{"version":"https://jsonfeed.org/version/1","title":"Christina Gessler, Ph.D.","home_page_url":"https://christinagessler.com","description":"Christina Gessler, Ph.D.","author":{"name":"Christina Gessler, Ph.D."},"items":[{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/facing-a-deadline-tips-for-creating-a-timeline-for-completion","html_content":"

It’s only mid-July, but it feels like September is looming. Like so many of us, you probably have a manuscript deadline to worry about [as well as upcoming Fall commitments to prep for]. How can you get that draft in on ...

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/facing-a-deadline-tips-for-creating-a-timeline-for-completion","title":"Creating A Timeline For Completion","summary":"It’s only mid-July, but it feels like September is looming. Like so many of us, you probably have a manuscript deadline to worry about [as well as upcoming Fall commitments to prep for]. How can you get that draft in on ...","date_modified":"2026-07-14T13:25:35Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/the-best-you-can","html_content":"

One summer Sunday the man in the front pew turned around and said “good morning” to me. It’s kinda our normal Episcopalian thing [we call it Passing The Peace] to greet at least one stranger before the service ends.

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/the-best-you-can","title":"Doing The Best You Can","summary":"One summer Sunday the man in the front pew turned around and said “good morning” to me. It’s kinda our normal Episcopalian thing [we call it Passing The Peace] to greet at least one stranger before the service ends.","date_modified":"2026-04-08T13:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/write-it-down-the-hidden-power-of-making-to-do-lists","html_content":"

It turns out there’s lasting value in writing down anything you’ve done in a day. So put it on your to-do list. Yes, you can add something to the list after the fact and then cross it off, even if you never intended to h...

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/write-it-down-the-hidden-power-of-making-to-do-lists","title":"The Hidden Power of Making To-Do Lists","summary":"It turns out there’s lasting value in writing down anything you’ve done in a day. So put it on your to-do list. Yes, you can add something to the list after the fact and then cross it off, even if you never intended to h...","date_modified":"2026-04-01T12:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/the-other-side-of-the-desk-science-journal-submissions","html_content":"

The Other Side of the Desk is an Academic Life sub-series that helps writers learn more about the publishing industry. For this edition, we are joined by Paulina Strzyz. Dr. Strzyz is a Deputy Editor at Advanced Science,...

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/the-other-side-of-the-desk-science-journal-submissions","title":"Science Editors and Submissions ","summary":"The Other Side of the Desk is an Academic Life sub-series that helps writers learn more about the publishing industry. For this edition, we are joined by Paulina Strzyz. Dr. Strzyz is a Deputy Editor at Advanced Science,...","date_modified":"2026-03-25T00:19:05Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/why-youll-figure-it-out-is-awful-advice","html_content":"

Are you spending hours struggling? Feeling alone? Wondering what's wrong with you?

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/why-youll-figure-it-out-is-awful-advice","title":"\"You'll Just Figure It Out\" ","summary":"Are you spending hours struggling? Feeling alone? Wondering what's wrong with you?","date_modified":"2026-03-05T18:53:34Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/locked-out","html_content":"

\"This is precisely the time when artists go to work,\" Toni Morrison once wrote. \"There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is ho...

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/locked-out","title":"Are You Feeling Locked Out? ","summary":"\"This is precisely the time when artists go to work,\" Toni Morrison once wrote. \"There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is ho...","date_modified":"2025-07-16T19:20:54Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/the-academic-life-newsletter-1","html_content":"

Recently, the New Books Networks newsletter editor asked me to write a column for their \"Graduate Student Corner\" on the topic of facing uncertainty. It was a daunting topic to think about - not only the current level of...

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/the-academic-life-newsletter-1","title":"Facing Uncertainty","summary":"Recently, the New Books Networks newsletter editor asked me to write a column for their \"Graduate Student Corner\" on the topic of facing uncertainty. It was a daunting topic to think about - not only the current level of...","date_modified":"2025-07-10T18:58:39Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/the-academic-life-newsletter","html_content":"

First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you are inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/the-academic-life-newsletter","title":"Your Writing Life","summary":"First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you are inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.","date_modified":"2024-01-21T19:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/about-me-1","html_content":"

Hi! I'm Christina Gessler. I have a Ph.D. in American history, with research specialities in gender, the environment, and women's diaries and letters.

