Defend, Publish & Lead Podcast
Defend, Publish & Lead (formerly Defend & Publish) offers a weekly podcast designed to help get you started (or restarted) on your academic writing projects. Episodes feature a range of topics on writing productivity, including writing project management, strategies for managing writer’s block, dissertation advice for students and committee members, pandemic writing strategies, techniques for balancing parenting and writing, promoting your writing and research, and more. Every podcast offers strategies to try and resources to check out.
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DP&L Episode 280: Interview with Dr. Greg Lewbart about Textbook Authoring and TAA Institute
05/16/2026
DP&L Episode 280: Interview with Dr. Greg Lewbart about Textbook Authoring and TAA Institute
In Episode 280 host Christine Tulley interviews Dr. Greg Lewbart, a veterinarian and board-certified zoological medicine specialist at NC State, about his three-decade journey as a textbook author and editor. Lewbart traces his path from working as a corporate fish veterinarian in the 1980s to publishing his first book on fish clinical cases in 1998 — now in its third edition — and editing contributed volumes on topics like invertebrate medicine, where he coordinates roughly 40 specialist contributors. He reflects on how the publishing landscape has changed, shares practical advice for aspiring textbook authors on crafting proposals, identifying publishers, and managing contributors (including the wisdom of preferring an upfront "no" over a missed deadline), and discusses his long involvement with the Textbook & Academic Authors Association (TAA), which he discovered in 2005 after winning a Texty Award. The episode closes with a preview of Lewbart's upcoming learning lab at the TAA Summer Institute, where he'll guide attendees through the full textbook authoring journey, along with a time management tip drawn from his experience as a marathon runner: chip away consistently in small sessions rather than waiting for large blocks of time. Resources Mentioned: - just $25 for entire summer and sessions are recorded Register for the TAA Institute for Textbook & Academic Authors, which will be held June 12-13. Get $50 off registration with code DP26. Summer Writing Season Is Coming! Join us for our Register to attend live or get the recording and tools DPL Resources: Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 279: Summer Accountability and a Plan
05/09/2026
DP&L Episode 279: Summer Accountability and a Plan
In Episode 279 of Defend, Publish, and Lead, host and Executive Writing Coach Christine Tulley tackles one of the most common struggles for faculty: the summer that gets away from you. With the best intentions but little structure, academic summers often slip by before meaningful writing or scholarship gets done. Christine explains exactly why that happens, from kids home from school to family travel to teaching obligations that bleed right into the new term. To help listeners fight back, she introduces a Summer Project Progress Tracker (given away at a recent free webinar) that uses simple yes/no or time-logged entries to build momentum without relying on judgment of a "good" versus "bad" writing day. She also announces the return of the Summer Faculty Writing Group — a weekly Monday accountability check-in running all summer for just $25 — where participants share progress, troubleshoot challenges, and receive a new writing strategy each week. Christine wraps up with a mention of the Textbook and Academic Authors Association's Summer Writing Institute for those looking to deepen their skills. Whether you're aiming for restoration or project completion this summer, this episode is your nudge to build in the structure you need before the season slips by. Resources Mentioned: - just $25 for entire summer and sessions are recorded Register for the TAA Institute for Textbook & Academic Authors, which will be held June 12-13. Get $50 off registration with code DP26. Summer Writing Season Is Coming! Join us for our Register to attend live or get the recording and tools DPL Resources: Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 278: Parenting While PhDing with Dr. Jackie Hoermann-Elliott and Dr. Jenna Morton-Aiken
05/02/2026
DP&L Episode 278: Parenting While PhDing with Dr. Jackie Hoermann-Elliott and Dr. Jenna Morton-Aiken
In Episode 278 of Defend, Publish, and Lead, host Christine Tulley talks with Dr. Jackie Hoermann-Elliott and Dr. Jenna Morton-Aiken about their co-edited book, Parenting While PhDing (Rutgers University Press). The book tackles a topic largely ignored in academic literature — what it's really like to become a parent while pursuing a PhD. Jackie and Jenna speak from personal experience. Their book is designed for two audiences: graduate students balancing parenthood and the administrators who support them. The chapters are short and story-driven, with contributors spanning fields like STEM, medicine, and writing studies. The collection brings in a wide range of voices, including fathers, queer parents, parents of color, and people who have navigated infertility or adoption. The book's core purpose is bigger than logistics. It's about opening up honest conversations on visibility, institutional support, and what it actually looks like when academic life and parenthood intersect. Resources Mentioned: Edited by Jackie Hoermann-Elliott and Jenna Morton-Aiken Register for the TAA Institute for Textbook & Academic Authors, which will be held June 12-13. Get $50 off registration with code DP26. Summer Writing Season Is Coming! Join us for our Register to attend live or get the recording and tools DPL Resources: Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 277: Interview with Dr. Pat Goodsen author of Keep Writing
