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This blog post is based on my podcast interview with Dr Jenny Grant Weinandy, a member of the Researchers’ Writing Academy. To listen or watch the podcast, click play on the YouTube video above or listen to the episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Today, I’m excited to share another interview with addiction researcher and member of the Researchers’ Writing Academy Dr Jenny Grant Weinandy. She has been inside the program for years, and we joked during our conversation about how the Academy has seen her son grow from newborn to toddler!
In our conversation, Jenny shared why she decided to join the Researchers’ Writing Academy, how she stayed motivated despite initial interruptions, and what strategies she used to improve her writing.
So, without further ado, let’s jump into the conversation with Jenny.
Interview with a member of the Researchers’ Writing Academy
Hello, Jenny. Thank you for joining me today. I’m excited to have you here. You’ve been a valued member of the Researchers’ Writing Academy for years and now have a special role as a “SuperScribe,” one of our community ambassadors. Could you introduce yourself and share what your research is about?
Sure. My name is Jenny Grant Weinandy. I am trained as a clinical psychologist and currently an assistant professor in psychology at Ohio University, located in the Appalachian foothills. My research uses mixed methods — both quantitative and qualitative — to explore how culture impacts people’s experiences and understanding of addiction. Currently, I focus on barriers to care for individuals with gambling problems, particularly in rural areas. My research aims to reduce health disparities and increase access to care.
I am also a mom of two. Anna has lovingly watched me raise my first child and be pregnant with my second throughout my time in the Researchers’ Writing Academy.
I am also a mom of two. Anna has lovingly watched me raise my first child and be pregnant with my second throughout my time in the Researchers’ Writing Academy.
Looking Back: Jenny’s approach to writing before joining the academic writing program
Before you joined the Researchers’ Writing Academy, how did writing papers feel for you?
I didn’t see myself as a writer and often avoided writing until a deadline loomed.
When I started as a PhD student, my writing looked different than it does now. At the end of my PhD, I was starting to write my dissertation and had just had my first child. I felt overwhelmed and lost. I didn’t see myself as a writer and often avoided writing until a deadline loomed.
I would then try to complete a whole paper in a day, starting at the introduction and writing straight through to the discussion. It worked to some degree, but I didn’t feel confident and it didn’t feel good or balanced — it felt like a slog.
I can imagine that being very frustrating! What made you decide to join the Researchers’ Writing Academy?
I remember having my three-month-old Arthur when I joined. I had watched your free writing training and while watching, I thought, this feels like a process that might make things easier. I feel completely overwhelmed. I don’t really know what I’m doing. I need something a little more — something clearer, a more structured roadmap.
I was already feeling overwhelmed with a semi-newborn, unsure about what I was doing. The suggestion that there might be a way to make writing easier and feel better resonated with me. I thought, Why not try it?
At the same time, I had some hesitation: Is this really worth it? Am I sure I want to do this? But ultimately, I decided it was worth it. I’m really glad I made that decision and chose to join the Academy. Because it has been fantastic.
I’m really glad I made that decision and chose to join the Academy. It has been fantastic.
How Jenny’s writing changed thanks to the scientific writing program
What did you do after joining the Researchers’ Writing Academy? And how has your writing changed this?
The first module I did was about being a writer and embracing that identity. It reminded me that I loved writing as a child, and that helped me regain confidence. The next module focused on the key elements you should determine to define the story you tell in your paper, and that helped me create a mind map and plan the story before writing.
Now, I no longer fear writing — I have routines, a plan, and I enjoy it. Since joining, I have been consistently productive.
Now, I no longer fear writing — I have routines, a plan, and I enjoy it. Since joining, I have been consistently productive.
Recently, I wrote a paper on anticipated motives for seeking gambling treatment, which was published in the journal General Gambling Studies. I used the key story elements from the program to outline sections, sent drafts for feedback from my co-author and the community, and revised based on comments. The process was efficient, and the paper required only minor revisions before publication.
Thank you for sharing all of that! That sounds like a great transformation! I’m glad to hear about how you shifted your identity around being a writer and how writing has started to feel like an enjoyable task to you!
Let’s talk a bit more about the process of writing that paper. How did you decide on your target journal?
I always hate deciding journals. I think most researchers do. It’s oddly tricky. I have these journals that I think are typically good for my research because they’re related in some way. So I tend to look at those first, because I know they might be related.
I always hate deciding journals. I think most researchers do. It’s oddly tricky.
But I actually just put my key story elements — my brief synopsis piece — into several journal finders on different websites. I also literally googled my keywords, like “gambling and motives”, and “journal”. Then I created a list of different journals.
