Deadline next Monday! The 2026 #DDRIG application period for APSA’s Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants is now open! The DDRIG grant program provides support to enhance and improve the conduct of #doctoraldissertation research in #polisky.

Are you an academic looking for some way to commit to writing this summer? I just had an inquiry about WritingTime, but would need a couple more folks to make setting the time aside worthwhile. RudyLeon.com/WritingTime for more info, Thursdays 10 to noon Central. #academicsky #scholarlywriting

I have dorked around with Claude and had it "copyedit" some of my newsletters. It's not bad at finding typos But it also regularly gets things wrong in ways that a human would not, even starting from a chunk of text far shorter than a novel. You don't have to dig deep to remember it's a machine.

As an editor and expert in Word, I often wonder if folks recognize they're using Word like they learned it in Grade 3. I can (and do) teach classes on Word for Writers of Books and Dissertations, but I think the skillset ought to upgraded long before 20th grade. #academicsky

Writing Time is 12 weeks of virtual writing retreats for academics, with a Guided Planning Session kicking it off on May 21, to support realistic prioritization/scheduling for your summer writing. $45 gets you this plus access to the Writing Time community, and discounted coaching #AcademicSky

Today I am really missing Yahoo Directory. Is anyone else old enough to remember that tool? I have found one instance of a tool I'd never thought was a thing before, and I want to know what the other things in the category are. I have no idea what to call the category to productively google it.

I am constantly shocked by agency reports that don't list anything about authorship. No mention of the people/team/office who wrote the report. No mention of funder. But also, and this is just insane, *no mention of the agency who commissioned the report* Folks. PUT YOUR NAMES ON YOUR PUBLICATIONS

Apparently, there is historical documentation of a dispute between Chinese and Spanish residents of Mexico City in 1635. 1635, Chinese immigrants already in Mexico. If I can't read an actual history book on that development, I would eagerly devour a good piece of historical fiction.

I propose we grab Booker and Warren and any others if they still exist and launch a Principled Party for Progress. The Democratic party is simply a formless spineless snail trying to stay safe in its ineffective shell.

Last night, someone on reddit tracked down my personal email sent me a deathwish. I'm in a lot of political debates. I report hate speech/terrorism a dozen times a day. But this wasn't from there. This was a response to calmly correcting medical misinformation. It is freaking crazy out there.

Announcing Writing Time, an online scholarly writing community. Participants get dedicated time for their writing, access to the Writing Time community and can receive coaching at discounted rates. We'll gather Fridays 10 am to noon CDT, March 13 through May 17. Info at rudyleon.com/writingtime

#Academicsky folk! I'm curious about what day/time of day you set aside for your writing (whether or not you honor that...) Do you prefer to write very early, pre-leaving home? At night? Start of workday, end of workday? Wednesday mornings? Is there a time that you usually set aside?

If I paid starter level for each Substack I follow, that'd cost $100+/mo. (and I avoid Substack so this is low) For what's essentially a monthly magazine. The model is unsustainable. I pay for 0, bc, how to choose? But if Substack went magazine, say 10 stacks for $25/month, I would totally do that

Librarian friends! I want to hire a database designer. I need a good searchable database, max 400 entries, lots of facets. I don't know what to call this (search keywords...), so I'm depending on your recommendations. Happy to start w/a consult to get my needs in order. (email me, [email protected])

Tip for hiring #editor or #indexer: If you're quoted a rate you don't like, tell us. If you say you'll get back to us, we don't get to negotiate a better rate, plus we often hold space for your project or make a note to check in with you. Just tell us. It's fine to say that's not in your budget.

Nothing makes me leave a website faster than being shown a cookie banner with only an accept option. Not only do I reject your cookies, I will not be adding to your monetization. Seriously, allow me to block your cookies, or just shut down your websites.

I'm really curious how many people are stopping taking important prescriptions because their insurance companies spiked copays this year. (Me? I've stopped 2 and won't be starting a third). This is really the point where American health care is actively trying to kill us.

Calling @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social @schumer.senate.gov Do this. Grow a spine and stand up for us.

Dem reps in DC: I don't want to see another tweet with #ICEOUT, I want you ALL marching on 1600 and DEMANDING, with your outside voices, that the US government cease its war against us. If you won't do that, what are you for? @durbin.senate.gov @duckworth.senate.gov @budzinski.house.gov

I'm calling my Dem reps in DC demanding action. I don't want to see another tweet demanding #ICE OUT, I want every rep marching on the White House and demanding, in person, with their outside voices, that the US government cease its war against us. If they don't do that, what use are they at all?

I decided political convos happening there require reading X regularly, so I started to create an account that cannot be traced back to me in any way. I'm pissed how hard that is. For ex, setting up an unaffiliated email requires a valid phone number. There is no actual anonymity at all anymore.