04/25/2026
DP&L Episode 277: Interview with Dr. Pat Goodsen author of Keep Writing
In Episode 277 of Defend, Publish, and Lead, host Christine Tulley sits down with Dr. Pat Goodson, health education professor turned prolific academic writing coach, to explore practical strategies for building a sustainable writing life. Dr. Goodson shares how her journey into academic writing began not from an English background, but from listening to struggling graduate students and eventually developing a university writing support program called POWER (Promoting Outstanding Writing for Excellence in Research). The conversation covers her latest book, Keep Writing: 101 Strategies for Academic Writers, along with favorites like 90 Days, 90 Ways and Becoming an Academic Writer, all designed to help faculty and grad students move past writing blocks, ditch ineffective habits, and develop intentional, personalized systems. Christine also highlights her campus "write and run" sessions — 22-minute focused writing sprints — as a real-world example of fitting writing into a busy schedule. Both guests close with encouragement for listeners to use the approaching summer as a chance to revisit and strengthen their writing routines, and they give a preview of Dr. Goodson's upcoming Learning Lab, "It Takes a System," at the Textbook and Academic Authors Association Institute. Resources Mentioned: Register for the TAA Institute for Textbook & Academic Authors, which will be held June 12-13. Get $50 off registration with code DP26. Related Resources: by Dr. Patricia Goodson, Dr. Mina Beigi, Dr. Melika Shirmohammadi by Patricia Goodson and Margarita Huerta Summer Writing Season Is Coming! Join us for our Register to attend live or get the recording and tools DPL Resources: Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 276: Textbook and Academic Authoring Careers
04/18/2026
DP&L Episode 276: Textbook and Academic Authoring Careers
In Episode 276 Christine Tulley sits down with Dr. Wendy Tietz from Kent State University and Dr. Tracie Miller from Franklin University to talk about textbook authoring careers. This is a path many academics never consider, yet one that can become a defining and decades-long creative endeavor. Both guests share how they stumbled into their first textbook deals not through deliberate planning, but through candid feedback at the right moment. Together, they explore how textbook writing differs from other scholarly genres — particularly its collaborative, audience-driven nature and the constant cycle of revision, edition-planning, and storytelling required to justify each new release to publishers. They also tackle the human side of the work: managing co-author transitions, navigating editor turnover, sustaining a brand, and balancing it all alongside full-time faculty roles. Resources Mentioned: DPL Resources: Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 275: Do One Thing Today
04/11/2026
DP&L Episode 275: Do One Thing Today
In Episode 275 of Defend, Publish, and Lead, Christine Tulley tackles the particular chaos of April in the academic calendar — a month packed with grading, end-of-year wrap-up, graduation requirements, and summer prep, all while writing obligations quietly fall by the wayside. Using the image of a pile of empty Easter eggs still sitting on her office floor, alongside an unpacked conference bag and two unemptied suitcases, she illustrates how small undone tasks create visual and mental background noise that compounds an already overwhelming season. Her solution is the "do one thing today" approach: identify a single task completable in 15 to 20 minutes and just handle it, because the quick win creates momentum and gives the brain a sense of forward progress — even when larger obligations like a looming book deadline or a backlog of student papers aren't yet resolved. She closes by encouraging listeners to ask themselves: what is one thing I can do today that will make tomorrow a little easier? Resources Mentioned: Dana K. White, DPL Resources: Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 274: Catch Up on What You Owe
04/04/2026
DP&L Episode 274: Catch Up on What You Owe
In Episode 274, Christine Tulley addresses the familiar end-of-March crunch that faculty and graduate students face — a point in the semester when obligations to others have quietly piled up. Her solution is a "catch-up list" of everything she owes other people, which she walks through in detail: back grading for two writing classes, course substitution memos for graduating students, a tuition remission form, follow-up materials from a workshop, thank-you correspondence, outreach to struggling students at risk of failing, joining a special interest group, and posting workshop information — plus a book manuscript due in mid-April. Her core advice is to organize such a list into time buckets (tasks under 15 minutes, under an hour, or 2+ hours) to make it feel less overwhelming, tackle the quickest items first for a momentum boost, and then block a dedicated chunk of time — in her case, a full Monday morning — to power through the rest. The broader takeaway is that letting these obligations accumulate creates mental background noise that interferes with writing and other focused work, so clearing them out periodically is itself a productivity strategy. Resources Mentioned DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 273: How Long Does It Take You to Start Writing in a Session?