For each one, I looked at the Journal Impact Factor. But more than that, I focused on the types of articles they’ve most recently published. I checked the most recent issues and the types of articles they were publishing. Part of that is that I do research on behavioral addictions. I sometimes publish in addiction journals more generally, but general addiction journals don’t always like behavioral addictions. They don’t really publish them as much because it’s not substance use. So I have to be kind of careful and pay attention to that.
I went through the journals and see which papers vaguely match what I’m talking about because then I figure the editor is interested in those topics.
Making Time for taking an academic writing course
I know you’ve been really good at this, so please share with us: How did you manage your time so you could engage in the Researchers’ Writing Academy?
When I first became a member of the Researchers’ Writing Academy and started the Journal Publication Formula course, my approach was probably characteristic of how I handle many things. I was super invested at the beginning, and then I ran out of time and had to reorganise.
At first, I told myself: I bought this, so I’m going to do it. I sat down right away and completed a couple of modules pretty quickly. I felt good about it and thought, okay, I’ll keep going with this.
But after those two modules, I stopped planning any time for it. Inevitably, that meant I didn’t do any more for a while. I hadn’t blocked out time, which, ironically, was something you had advised us to do earlier in the program. But there we go — I didn’t listen, and I fell behind.
I decided I needed to restart with a plan. Around that same time, you were running a writing planning workshop, and I joined. Taking that moment to stop and schedule specific times to engage with the program was really helpful.
As I kept writing my paper, I reached a point where I realised, wait, I don’t actually know what I’m doing next. That was when it hit me that I had stopped watching the lessons, and that was on me. So I decided I needed to restart with a plan. Around that same time, you were running a writing planning workshop, and I joined. Taking that moment to stop and schedule specific times to engage with the program was really helpful.
From then on, I blocked one to two hours a week, depending on how heavy my week was and what else I was working on. I also started writing notes as I went along. I kept a Word document where I rewrote the lessons in my own words, and that helped me internalise what the videos were teaching. Once I started doing that, everything felt much better, and I could apply the strategies more easily.
I blocked one to two hours a week, depending on how heavy my week was and what else I was working on.
At the same time, I was writing my dissertation, which added another layer of complexity. Dissertation writing doesn’t map perfectly onto the Journal Publication Formula because, at least in the US, you have to propose your project before completing it. That means you must write the introduction and methods before you can write the results and discussion.
To make it work, I mapped out what I thought my results would look like — essentially laying out my hypotheses. Then I drafted what I imagined the implications would be for the discussion. It was a kind of “what if” exercise, but it helped me think through the story of my dissertation in advance. That was a very useful strategy.
As for scheduling when to watch lessons, at first I simply tried to find an hour or two each week wherever I could fit it in. Later, though, I created a regular practice. Even now, I always set aside a professional development hour on Friday afternoons. I block at least one hour, sometimes more, for miscellaneous tasks like taking courses.
That practice of consistently holding a professional development block has been one of the smartest adjustments I made. Friday afternoon works well because I’m usually tired and not in the mood for deep, demanding work, but I can still engage productively with something like coursework. If I were to go back and redo the program, that’s exactly where it would fit in my schedule.
That practice of consistently holding a professional development block has been one of the smartest adjustments I made.
I can imagine how powerful it must be to have that professional development block in your calendar! You shared with me before that you also wrote down your “why” for taking the course, correct?
As a clinical psychologist by training, I often use cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques, and one of the tools I rely on with clients is setting SMART goals. Part of setting a SMART goal is making sure it is genuinely relevant to you. I try to apply that principle to myself as well. If something isn’t meaningful, it’s easy to let it fade into the background — exactly what I had done the first time around when I stopped engaging with the course.
To help me stay on track, I also used Trello. I had different cards for different days and projects. To others, my board might look chaotic — my poor students often glance at it and get overwhelmed — but for me it has a clear organisation. Among those cards, I created one for the Researchers’ Writing Academy. In the description section at the top of the card, I wrote down my reasons for committing to the program, my “why.”
Here were my three reasons:
- To become a better mentor and support my students’ success.
I have always cared deeply about my students’ learning and progress. Even as a graduate student, I was already mentoring others who were earlier in the program, and I knew that supporting students was central to the career I wanted in academia.
- To streamline my writing and spend more time with my family.
At the time, I had a three-month-old baby, and family time was incredibly important to me. I wanted to minimise the time I spent bogged down in writing by learning how to be as efficient as possible, so I could protect that time for my family.
- To write more clearly and make a greater impact in my field.
I care deeply that my research makes a difference—my work is about reducing barriers to care and improving access for people with addictions. Writing clearly means people are more likely to engage with and understand my work. Clarity in writing translates into greater impact.
