When It's More Than You, Jesus, and the Pencil: Reflections on an Academic Writing Mentorship

Abstract

What makes academic writing so challenging, and what might be done to help graduate students who struggle with it? The authors explore answers to these questions by reflecting upon their own experiences in graduate school and highlighting their collaboration as African American literacy scholars. They use the term academic writing mentorship to characterize their writing relationship and discuss how collaborative work transformed their perceptions of and experiences with academic writing. They also offer academic writing mentorships as a possible strategy for supporting graduate students struggling with academic writing.