03/28/2026
DP&L Episode 273: How Long Does It Take You to Start Writing in a Session?
In Episode 273, host Christine Tulley looks at how long it really takes to start writing—and why it matters. She tracked her own startup time over four days. After a multi-day break, it took about 15 minutes to get back in. She reread five pages and made notes. On back-to-back days, it took as little as 2 minutes. What made the difference? Simple strategies like leaving her document open, using Word's "pick up where you left off" feature, and jotting a page number on a sticky note. Her big takeaway: track your own ramp-up time. Be honest. Some people need 30 minutes to settle in. That time counts and should be part of your plan. She also suggests splitting the warm-up. Open your document and find your place earlier in the day. Then, when it’s time to write, you can jump right in. The episode ends with a nod to sponsor Textbook and Academic Authors. They offer a microlearning video library for scholarly writers. DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 272: Choosing a University Press for Your Work
03/21/2026
DP&L Episode 272: Choosing a University Press for Your Work
In this episode Christine Tulley guides academic authors through the process of selecting the right university press for their work, a high-stakes decision particularly for tenure-track faculty at research institutions. She walks through key strategies: using the Association of University Presses' subject grid (available in Excel or PDF) to identify presses active in your field, visiting press websites to assess the fit of their current lists, sending brief author query emails to gauge interest, and evaluating a press's output volume and consistency as indicators of its health and competitiveness. Christine also clarifies an important protocol — proposals can be sent to multiple presses simultaneously, but full manuscripts must go to only one — and encourages authors to support the university press ecosystem by purchasing books directly from press websites. The episode closes with a reminder about the 2026 Textbook and Academic Authors Institute (June 12–13), where Christine will be presenting sessions on scholarly and textbook authoring. Resources Mentioned DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 271: The Next 30 Days
03/14/2026
DP&L Episode 271: The Next 30 Days
In Episode 271 of Defend, Publish, and Lead, host and executive writing coach Christine Tulley shares a practical productivity strategy she calls the "Next 30 Days" plan, designed to help academics avoid the common springtime trap of giving up or procrastinating as the semester winds down. Drawing from her own schedule — which includes two workshops, a final book manuscript due April 7th, and limited working days due to travel and holidays — she walks listeners through how to audit their upcoming 30 days by identifying hard deadlines, mapping out available work blocks, ruthlessly eliminating or postponing non-essential commitments, and delegating tasks like formatting and editing when possible. She also discusses a strategy she explored with a coaching client: giving students an out-of-class assignment to reclaim a critical day of focused work time. Throughout the episode, Christine emphasizes the guiding principle of "if it can wait, let it," encouraging faculty to narrow their focus, protect their limited bandwidth, and make intentional choices to finish the semester strong rather than stalling until summer. Resources Mentioned Meggin McIntosh, “” DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 270: Dissertation Rescue
03/07/2026
DP&L Episode 270: Dissertation Rescue
In Episode 270, Christine Tulley describes dissertation support efforts at Defend, Publish and Lead this month. Resources Mentioned Sign up for our free Dissertation Rescue sessions on Sign up for a free writing coach hour to support your dissertation or dissertation writers at christine@defendpublishlead.com Check out our playlists DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 269: Four Reasons Your Dissertation is a Mess (Big Things)
02/28/2026
DP&L Episode 269: Four Reasons Your Dissertation is a Mess (Big Things)
In Episode 269, Christine Tulley walks through all four “big picture” problems that might cause a dissertation to be derailed. Episode Resources Sign up for our free Dissertation Rescue sessions on Consider attending this year’s DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 268: REMIX Make Writing an Event
02/21/2026
DP&L Episode 268: REMIX Make Writing an Event
