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Dr Palmer's Writing Circles

Develop as an academic writer 

​Structured online writing programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers​​

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Dr Palmer's Writing Circles combine expert teaching, practical application and a supportive community, without adding assignments to your workload.

 

You develop the skills and habits behind strong academic writing and apply them directly to the work you are already doing: assignments, dissertations, research proposals, literature reviews and other academic writing. There are no additional essays or assignments to complete.

 

The academic writing landscape is changing rapidly as AI becomes more widely used. I will guide you through if, when and how to use AI effectively and appropriately, so that you also develop independent thinking, judgement and writing skills.

 

Whether you are working on your first university essay, developing a Master's dissertation or simply want to become a more confident and capable academic writer, the Writing Circles help you build the discipline and skills behind strong academic writing. The Academic Writing Studio provides dedicated work time and quiet accountability, and pairs well with the Writing Circles.

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Writing Circles: £15 per month

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Academic Writing Studio: £5 per month 

Workshops: one-off sessions on specific skills, from £[X]

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Individual Writing Feedback: book below


 

Undergraduate Writing Circle

Build core academic writing skills

When: Mondays, 10:30am (UK time)

Starting: Monday 12 October 2026

Where: Online (Zoom), Google Classroom and an optional WhatsApp community

Duration: 40 minutes Can't make Monday mornings? Session recordings and resources are available to members in Google Classroom. Simply set aside a regular time in your calendar each week.

University writing requires more than showing that you understand your course material. You need to develop an argument, work effectively with academic sources, analyse and evaluate ideas, and communicate your thinking clearly.

 

I have given feedback, tuition and coaching on thousands of undergraduate assignments across disciplines. The Undergraduate Writing Circle draws on that experience to provide structured teaching in the core skills of academic writing. I will help you understand how to write like an academic, give you time to practise, and demystify tutor feedback, so that you can approach your assignments with confidence.

How does it work?

When you subscribe, you'll be invited to join the Writing Circle Google Classroom, where you'll find information about the programme, session resources and recordings.

 

Each session follows the same structure:

0–15 minutes: key skill teaching

15–35 minutes: applying the skill to your own writing

35–40 minutes: questions and weekly writing goal setting

Autumn Curriculum

  1. Becoming a University Writer: Reading, Thinking and Writing (12 Oct)

  2. AI and University Writing: If, When and How (19 Oct)

  3. Decoding Your Assignment: Questions, Briefs and Marking Criteria (26 Oct, prerecorded)

  4. From Information to Argument (2 Nov)

  5. Planning Your Answer: How to Outline (9 Nov)

  6. Using Sources Without Losing Your Argument (16 Nov)

  7. From Description to Critical Analysis (23 Nov)

  8. Building Coherent Paragraphs and Essays (30 Nov)

  9. Revising as a Writer (7 Dec)

Membership £15 / month

Membership is £15 per month and continues through the academic year, including university holidays. New teaching pauses during the holidays, but writing goal setting, recordings and resources remain available. You can cancel at any time before your next payment date. If you finish your studies during the year, simply cancel when you no longer need it.

 

Members are expected to treat others with courtesy and respect. Abusive, discriminatory or disruptive behaviour may lead to removal without a refund of the current membership period.

Postgraduate Writing Circle

Develop the research and writing skills for postgraduate level

When: Tuesdays, 10:30am (UK time)

Starting: Tuesday 6 October 2026

Where: Online (Zoom), Google Classroom and an optional WhatsApp community

Duration: 40 minutes

 

Can't make Tuesday mornings? Session recordings and resources are available to members in Google Classroom. Simply set aside a regular time in your calendar each week.

Postgraduate writing requires more than demonstrating knowledge. You need to develop sophisticated arguments, synthesise and critically evaluate scholarship, position your ideas within the literature, and communicate complex thinking with clarity and authority.

 

I bring more than 20 years of experience in academia, research and academic publishing. The Postgraduate Writing Circle provides structured teaching in advanced academic and research writing, helping you develop as an independent postgraduate writer.

How does it work?

When you subscribe, you'll be invited to join the Writing Circle Google Classroom, where you'll find information about the programme, session resources and recordings.

