Daniel Chrisendo
When I was a schoolkid, 10 years of age, I was given an assignment for my Indonesian Language class to write an essay about what would happen in the future. It was the end of 1999, and we were welcoming a new millennium. There was a great deal of excitement and anxiety that year, mainly because no one was quite sure what would happen. Two years prior, there was the 1997 Asian financial crisis, which devalued the Indonesian Rupiah by over 80%. One year after that, the Indonesian dictator, President Soeharto, stepped down after 32 years in power, following riots that made me and my family flee home. And finally, we were forced to be ready to celebrate the new millennium in glittering silver as if the country were in a healthy condition. Silver was the color of the third millennium, the year 2000.
I did not know what to write.
Eventually, I wrote about the fear that spread among children. I wrote about a rumor that the new illegal drugs came in the form of a perfumed pen. The pen smelled so good. If we inhale the aroma, we will be addicted and abducted by the men (they were always men) who gave us the pen. I also wrote about Chinese vampires that operated after school hours and tried to suck the blood of children who were not at home during those hours. Indonesian kids really liked to watch movies about jiāngshī, Chinese hopping vampires that can be immobilized by sticking a yellow paper on their forehead. We watched the movie together on Saturday at one of the kids’ places and sprinted straight home after the movie, hoping the vampire wouldn’t catch and eat us on the way. Little did I know that those rumors were spread by our parents to keep us at home and do our homework.
That was my first blog post ever.
Twenty-six years later, at the end of my postdoctoral studies, I have been writing many posts on my own channel, in newspapers, and on Aalto’s WDRG blog. For each post that I write, there is a series of activities, including reading, talking to people, writing, asking for comments, editing, and finally publishing and promoting, which collectively provide numerous benefits to my academic career advancement. I believe every researcher should be actively writing blog posts. Here are six reasons why.
1. It trains our creative writing skills. Let’s spill the elephant in the room. If we do not like writing, a career as a researcher may not be a suitable occupation for us. As researchers, we often have to write extensively to effectively communicate our research. And our publication, though not the only one, is often the most important indicator of our successful career. The academic writing style has also evolved. The typical boring way of writing is losing its fame. Popular journals nowadays demand clarity, perfect structure, and excellent storytelling. This can be trained by writing a blog post, soliciting comments from others, and being an editor for our own article.
2. By practicing writing, we improve our verbal communication. When we write a blog post, we refine our ability to articulate thoughts clearly and concisely. We write, delete, replace, and move sentences here and there until they flow fluently. We read our post out loud, and we hear how it sounds. It is like preparing an engaging speech and presentation that ultimately translates to improved verbal communication. And good public speaking is also a valuable quality of a good researcher.
3. We can include our blog posts in our list of publications. There are other types of publications beyond peer-reviewed articles. This has been increasingly acknowledged in academia lately. For example, the Research Council of Finland encourages researchers to include popularized articles in the list of publications intended for the general public. So, if we write about our research in the form of a blog post, we can include it in our list of publications, which can be useful, for example, when seeking funding. It can even be cited. For example, Anup Shrestha’s blog post about flood risk in Kathmandu was cited in a Natural Hazards Research publication.
4. Not everything worth publishing can be put in a scientific journal, but a blog could be a channel. Work in academia is not only about research that leads to scientific publication. There are many other experiences that we gain, which are worth sharing. For example, our experiences and reflections on teaching, dealing with students, conferences, international mobility, and working culture are also great stories. Unfortunately, scientific journals usually do not accept this type of submission. However, these topics often resonate more closely with readers, as emotions and thoughts are frequently involved in the writing. Readers might have experienced them themselves, and discussions can be sparked.
5. Many research groups and universities have blog channels. The University of Cambridge’s Land Economy has a newly launched blog brand called Land Space Place. University of Vienna’s blog collects stories from all kinds of people who make up the university. Meanwhile, Columbia University’s Climate School has a long-standing blog channel called State of the Planet, which also features my grassroots work from 16 years ago. Some prominent and leading researchers also maintain their own blog channels, featuring inspiring content. For example, I came across Keith Head’s formula for writing an excellent introduction, which he shared on his blog channel at the University of British Columbia. I also found and followed Marc Bellemare’s recommendation on nailing a presentation at a conference from his blog. If we have experience writing high-quality posts, we can increase our leverage when looking for a job in academia. When I applied for a position at the University of Cambridge, I mentioned my blog writing skills in both the application letter and the interview as one of my qualifications. Cambridge appreciated it.
6. Outreach. Besides research and teaching, the university’s other mandate is outreach, which complements its academic responsibilities. It is our responsibility to communicate research to the people, especially to those taxpayers who fund our research. Of course, there are many other activities that can contribute to outreach, such as participating in political discussions, speaking at conferences, and appearing in the media. However, writing a blog post is probably the easiest and cheapest way to reach out.
Nowadays, I do not really write about jiāngshī anymore. Most probably because life is getting more serious as I age. Instead, I write about serious topics, such as (in)equality, development, and teaching experience. But the process of writing a blog post is still as fun as writing about jiāngshī. The intellectual curiosity of a topic sparks a sense of excitement. I suggest that every researcher try writing a piece. The reward is indescribable.
Daniel Chrisendo is a postdoctoral researcher at Water and Development Research Group, Aalto University. His research interest includes sustainable food systems, gender equality, and people’s wellbeing.