In this remix of an earlier episode, Christine Tulley invites you to start thinking about writing as an event—something you actually look forward to rather than squeeze in between everything else. She shares how she treats her writing sessions like a “hot date,” complete with a fancy coffee, a favorite playlist, and a trip to the library to get into the right mindset. Even when writing at home, she recreates that sense of occasion with small rituals—special drinks, lo-fi music, a quick walk, or a few minutes of freewriting—to signal that it’s time to focus. The key is building anticipation and making writing feel intentional and even a little indulgent. Christine also encourages you to refresh your writing space so it supports your energy and creativity. That might mean trying a standing desk, swapping out your chair, lighting a candle, getting dressed for the day, or using colorful tools like Trello to close out a session on a high note. Simple visual cues—like keeping your thesis on a Post-it nearby—can help you stay grounded when distractions creep in. There’s no single “right” routine; the goal is to experiment and find small, joyful touches that make sitting down to write feel satisfying and sustainable. Resources Mentioned The episode “Writing the Discipline, Writing Ourselves” on Rhetoricity is referenced. Bonus Spotify Playlists Academic Writing Pregame I Academic Writing Pregame 2 DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 267: Faculty Writers Need Love
02/14/2026
DP&L Episode 267: Faculty Writers Need Love
In Episode 266, Christine Tulley walks through ways faculty developers can show faculty writers some love including programming, resources, and support strategies and how faculty writers can support themselves with free resources and writing organizations. Resources Mentioned: Get a free past webinar on us! Select PAST to view all of and select one. Email to let her know and the recording for both past free or paid events will be sent to you. “.” By Jennifer Ahern-Dodson and Christine Tulley DPL Resources: Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 266: Book Completion Battle Plan!
02/07/2026
DP&L Episode 266: Book Completion Battle Plan!
In Episode 266, Christine Tulley walks through the process of creating a "book completion battle plan" when facing a tight deadline, sharing her real-time approach to finishing a book manuscript due March 1st with only 23 days remaining. She demonstrates how to audit your available time by identifying writing days versus non-writing days, distinguishing between "big block days" (2+ hours), smaller writing blocks (45-90 minutes), and brief time fragments, explaining that she has 15 realistic writing days to complete 15,000-25,000 words at approximately 1,600 words per day. Tulley emphasizes thinking in terms of sections and subsections rather than just word counts, strategically allocating big blocks for generating new content and structural work while reserving smaller time pockets for cleanup tasks, and she shares practical decisions like printing the full manuscript for review, hiring a coach for formatting help, planning when to hand off work for editing, and protecting key writing days. She explains that noting that this kind of strategic time mapping helps writers facing deadlines make informed decisions about whether they need to add weekend days or pull all-nighters to meet their goals. Resources Mentioned: Episode 99 - DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 265: Do One Paragraph
01/31/2026
DP&L Episode 265: Do One Paragraph
In Episode 265, Christine Tulley offers practical advice for overwhelmed academic writers on how to make progress when time is limited by focusing on completing just one paragraph. She explains that paragraphs can serve various purposes—proposing new frameworks, introducing evidence, synthesizing literature, or challenging established views—and that working on a single paragraph is a manageable, non-threatening way to advance your writing even in small fragments of time. Tulley emphasizes that paragraphs have singular goals and typically take less than a full page, making them ideal units for focused work during brief writing sessions, and she encourages writers to start with key structural paragraphs or troublesome ones that need revision, noting that these small efforts accumulate toward completing larger projects. Resource Mentioned DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information to get more videos like Lesson 13 Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 264: Time Blocking Alternatives
01/24/2026
DP&L Episode 264: Time Blocking Alternatives
In Episode 264, Christine Tulley explores alternatives to traditional time blocking for academic writers who struggle with scheduling designated writing periods. While acknowledging that time blocking works for some people, she presents three alternative approaches: dedicating entire days to writing rather than small time slots, blocking time for specific tasks instead of general "writing hours," and using a flexible weekly range system where writers set a minimum and maximum number of hours to complete each week without assigning them to specific times. Tulley emphasizes that traditional time blocking often fails because it requires writing on demand, can be disrupted by busy weeks, and may not suit everyone's temperament. She encourages academics to experiment with different methods to find what best matches their personality and schedule while still maintaining accountability for their writing goals. Resource Mentioned: - June 12-13, 2026 DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP24! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 263: Interview with Brenda Ulrich, Academic Publishing Attorney
01/17/2026
DP&L Episode 263: Interview with Brenda Ulrich, Academic Publishing Attorney
