Where wellbeing science meets writing practice: The intersection of shut up & write! and self-care
Author Identifier (ORCID)
Narelle Lemon: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1396-5488
Abstract
This chapter explores the intersection of Shut Up and Write! (SUAW) sessions and holistic self-care frameworks, examining how this deceptively simple writing practice embodies sophisticated wellbeing principles. Drawing on research from positive psychology, habit formation, flow theory, and self-compassion studies, we position SUAW as an exemplar of non-medicalised self-care that transcends traditional productivity techniques. Through the lens of a five-dimensional self-care model encompassing mindful awareness, self-compassion, empowerment, time, and habits, we analyse how SUAW creates regenerative writing spaces where productivity and wellbeing become mutually reinforcing rather than competing priorities. The chapter further examines SUAW as a self-sustaining ecosystem of care, a collective permission-giving practice, a catalyst for institutional change, and a vehicle for identity transformation. This analysis provides a theoretical foundation for understanding how writing communities can foster both scholarly productivity and psychological flourishing.
Document Type
Book Chapter
Date of Publication
1-1-2025
Publication Title
Cultivating Wellbeing and Community through Writing in Academia: Shifting the Culture with Shut Up & Write!
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
School
School of Education
Copyright
subscription content
First Page
3
Last Page
19
Comments
Lemon, N. (2025). Where wellbeing science meets writing practice: The intersection of shut up & write! and self-care. In Cultivating wellbeing and community through writing in academia: Shifting the culture with shut up & write! (pp. 3–19). Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003633334-2