Multifaceted roles like academia require careful balancing and priority setting, which can promote individualistic mindsets. Here Dr Martina Costello, RN and lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Edith Cowan University, talks about creating connections through an online writing group. 

As a woman working in academia, particularly in health and medical research, the pressures can feel overwhelming. Balancing teaching, research and administrative duties – while trying to meet constant demands for publications and grant applications – makes it easy to lose sight of the human connections that keep us grounded.

This was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, when managing personal and professional life became even more complex.  

In the midst of this, I found solace in an online writing group composed of four women academics from different disciplines. 

What started as a practical solution to maintain our research outputs during the global crisis became something much more meaningful. Through our regular virtual meetings, we formed a caring and supportive community – one that allowed us to share struggles, celebrate wins and, most importantly, offer the emotional and social support often missing in our academic environments.  

Our writing group wasn’t just about producing papers or meeting deadlines. It evolved into a space where we could bring our whole selves, including the challenges of balancing research with personal commitments like caregiving and home life. We leaned on each other during the uncertainties of the pandemic, and in doing so, not only stayed productive but built a genuine sense of connection and belonging.  

For women in academia, finding spaces for connection and care can feel like an uphill battle. But my experience with this writing group taught me that when we take the time to nurture real communities, we thrive both personally and professionally. We created a space where we could discuss not just our work, but also the pressures we face in our careers – the demands for high performance, the stress of securing grants, and the delicate balancing act of life outside academia.  

Together, we realised that while we may not dismantle the systemic pressures in higher education, we had found a way to support each other through them. It was this sense of community that helped us maintain momentum, offering motivation and reassurance when challenges seemed too great.  

For me, this group became more than a writing collective –it was a lifeline. It reminded me that, even in an increasingly individualistic academic world, there is strength in collaboration, care and mutual support. By coming together, we found not just productivity but also a deeper sense of purpose and connection.  

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