In this episode of Defend, Publish, and Lead, host Christine Tulley interviews Brenda Ulrich, a publishing attorney and board member of the Textbook and Academic Authors Association (TAA), about the organization and the upcoming 2026 TAA Summer Institute. Brenda discusses TAA's unique value as a cross-disciplinary organization focused on supporting textbook and academic authors throughout their writing careers, not just the writing process itself, offering guidance on contracts, copyright, marketing, and other industry matters. She highlights her upcoming presentation on publishing contract negotiation, which will be an updated version covering both fundamental negotiation strategies and new considerations brought about by generative AI and changing industry practices, including how content is increasingly fragmented, bundled in subscription services, and distributed through platforms like inclusive access. The session is designed to benefit both new authors who need to understand contract basics and veteran authors facing new amendments, contract updates, or navigating an evolving publishing landscape where books from 1992 are being moved to much longer and more complex modern contracts. Resource Mentioned: DPL Resources Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP26! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 262: Five Tweaks to Streamline Your Teaching
01/10/2026
DP&L Episode 262: Five Tweaks to Streamline Your Teaching
In Episode 262, host Christine Tulley offers practical strategies for faculty to optimize their spring semester teaching while protecting their scholarly writing time. She presents five countdown tweaks: Establishing and knowing your teaching, grading, and prep schedule Implementing pattern teaching to save preparation time Identifying grading-heavy weeks and adding extra writing time beforehand Reducing student complaints by providing assignment models and maintaining a bank of common explanations Selecting one specific teaching improvement goal for the semester (like better organizing course management systems) Tulley emphasizes that these adjustments are designed to make teaching more efficient without sacrificing quality, particularly during the spring semester when faculty typically have less preparation time than in the fall. Resource Mentioned: by Jennie Young DPL Resources Last Call for HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP25! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 261: Five Decisions to Make about Your Writing in 2026
01/03/2026
DP&L Episode 261: Five Decisions to Make about Your Writing in 2026
In Episode 261, Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach at Defend, Publish & Lead, presents five key questions for academics to consider about their writing in 2026: whether to commit to or abandon zombie writing projects that have stalled, clearing out outdated writing debris like old files and emails, deciding how many hours per week to dedicate to writing given other obligations, developing strategies to actively promote published work beyond initial publication, and identifying one priority project to complete during the year. Throughout the episode, she draws on examples from her work as an executive writing coach and emphasizes making intentional, low-pressure decisions about writing habits and projects for the new year, while also promoting the Textbook and Academic Authors Association's upcoming institute and her own coaching services. Resource Mentioned: DPL Resources Last Call for HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP25! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 260: Celebrate Wins
12/27/2025
DP&L Episode 260: Celebrate Wins
In Episode 260, Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach at Defend, Publish & Lead, emphasizes the importance of celebrating writing wins as the holiday season approaches, arguing that CVs often function more as stress-inducing evaluation documents than celebratory records of accomplishments. She demonstrates her approach using (a free digital writing journal that she loves but is not a sponsor), walking through how she reviews her Fall 2025 Semester Writing Project Mix to assess what she actually completed—discovering she finished 3 out of 4 planned projects, including two chapters of her sabbatical book and presentation slides, while her "yucky writing project" remained incomplete. She highlights unexpected wins like her Inside Higher Ed article on who owns faculty writing (co-written with Jennifer Ahern-Dodson) that she had forgotten about from her Summer 2025 plans, reframes the 3 out of 4 completion rate as a success focused on movement and completion rather than perfection, and encourages listeners to celebrate broader wins beyond publications (such as consistently hitting 8 hours of writing per week) while using this reflection to inform planning for 2026. She concludes by mentioning her coaching services and the resources available through podcast sponsor Textbook and Academic Authors Association. Resource Mentioned: “” (Inside Higher Ed) DPL Resources HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP25! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 259: When Do You Start Writing After the Holidays?
