With growing academic responsibilities, family commitments, and inboxes, scholars are struggling to fulfill their writing goals. A finished book--or even steady journal articles--may seem like an impossible dream. But, as Joli Jensen proves, it really is possible to write happily and productively in academe.

Jensen begins by busting the myth that universities are supportive writing environments. She points out that academia, an arena dedicated to scholarship, offers pressures that actually prevent scholarly writing. She shows how to acknowledge these less-than-ideal conditions, and how...