These three reasons kept me focused. They reminded me that the academic writing course was not just another obligation but a meaningful investment in my students, my family, and my research.
Interestingly, I didn’t do this exercise the first time I engaged with the Researchers’ Writing Academy — when I treated it as something new and shiny and then quickly let it drop. I only wrote down my “why” during my second attempt, when I paused, replanned, and restarted with more intention. That made all the difference.
And I think this practice of knowing your “why” is something that could help everyone. At the beginning of the course, it might be worth explicitly encouraging participants to write down their reasons for joining. The excitement of something new always fades, but if you have clear reminders of why it matters, you are much more likely to keep going and unlock the real benefits on the other side: smoother, more enjoyable writing and more time for the things that matter most.
What Jenny values most about the academic writing program: Writing, Community, and Celebration
Yes, I love that! You have been a members for years, what do you enjoy most about the Academy?
Right now, I’m really loving the writing sprints — but that’s partly because I’ve been enjoying helping out with them. So at the moment, that feels exciting. It’s my new shiny thing.
But when I first started, defining the Key Story Elements of a paper was one of the big things for me. It was an “aha” moment that helped clarify things and made them a lot clearer in my own head. That part was really helpful.
The other thing I’ve loved is the community. I especially appreciate that there’s a parent space – because I was a new parent, and it meant a lot to have a place to talk about that. And people actually respond. I could post, “Hey, I need some feedback on these Key Story Elements,” and people would share suggestions — whether it was Anna or other members of the community. That’s really special. So I applaud you for creating that space.
I’ve loved the community. People are genuinely willing to help. Nobody cares if your writing isn’t perfect — they’re just there to support you.
What’s wonderful is that people are genuinely willing to help. In general, people are kind and supportive, and you can ask for feedback without it being evaluative. No one cares if your writing isn’t perfect — they’re just there to support you. That’s really nice.
Anytime someone shares a win — like getting a paper published — there are always tons of likes and congratulations. That sense of celebration is really uplifting.
I think that’s so important because, in academia, it often feels like there’s no space for celebrating. At least in my experience, it wasn’t encouraged. It was always: “Okay, you got a grant, now move on. What’s next? Write the next paper. Keep going.” You end up on a hamster wheel where nothing ever feels satisfying because you’re immediately pushed to the next thing. So I’m glad this community can be a small antidote to that. It’s supportive, celebratory, and encouraging in ways that really matter.
Note from Anna: If you got curious about the Researchers’ Writing Academy, I recommend watching our free training class (it’s free and takes about 1 hour). It’s the same training that helped Jenny decide that the program is the ideal next step for her. 👇🏻
Who would you recommend the Researchers’ Writing Academy to?
I would definitely recommend the Researchers’ Writing Academy. I think it’s valuable for many people, regardless of where you are in your career. Whether you’re a PhD student, like I was, or an assistant professor — or even later in your career — I believe it can still be helpful.
The program is helpful because it gives you a clear process to follow. It prevents you from feeling overwhelmed about what to do next and instead allows you to feel comfortable and confident about the next step. That makes it possible to feel genuinely excited about writing — because when you know where you’re going, you can say, Oh, next I’m doing this part, and actually look forward to it.
In particular, it’s valuable if you’re feeling lost or if you’ve lost confidence in your writing. That feeling of, This doesn’t feel good anymore. That can happen at any stage, even after many years.
So, truly, anyone who feels lost, lacks confidence, or simply doesn’t feel good about their writing could benefit from this. It creates the space and structure to get you moving forward.
For me, thanks to the Journal Publication Formula, when I get to the Discussion section, I’m super invested in writing all about the implications. I love it, because I’ve been thinking about them throughout. Before, I hadn’t done that, and that shift feels really notable.
Now, as an Assistant Professor, I’ve noticed that I use these tools with my students all the time. I teach them the Key Story Elements and share the framework with them.
It has helped my students not only understand how to write a paper but also how to read one. They now look for the different story elements when they analyze a paper, which has improved how they evaluate and critique research.
It has helped my students not only understand how to write a paper but also how to read one.
For me, that’s been an unexpected but really meaningful benefit. The Academy has supported me personally in my own writing, but it has also made a big difference in my teaching and mentoring.
That’s great to hear! Thank you, Jenny!
Anna’s note: If you want to know more about the Journal Publication Formula, the method that helped Jenny be a confident academic writer who enjoys the process, I got you. I created a whole training that’ll show you exactly what’s included in our academic writing program and help you decide whether it’s the right choice for you.
Just click the orange button below to watch it now (or save for later)!
![“I am a writer.” — Case study with Dr Jenny Grant Weinandy [Blog + Video podcast]](https://annaclemens.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Episode-18.png)