12/20/2025
DP&L Episode 259: When Do You Start Writing After the Holidays?
In Episode 259, Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach of Defend Publish & Lead, addresses the common question of when to start writing after the holiday break, emphasizing the importance of making this decision ahead of time rather than letting it remain nebulous as the calendar year flips. She shares her personal approach of designating January 5th as her first official day back to writing (separate from her first day of class), blocking out specific time slots in her calendar (9:00-11:30 AM on January 5th, 6th, and 7th for a total of seven and a half hours that week), and color-coding this time as brown to protect it from competing demands. She recommends preparing for this first writing day by treating it like the first day of school—cleaning out your laptop bag, restocking essential supplies like hard drive connector cords and extra headphones, gathering any articles you'll need, and perhaps choosing a favorite coffee shop instead of the library. Christine emphasizes that setting up special elements for your first writing session can infuse it with new energy, mentions her holiday playlist of writing episodes, and concludes by offering a free Textbook and Academic Authors Association membership giveaway to the first person who emails her at christine@defendpublishlead.com along with her coaching practice's ongoing holiday pricing special. Resources Mentioned DPL Resources HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP25! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 258: Skill Up Future You
12/13/2025
DP&L Episode 258: Skill Up Future You
In Episode 258, Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach of Defend Publish & Lead, discusses the importance of planning ahead for summer 2026 writing opportunities and skill development, even though it's only December 2025, because many programs open registration in January. She recommends several writing retreats and institutes she's personally experienced or researched, including Bard College's Institute for Writing and Thinking (a five-day immersive summer program focused on writing and teaching), Writing in Depth Academic Writing Retreat (a productive long weekend in rural Ohio where she made significant progress on her book), Bowling Green State University's Summer Faculty Writing Retreat (strategically timed for late July before the fall semester ramps up), and Hollins University's Tinker Mountain winter retreat in February for those who can't wait until summer. She particularly highlights the new virtual Textbook and Academic Authors Institute as an affordable option for those who can't travel, emphasizing that skill development is important at every career stage, and concludes by mentioning her coaching practice's holiday special discount. Writing Opportunities Resources HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP25! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode257: 2025 Gift Ideas for Writers and Yourself
12/06/2025
DP&L Episode257: 2025 Gift Ideas for Writers and Yourself
Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach of Defend Publish & Lead, presents her annual holiday gift guide for writers. This year the list focuses on budget-friendly items all priced at $50 or less. Here is her countdown of the Top 10 gift items for 2025 for writers or yourself: 10) 9) 8) 7) 6) 5) 4) 3) 2) 1) Resources Mentioned: Resources: HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP25! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 256: Keep an Origin Story of Your Writing
11/29/2025
DP&L Episode 256: Keep an Origin Story of Your Writing
Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach, explores the concept of maintaining an "origin story" for academic writing projects in the context of surveillance, power dynamics, and emerging technologies—the theme of the 2025 Big Rhetorical Podcast Carnival. She examines how various stakeholders (universities, publishers, plagiarism detection software, AI tools, and tenure committees) have claims to or surveillance over faculty writing, raising questions about ownership and originality. Tulley offers four practical strategies for documenting the development of writing projects: maintaining dated drafts, using version control systems like GitHub, creating process documentation through blogs or social media, and sharing work-in-progress through conference presentations and public scholarship venues. She emphasizes the importance of tools like ORCID IDs for tracking authorship and highlights the Textbook and Academic Authors Association's upcoming webinar about claiming damages in the lawsuit against Anthropic for unauthorized use of academic work by AI tools, framing documentation of writing origins as a protective measure and a meaningful way to capture the creative process. The Big Rhetorical Podcast Past Carnival Episodes Resources Mentioned: (December 1st annual webinar) Resources: HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP25! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 255: On Location Conference Strategies
11/22/2025
DP&L Episode 255: On Location Conference Strategies
Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach, shares practical strategies for maximizing conference value while attending the POD (Professional and Organizational Development) conference in San Diego. Rather than focusing on pre-conference planning or post-conference follow-up, this episode addresses the often-overlooked middle phase: what to do once you're actually at the conference. She introduces a goal-setting framework to help academics be intentional about their conference experience, balancing networking, presentations, professional development, and personal priorities within tight time and budget constraints. Episodes Mentioned: Resources Mentioned: (December 1st annual webinar) Resources: HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP25! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 254: Four Tweaks for Academic Writing Month 2025
