I was pleasantly surprised to be told that my book was reviewed by Dr Nick J. Sciullo, an Assistant Professor of Communications from Texas A&M University - Kingsville, who also has an interest in helping graduate students with academic writing. I first came across Dr Nick's article 'Writing as a Humanities Ph.D. Student: Discovering the Writer in You, Exploring New Venues, and Rebuffing Criticisms' and I knew he had a similar compassion and desire as I do - to help graduate students become better writers. So I contacted him and told him about my book and asked if he might like to have a copy. I sent one to him. I did not expect him to actually read and review it. But that is exactly what this very kind man did. It is extremely difficult for someone like me who does not have many contacts or any network to publicize or market a book. So what he did for me was not only helpful professionally, but it also cause an increase in sales for me. Thank you, Nick! Your kind gesture is greatly appreciated. The review he wrote was flattering, but better than that, he got to the heart of what I was trying to do. He understood what I was trying to achieve through the book. For a writer, to be understood, rather than misinterpreted, is something so gratifying. I was trying to raise confidence in graduate student writers. I have always felt that it took more than skill and ability to write, but confidence is also very important, because it is what gives you the courage to pursue a challenging path, which is exactly what writing and publishing is. When you feel encouraged or inspired to write, it is half the battle won, because it usually takes someone so much courage and effort just to hold a pen and write, because of all the fears and excuses that is common to a new and budding writer. Let me quote a passage from his review published in the Journal of Scholarly Publishing: The book is divided into an introduction, twenty-two chapters, and a bibliography. The chapters are (in a book of only seventy-two pages in all) short. Because this is not a rigorous academic study of graduate writing education, the chapters are quick to read and filled with an optimism that never comes across as inauthentic or exaggerated. It seems, perhaps, dismissive of the book’s content to write so much about its tone, but this positive tone is tremendously important for helping graduate students become scholarly writers. Rest assured: if graduate students take this book seriously, it is difficult to imagine them not becoming more confident, better writers. You can read the full review here:
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Researcher and educator by training, writer by profession. I write to educate, inspire hope, and uplift spirits. Archives
September 2022
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