From September 29 to October 3, 2025, doctoral students Anne and Jasmin took part in the Autumn Writing Retreat organized by the Doctoral School in Education (DSE) of the University of Vienna in Seitenstetten Abbey. Led by academic writing mentor Melanie Sindelar, the week provided a structured environment in which participants could concentrate on their own dissertation projects.
The retreat was clearly structured, alternating between writing sessions, reflection rounds, discussion moments and breaks. This structure helped us to stay focused and consistently pursue the writing goals we had set for ourselves at the beginning of the week. There was also the opportunity for individual conversations with coach Melanie Sindelar, who offered inspiration for dealing with personal challenges in the writing process.
The atmosphere in and around Seitenstetten Abbey was impressive: historic walls, a well-tended, magnificent courtyard garden and a peaceful yet inspiring environment. Apart from the writing sessions, the tour of the abbey was particularly interesting, as we learned more about the history of the building, its architecture and everyday life at the abbey today.
The food was excellent and the shared meals and conversations during coffee breaks provided good opportunities for exchange. A strong sense of community quickly developed – the feeling that “we are all in the same boat” and facing similar challenges in the writing process.
Writing in a group was particularly enriching, not only contributing to motivation but also helping us to develop routines and reflect on obstacles together. In addition to the intensive writing phases there was also time to relax and recharge our batteries during walks or in the quiet rooms of the monastery.
After a week we returned to our everyday research with new pages of text, fresh ideas and a large dose of motivation that will hopefully last a long time.