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/about-me-1","title":"About Me","summary":"Hi! I'm Christina Gessler. I have a Ph.D. in American history, with research specialities in gender, the environment, and women's diaries and letters. ","date_modified":"2023-12-21T06:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/what-is-fit-and-where-do-i-fit","html_content":"

Finding the right publisher [or agent] for your work means figuring out where your writing project \"fits.\" Where are books like the one you are writing currently shelved? Who published them? Who edited them? And who rep...

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/what-is-fit-and-where-do-i-fit","title":"What is \"fit\"? And, where do I fit?","summary":"Finding the right publisher [or agent] for your work means figuring out where your writing project \"fits.\" Where are books like the one you are writing currently shelved? Who published them? Who edited them? And who rep...","date_modified":"2023-11-21T19:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/about-me","html_content":"

I love to read. I was one of those kids who took a book everywhere. (You never know when you might find a few minutes to read.) I also took a small notebook and pencil, in case a sudden story idea of my own hit and I nee...

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/about-me","title":"Vulnerability and Writing","summary":"I love to read. I was one of those kids who took a book everywhere. (You never know when you might find a few minutes to read.) I also took a small notebook and pencil, in case a sudden story idea of my own hit and I nee...","date_modified":"2023-10-22T00:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/feeling-stuck","html_content":"

Writing on days when you don't want to, or can't think of anything to put on the page, is really frustrating. Sometimes it feels like the harder you try to make yourself write, the less you achieve. It may be time to loo...

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/feeling-stuck","title":"Feeling stuck? ","summary":"Writing on days when you don't want to, or can't think of anything to put on the page, is really frustrating. Sometimes it feels like the harder you try to make yourself write, the less you achieve. It may be time to loo...","date_modified":"2023-09-22T00:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/its-okay-to-stop-trying-so-hard","html_content":"

My dad left for work every morning around 7, just as I was heading out for my seemingly-long and definitely-foggy walk to the public school. He tried to get home by 8 PM, because we wouldn't sit down for supper until he ...

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/its-okay-to-stop-trying-so-hard","title":"Are you working too hard?","summary":"My dad left for work every morning around 7, just as I was heading out for my seemingly-long and definitely-foggy walk to the public school. He tried to get home by 8 PM, because we wouldn't sit down for supper until he ...","date_modified":"2023-08-22T00:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/finding-your-voice","html_content":"

Here is a starter list of books and podcast episodes to help you tell your story:

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/finding-your-voice","title":"Finding Your Voice","summary":"Here is a starter list of books and podcast episodes to help you tell your story:","date_modified":"2023-07-21T04:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/do-you-need-a-developmental-editor","html_content":"

Hiring a developmental editor is an investment in getting your manuscript done.

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/do-you-need-a-developmental-editor","title":"Do you need a developmental editor?","summary":"Hiring a developmental editor is an investment in getting your manuscript done. ","date_modified":"2023-06-22T00:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/how-will-anyone-find-and-buy-my-book","html_content":"

You've written a book! Hooray! It's finally back from the publisher, and you can even hold it in your hands! It's a dream come true and one worth celebrating. You should have book launch party! But other than that, you a...

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/how-will-anyone-find-and-buy-my-book","title":"How will anyone find and buy my book?","summary":"You've written a book! Hooray! It's finally back from the publisher, and you can even hold it in your hands! It's a dream come true and one worth celebrating. You should have book launch party! But other than that, you a...","date_modified":"2023-05-22T02:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/dealing-with-rejection","html_content":"

Nope, I'm not going to tell you to take your lemons and make lemonade. First of all, no one even includes lemons in the rejection packet. And secondly, no matter how nicely they tell you \"no thanks,\" it still hurts.

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/dealing-with-rejection","title":"Dealing with Rejection? ","summary":"Nope, I'm not going to tell you to take your lemons and make lemonade. First of all, no one even includes lemons in the rejection packet. And secondly, no matter how nicely they tell you \"no thanks,\" it still hurts. ","date_modified":"2023-04-22T00:00:00Z"},{"id":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/payment-for-services","html_content":"

We will decide what support your project needs during your 30 minute free phone consult:

","url":"https://christinagessler.com/my-blog-of-resources/f/payment-for-services","title":"Considering Your Project's Needs","summary":"We will decide what support your project needs during your 30 minute free phone consult: ","date_modified":"2023-03-22T00:00:00Z"}]}