11/15/2025
DP&L Episode 254: Four Tweaks for Academic Writing Month 2025
Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach, explores how to use Academic Writing Month (November) not to add more work, but to improve your writing habits and practices. She shares four strategic tweaks that can help academic writers become more satisfied with their work as the calendar year closes: finding one ideal writing day, creating a dream project list, taking stock of nine satisfaction areas, and taking advantage of free learning opportunities. Rather than pushing harder, these tweaks focus on reconnecting with what makes academic writing fulfilling. Resources Mentioned: (Dec 1 from 12pm to 1pm EST) Resources: HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year Tuesday Toolbox - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! Try us out in a free consultation. Check out our current and past workshops at Eventbrite for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $25 using discount code DP25! You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 253: How I Used AI to Make a Book Writing Plan
11/08/2025
DP&L Episode 253: How I Used AI to Make a Book Writing Plan
Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach, shares her experience using AI (Claude) to create a comprehensive writing plan for her upcoming book on sabbaticals, commissioned by Princeton University Press for their Skills for Scholars series. With a deadline of February 20th and only 18,000 of 65,000 words written, she demonstrates how AI can be a powerful project management tool for academic writers while maintaining ethical boundaries about what content to share with AI platforms. Episodes Mentioned: Resources HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! . Check out our current and past workshops at for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $30 using discount code TAA70 for 70% off!!! Returning TAA members can use the coupon code TAADP10 for $10 off an annual membership. You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 252: How to Decide if You Have a Viable Idea
11/01/2025
DP&L Episode 252: How to Decide if You Have a Viable Idea
Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach, discusses how academics can determine whether they have a viable publication idea by examining four key factors: first, whether you can execute the project with available resources including time, materials, and access to necessary data; second, whether the idea fits with a target journal or publication outlet and potentially a backup option; third, how the idea aligns with your scholarly positioning, expertise, and research agenda; and fourth, whether the idea has potential impact with an identifiable audience who would actually read and engage with the work. Tulley emphasizes that ideas should be tested through conversations with colleagues and conference presentations, and she provides practical examples from her own career transitions, noting that some ideas may be too small for full articles or too broad to execute effectively. She concludes by promoting her writing coaching services' holiday special for faculty who want help developing their publication ideas. Resources HOLIDAY COACHING HOURS - All hours at lowest prices for the year - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! . Check out our current and past workshops at for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $30 using discount code TAA70 for 70% off!!! Returning TAA members can use the coupon code TAADP10 for $10 off an annual membership. You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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DP&L Episode 251: Overwhelmed as an Academic Parent
10/25/2025
DP&L Episode 251: Overwhelmed as an Academic Parent
Christine Tulley, President and Executive Writing Coach, addresses the mounting pressures academic parents face as they juggle grading, writing deadlines, children's activities, caregiving responsibilities, and the approaching holiday season. She offers four practical strategies for managing overwhelming periods, including leaving margin in your schedule, connecting with other academic parents for support, and seeking guidance from those who have successfully navigated similar challenges. While acknowledging that opting out is always an option, this episode focuses on resources for those who want to stay in academia while maintaining their well-being. Episodes Mentioned Books Mentioned Resources - contact christine@defendpublishandlead.com for subscription information Set your writing goals with us! . Check out our current and past workshops at for writing support content. A FREE webinar is posted each month. Missed a workshop? Request a workshop or webinar recording from christine@defendandpublish.com Don't forget about the wonderful resources at Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The organization can be found at: New to TAA? Join for just $30 using discount code TAA70 for 70% off!!! Returning TAA members can use the coupon code TAADP10 for $10 off an annual membership. You will also receive a copy of the eBook, Guide to Making Time to Write: 100+ Time & Productivity Management Tips for Textbook and Academic Authors.
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