Nominations are now open for the @nursingclio.bsky.social Prize for Best Journal Article, an award for the best peer-reviewed academic journal article on the intersection of gender and medical histories in English. Self-nominations are encouraged! 🗃️

I'm working on January's fourth project: One was hosting a group read on Portwood-Stacer's Make Your Manuscript Work. I indexed an interesting book about the history of satellites and edited an article about unaccompanied minors, and now I'm indexing a book on the racial dimensions of disability

#academicsky folks: Tell me about your co-work writing sessions. What do you love? What do you not love? What are you looking for when you sign on? #academicchatter

As a new semester begins, if you're teaching faculty at a university or college, don't forget to contact your librarian to schedule a library instruction class for your students. #AcademicSky

#academicsky #philsky #edusky

I do most of my long form blogging/advice for scholars and dissertators on LI, which is not their preferred space. This #academicsky tag is a pretty useless space as well, as most folks use more granular tags. Where do y'all suggest posting for the best chances of connecting with that audience?

Do you anticipate needing an editor or indexer next year? I'm currently booking for most months in 2026. I work with cookbooks and the academic social sciences and humanities--history, anthropology, gender studies, ethnic studies, polisci/IR, LIS, communications/media studies, religion, etc.

I've heard reports of 2 scholarly presses using AI to index and copyedit books. Both reports from authors who were deeply dissatisfied with the quality of the work. Both authors paid to have the work redone by humans. Authors need to demand human copyeditors and indexers! Their work deserves it.

Schedules slip, but that means I have room this month to index your book! (Or edit your book/articles, but this time of year has a lot of indexing deadlines). You can contact me via my website (rudyleon.com). Let's get your book to press! #academicsky #academia #indexing #editing #publishing

Writers: what's your advice against perfectionism? How have you gotten yourself to just write, write without judgement, get your thoughts and flow and shape onto paper, no editing until it's drafted (mostly)? What advice do you give? (and what advice didn't work at all?) #academicsky #writing

I'm winding up an index on the damages of borders, both physical and existential. I have space for another project before my next arrives (on Golden Gate Park) and space for one more this year after that. Be in touch if you're looking for an indexer or an editor for your work #academicsky #indexing

I just opened a @washingtonpost.com story in my browser and it is riddled with AI interference. That's a hard hell no from me. Is there a good AI blocker out there in the world? I'll be cancelling my subscription, but WaPo isn't the malaprop demanding I allow AI to interact with my data.

I feel like I'm a million years old when I say I believe any time my country decides to pull staff from a country because of its ongoing collapse, this should be front page news. Mali is falling to Al-Qaeda. The US pulled staff out weeks ago. Where was the coverage?? www.bbc.com/news/article...

I've been wondering if the pogroms were a genocide. I realized I don't know why/who. Went searching for a history of the pogroms, but don't see a history of the 40 year period in general, just specific ranges. Can anyone rec a good book on the movement? #academicsky #jewishhistory

My indexing society's directory has glitched, and I have an unusual number of openings for the rest of 2025. If you're in need of indexing for your book before the end of the year, this is a great opportunity! I'm usually overbooked at this point, so get in touch, via rudyleon.com. #academicsky

What do y'all think a "technocratic governing body" might be?

L'Shana Tovah all. May your 5786 be happy and healthy.

I have cancelled all my streaming channels as a way to boycott the actors signed on to the antisemitic pledge (I'll watch media again when the same actors all sign on to end complicity with the Uyghur genocide). Tell me all your favorite books and music and podcasts please.

It is suddenly unarguably fall, and to kick it off, I have an outdoors concert tonight. Can someone remind me what a high of 70 is going to feel like outside for 5 hours, until 11pm? At this point in the year, a tee shirt feels like heavy clothing...

📚Skybrarians! There used to be a database that included transcripts of radio programs and news shows. Along with newspaper articles, I think. Is this still around? What's it called? (I just scanned through a list of databases at UIUC and none of them are ringing my bell for this.) #librarians

I'm looking for a history of early Islam. Like 620-1200 (or whatever a logical breaking point is before the Inquisition/expulsion), earliest expansion and growth. Your recommendations? #academicSky #history #islamichistory

I have just spent an hour #editing one short paragraph. It's not just students who lose the thread in the final section of their writing. Deadlines can be motivating, but they do lead to some bad words on page. (This isn't a comment on this project. It's about the universality of the thing)

The cicadas are so much louder this year than I've ever heard! And *definitely* louder than two years ago when the broods failed to hatch in town.

I will pay real $$ for the longtime free computing tools I use all the time if they would come with ZERO AI. Email. Project Management. Browser. Word Processing. Search tools. Any of it. I am infuriated every time some "upgrade" forces AI down my throat. I want its existence to be opt-in.

Seeking #shortstory recs. So I'm suddenly teaching high-school/college dual enrollment classes: SHORT STORIES and WOMEN'S LIT So let's hear some recs. WHAT WILL TODAY'S TEENS IN SAN JOSE FIND RELATABLE AND ENJOYABLE? Thanks! #booksky #academicsky #literatureclass #recommendedreads #collegelit

My summer has been so incredibly busy and hard, and I've decided to take the last week of August off. I'm so glad inquiries for fall have started appearing, but even more grateful they aren't forcing me to challenge that decision. #AcademicSky, Do you have any editing and indexing needs for Fall

#Edibuddies: I'm wondering if there is a technical term for the error of a word that is actually a typo? Like is instead of if? Fits instead of first? Or the famous public/pubic? @grammargirl.bsky.social Do you know? #Editorsofwords