Collaborative article sprints for research teams
Do you need to bring a group of writers together around a shared journal article, report, or public-facing piece?
An article sprint is a focused, facilitated process that helps research teams move from discussion to a coherent draft. Over three structured days, I guide the group to clarify the argument, define the scope, divide the work, write, review, and bring the piece together.
How the sprint works
Pre-sprint strategy session
A few weeks before the sprint, we’ll have a 90-minute meeting to clarify the topic, format, audience, and goals so everyone shares a common understanding of the task.
Day 1: Collaborative planning
We’ll generate ideas, clarify the central argument and key sections, build a shared outline, and create a writing plan.
Day 2: Collaborative writing and review
Everyone writes their assigned sections while also reviewing one another’s contributions. I stay with the group throughout the day to guide the process, support decision-making, and keep the work moving.
Day 3: Full draft review and next steps
We review the draft as a whole, identify what still needs work, and agree on a clear finishing plan.
Optional editorial feedback and copyediting can also be included.
A sprint can be especially useful when…
a writing project brings together contributors from different disciplines, levels of seniority, or perspectives
the team has strong ideas but needs help turning them into a shared structure
discussion, revision, or competing commitments keep slowing the work down
“Again and again, Faith’s deft touch in
managing a variety of perspectives, opinions, and personalities helped us produce our best written work.”
“Over the past year, I’ve led a series of three-day collaborative writing workshops, and I can attribute a great deal of their success to Faith’s skilful planning and support. Her thoughtful guidance and critical insights enabled the groups to produce engaging essays that reflected the collective insights of the participants.”
Rayvon Fouché, Associate Dean for Graduate Education, School of Communication, Northwestern University
Plan an article sprint for your research team`
If you have a collaborative writing project in mind, please get in touch to arrange an initial conversation. We can discuss the intended output, contributors and timeline, and whether a three-day Article Sprint is the right format for your team.