DP&L Episode 235: Give Yourself a Conference Maintenance Day
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
Release Date: 07/05/2025
DP&L Episode 235: Give Yourself a Conference Maintenance Day
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
In this practical summer organization episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley introduces a systematic approach to managing academic conference logistics, planning, and participation. She shares her streamlined method for transforming the often chaotic world of conference attendance into a manageable, strategic process that saves time and reduces stress throughout the academic year. Christine opens by acknowledging the common academic struggle with conference management chaos - missed deadlines for desired conferences, last-minute scrambling for hotel reservations, lost...
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DP&L Episode 234 - Are You Behind This Summer?
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
In this timely mid-summer episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley addresses the universal academic experience of feeling behind on summer projects. Recording at the end of June, she provides practical strategies for reassessing summer goals, managing academic guilt, and making strategic decisions about competing priorities when time feels scarce. Christine opens by acknowledging the extra layer of summer guilt that academics experience - the pressure to "catch up" during months supposedly dedicated to research and writing progress. She shares her personal summer project...
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DP&L Episode 233 - Paragraphing
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
In this focused writing craft episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley explores the fundamental structure that drives successful scholarly communication. Christine reveals how understanding paragraph architecture can transform academic writing from scattered thoughts into compelling, publishable scholarship that resonates with readers and reviewers alike. Christine introduces the concept that scholarly paragraphs function as miniature essays, each containing their own complete argument arc within the larger framework of academic discourse. This understanding shifts how...
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DP&L Episode 232 - Look Yourself Up
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
In this essential professional development episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley demonstrates the importance of conducting an annual Google search audit of your academic presence. She provides practical guidance for academics on monitoring and managing their online research profile, particularly during summer months when professional development tasks typically receive more attention. Christine begins by sharing her personal practice of Googling herself annually, acknowledging that while she doesn't always maintain perfect consistency, this summer task has become...
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DP&L Episode 231 - Work or Play!
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
In this summer-themed episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley addresses the common challenge academics face during summer months: distinguishing between work time and personal time while managing writing projects effectively. She provides practical strategies for creating sustainable boundaries around scholarly work during the less structured summer period. Christine begins by acknowledging a widespread issue among her clients - the tendency to view summer as an unlimited reservoir of time to "catch up" on writing projects that may have stalled during the academic year....
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DP&L Episode 230 - Closing Out Spring Semester
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
In this episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley provides essential strategies for effectively wrapping up the spring semester and preparing for a smooth transition into summer. Christine focuses on specific end-of-academic-year tasks that differ from typical semester closures, offering practical advice for academics looking to tie up loose ends before the fiscal year ends. Christine emphasizes the critical importance of addressing deadline-driven tasks first - from spending remaining faculty development funds to completing annual productivity reports and tenure-track...
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DP&L Episode 229 - Tips for Academic Mom Summer Planning
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
In this longer episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley and coach share valuable insights on balancing academic writing with parenting responsibilities during summer breaks. Drawing from their personal experiences, they discuss strategies for maintaining scholarly productivity while managing childcare for children of different ages - from preschoolers to college students. The episode explores how to create effective summer routines that accommodate both professional goals and family needs. Christine and Heather share their summer writing plans and offer practical advice...
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DP&L Episode 228 - Short Form Academic Books
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
In this informative episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley interviews coach about the growing trend of short form academic books. Learn what these publications are, who they're for, and why they're becoming increasingly popular among academic presses. Heather shares her personal experience publishing in Palgrave's Pivot series and offers valuable insights about the proposal process for these focused, timely works. This episode explores how short form books provide an excellent option for niche topics that may be too focused for traditional monographs but too...
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DP&L Episode 227 - Summer Writing Strategies for Restoration and Project Completion
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
In this valuable episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley explores the two common speeds of academic writing during summer breaks. Learn how to navigate between intensive project work and necessary rest periods while maintaining productive writing habits. Christine shares five practical strategies for integrating writing sessions into a more relaxed summer rhythm, with a focus on restoration that supports both your wellbeing and manuscript revision. This episode provides essential guidance for academics seeking to establish sustainable summer writing routines that...
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DP&L Episode 226 - Are You Maxed Out?
Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
In this essential episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley identifies warning signs of burnout and shares effective academic writing strategies for navigating a "maxed out" season, particularly during finals week. Learn practical writing productivity techniques and establish sustainable writing habits to maintain momentum even during your busiest periods. Christine explores how structured writing sessions and realistic writing goals can help academics regain balance while maintaining scholarly output. This episode provides valuable insights for anyone struggling to...
info_outlineIn this practical summer organization episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley introduces a systematic approach to managing academic conference logistics, planning, and participation. She shares her streamlined method for transforming the often chaotic world of conference attendance into a manageable, strategic process that saves time and reduces stress throughout the academic year.
Christine opens by acknowledging the common academic struggle with conference management chaos - missed deadlines for desired conferences, last-minute scrambling for hotel reservations, lost abstracts, and the tendency to attend conferences out of habit rather than strategic professional development. Her solution emerged from recognizing that summer provides the ideal window for systematic conference planning when academic schedules allow for thoughtful decision-making.
As someone who attends approximately four conferences annually, all requiring travel and significant logistical coordination, Christine developed this maintenance system to ensure she presents at conferences aligned with her current research interests while avoiding the stress of deadline-driven panic decisions. She emphasizes that this process typically requires only about an hour of focused work, making it accessible even for busy academics.
Tools Mentioned:
- Asana - Free project management software for idea tracking
- Email search functions - For CFP and acceptance management
- Calendar blocking - Strategic scheduling protection
- Airline alerts - Automated flight price monitoring
Related Episodes:
Resources from Defend, Publish & Lead:
- Summer Professional Development: Defend Publish & Lead offers multiple free webinars and seminars designed for faculty developers, graduate students, and academics at all career stages, available through their Eventbrite page.
- Free Resources Available: Visit defendpublish.com and click "Events" to access comprehensive faculty development programming including writing group facilitation, administrative writing support, and dissertation writing strategies.
- Need help developing systematic approaches to conference planning or other professional development organization? Contact Defend, Publish & Lead for personalized coaching support. Email Christine directly at [email protected] for guidance on creating sustainable academic organization systems.