2. The Way of Academic Writing: Reflections of a Traveller

It is perhaps inevitable that the focus on academic writing is on the final product: the carefully crafted manuscript that will hopefully resonate with the reviewers and will be recommended for publication. It is, after all, the final product that will be read and evaluated by peers, and it is the final product that will contribute to disciplinary knowledge and understanding. The published manuscript, however, is only the visible tip of the iceberg. Submerged, hidden, often inaccessible and rarely discussed is the process through which the work came into existence. This chapter reflects on elements of the process involved in the creation of academic writings. By its nature, this process is often idiosyncratic and uniquely personal; nevertheless, it is hoped that these shared reflections on process might be helpful to those contemplating academic writing and useful to those who have recently started out travelling on that way.