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.
Keywords
Mindful awareness, self‑care, positive psychology, writing practice, flow, self‑compassion
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