 2020)
Deliver Efficient, High-Impact Programs	0.1 FTE or less; $0–$300 cost per year typical Writing sessions can be run with minimal to no staff time. Research suggests that academic SUAW groups are a cost-effective way to reduce isolation (Fegan, 2016)
Foster Cross-Disciplinary Ties	Brings together scholars from across departments—no expertise required Group writing sessions provide rare opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration and mentoring relationships (Mewburn et al., 2014) SUAW sessions create micro-communities that create a sense of belonging within competitive academic environments (Brown & Leigh, 2018)
Support Early-Career Researchers	Informal networks are crucial in growing ECRs’ sense of agency and success (Matthews et al., 2014; McAlpine et al., 2018)

- Overcome procrastination and maintain steady thesis or manuscript progress
- Reduce isolation and writing anxiety through peer support
- Develop sustainable writing habits backed by evidence-based methodology

- Maintain momentum on publications and grant applications while balancing new responsibilities
- Gain informal mentoring and peer insights by writing alongside senior academics
- Build sustainable writing habits to avoid burnout early in your career

- Adopt a ready-made, low-prep writing pedagogy—no critiquing, just timed focus blocks
- Build cross-disciplinary connections that strengthen campus culture
- Easily adapt for online, on-campus, or hybrid formats

- Create consistent, structured writing time in any location or time zone
- Connect with peers virtually to reduce academic isolation
- Build accountability and focus outside of traditional campus environments

- Build focus and productive study habits early in your academic career
- Join a welcoming, no-judgment space that reduces anxiety around writing
- Gain leadership and facilitation experience that boosts employability

- Increase completion and publication rates without costly license fees
- Implement a low-cost, volunteer-friendly model that scales across departments
- Enhance student and staff well-being while fostering belonging

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.

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.

Well-being & Community

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:

Well-Being Benefit	Evidence
Less Stress, Stronger Belief in “I Can Do This”	Doctoral writing groups study found participants experienced reduced writing anxiety and increased confidence after regular group sessions Collective approaches to writing can significantly reduce anxiety, enhance emotional resilience, and alleviate impostor syndrome (Johnson et al., 2017; MacLeod et al., 2012)
Sense of Community & Belonging	Writing together to foster well-being describes SUAW-style “write-ins” as “spaces of well-being,” giving candidates respite from isolation SUAW sessions foster a strong postgraduate student community by providing the chance to learn from peers and mentors through the solidarity of shared experiences (Chakma, 2021)
Mood Boost & Ongoing Engagement	SMU Library pilot : 77% said sessions “lifted my mood” and they would definitely return Several universities run SUAW programmes through an effective cohort model, building a strong community of writers and researchers throughout the university experience

Connect With Our Team

Have questions or want to talk it through? We’re happy to connect and discuss how SUAW could fit into your existing programs, support your writers, and strengthen community on your campus. Whether you’re just curious or ready to get started, we’d love to hear from you.