 

Each session follows the same structure:

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0–15 minutes: key skill teaching

15–35 minutes: applying the skill to your own writing

35–40 minutes: questions and weekly writing goal setting​

Example Curriculum

  1. Becoming a Postgraduate Writer (6 Oct)

  2. AI and Research Writing: If, When and How (13 Oct)

  3. Reading for Writing: Managing the Literature (20 Oct)

  4. From Question to Argument (27 Oct, pre-recorded)

  5. Synthesis: Writing About Many Sources at Once (3 Nov)

  6. The Literature Review: Finding Your Gap (10 Nov)

  7. Criticality: Evaluating Evidence, Methods and Arguments (17 Nov)

  8. Structuring Longer Writing (24 Nov)

  9. Clear, Confident Academic Prose (1 Dec)

  10. Introductions, Conclusions and the "So What?" (8 Dec)

Sessions are designed for Master's students, PhD researchers and early-career academics, with examples from across disciplines, including sciences, social sciences and humanities. In spring and summer, we move on to research writing in practice: proposals, methods, results and discussion, abstracts, working with feedback and writing for publication. Members can also suggest topics and share the challenges they would like to explore.

Membership  £15 / month

Membership is £15 per month and continues through the academic year, including university holidays. New teaching pauses during the holidays, but writing goal setting, recordings and resources remain available. You can cancel at any time before your next payment date. If you finish your studies during the year, simply cancel when you no longer need it.

 

Members are expected to treat others with courtesy and respect. Abusive, discriminatory or disruptive behaviour may lead to removal without a refund of the current membership period.

Academic Writing Studio

Dedicated time to write

The Academic Writing Studio is a supportive online space for students, researchers and academics who want to make consistent progress with their writing and research. There is no teaching and no additional work to complete. Instead, the Studio provides flexible focus sessions, gentle accountability and the chance to work alongside others through online body doubling.

Focus Sessions

Recorded focus sessions are available in a range of lengths, so you can choose one that fits the time you have. Choose a session, add it to your calendar and use the time for whatever academic work you need to do: writing, reading, planning, revising, analysing data or simply getting started.

 

Each session gives you a simple structure: settle into focused work, set an achievable goal, and finish with a clear sense of where you have got to and what to do next.

Live Sessions

During term time there are also occasional live Studio sessions on Zoom. You work alongside other members in real time, with a short check-in at the start and end and a period of quiet, focused work in between. Live sessions are optional, and you can use the recorded sessions whenever a live session doesn't fit your schedule.

Accountability and community

The Studio is designed to help you make academic writing a regular part of your week. You'll receive prompts to help you schedule your focus time, and there is an optional private WhatsApp group for gentle accountability, reminders and encouragement. You don't need to use WhatsApp to take part.

 

Whether you are writing an essay, dissertation, thesis, article or proposal, or simply trying to make regular progress, the Studio gives you protected time to sit down, focus and move your work forward.

Membership

£5 / month

Workshops

Focused, one-off workshops on the skills and pieces of writing students most often find challenging. Each workshop is 90 minutes on Zoom and includes the recording, slides and resources you can keep.

 

Writing Circle and Studio members receive a discount for all workshops.

1. Managing Your University Workload: Plan, Prioritise and Make Steady Progress

University brings more freedom, more deadlines and less structure. This practical workshop teaches your strategies to help you take control of your workload before it becomes overwhelming, and how to get back on track if it does. 

For: undergraduates (postgraduates welcome)

When: Wednesday 21st October,  12 noon (UK time)

Price: £15 (Writing Circle and Studio members £10)

2. Writing a Research Proposal

A strong proposal shows what you will research, why it matters and how you will do it. This workshop takes you through each section, with examples and time to plan your own.

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This workshop will help you to turn a topic into a focused research question, position your project within the literature and show the gap. I'll guide you through explaining your methods and why they are appropriate. We'll also discuss establishing a realistic timeline, how to demonstrate feasibility and make the case for significance.

For: Master's students, PhD applicants and early-stage researchers, grant writers in the charity sector.

When: November, date to be confirmed

Individual Writing Feedback

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The Writing Circles help you develop the skills behind strong academic writing. If you would also like individual feedback on a piece of your own writing, this can be booked separately.

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I provide professional, constructive feedback designed to help you understand what is working, what could be strengthened and how you can improve your writing.

Feedback can be particularly useful before submitting an important assignment, and you are welcome to book feedback in advance if you know you have several assignments coming up.

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£0.04 per word, up to 2,500 words (longer pieces by arrangement).
 

Feedback places are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so advance booking is recommended.

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Feedback is developmental rather than proofreading or editing, and follows academic  integrity guidelines. The aim of individual feedback is to help you become a stronger and more independent academic writer.

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