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Nathan

Viva Survivors Select 15

Update

Cover of Viva Survivors Select 15, The Questions Issue, October 2026 by Nathan Ryder. A red pawn stands with question marks all around them

It’s release day for The Questions Issue, the latest and penultimate issue of Viva Survivors Select!

You can find The Questions Issue on my Payhip store now. For this issue I wanted to explore viva questions: what they’re like, how you can engage with them, prepare for them and what to do in a range of situations that people worry about. This zine feels like a different perspective on many other topics that people consider for the viva. Expectations, prep, worry and feelings, confidence – everything’s connected but it depends on where you put your focus.

Page 1 of the zine, titled HELLO! An introduction and overview of the issue.

The Questions Issue contains twenty curated posts from the Viva Survivors blog archive. I have also written two new pages of viva help! In the first I give my responses to some of the most frequently asked questions I get about the viva. I’ve delivered over 500 sessions to 10,000+ PhD candidates – I’ve been asked a lot of questions! In the second new page I also share seven questions I think will help any PhD candidates as they get ready for their viva.

Once again I’ve created all of the art for this issue with my trusty iPad and digital art app. There’s no AI: it’s all me playing, experimenting and having fun as I explore this new medium for myself. I hope it gives a smile and helps you engage with and enjoy the issue.

Page 5 of the zine. A blog post titled Surprise Questions covers the top half of the page and an illustration of a pawn figure being surprised by a jack-in-the-box completes the page.

Viva Survivors Select 15, The Questions Issue, is out now for £3. If you like the blog, want more help and want to support what I do then please consider buying Viva Survivors Select. If it helps you then please pass on details of The Questions Issue and Viva Survivors Select to anyone you know who is looking for viva help.

Thanks for reading!

Nathan

 

PS: the final issue of Viva Survivors Select – rather appropriately titled The Final Issue – is due out on Wednesday 18th November 2026. It’s been lovely to share so much of the blog through these zines over the last year-and-a-half – and I’ve got something very special planned for this last issue 🙂

Nathan

7 Reasons, 7th October 2026

Event, Update

In Brief: I’m sharing my 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva webinar live next Wednesday 7th October 2026. Booking is open, there’s one of my pdf resources and a catch-up recording included. I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone who comes – and maybe that’s you?!

(I also have two more dates before Christmas if you’re busy on 7th October!)

 

A Few More Details: When I announced my autumn 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva sessions earlier this month I shared a lovely email from a PhD candidate who attended one this summer. Since then I’ve had another lovely email!

“I wanted to say a huge thank you to you for your viva materials and the session I attended. I passed my viva today with minor corrections. Your magazines, daily newsletter and the session were all brilliant resources. I read the magazines last night and they were what I needed to keep me calm and to believe in myself. “ – University of Huddersfield PhD graduate

The magazines mentioned are the Viva Survivor Select pdf zines I’ve been creating (more on those here!). I’m really glad the summer sessions were so helpful. I really love sharing 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva and it’s now starting to edge out my Viva Survivor session in terms of how often it’s requested.

I think of 7 Reasons as a 1-hour confidence boost for the viva. In the space of an hour I cover key reasons why people succeed at the viva. There’s space for everyone to ask questions, a copy of my 101 Steps To A Great Viva pdf and a catch-up recording of the session too. I have a total of three dates coming up before Christmas:

These are the only independent sign-up sessions I’m running between now and Christmas.

I am also invited by universities to work directly with PGRs – so check your researcher-development programme first – but if I’ve not been invited to help your PGR community then please take a look at the details for these upcoming events. Registration is open now for all three and if you’re looking for viva help then please take a look.

Thanks for reading – if you think it will help a friend then please pass on the news.

All the best,

Nathan

Nathan

Viva Survivors Select 14

Update

Cover of Viva Survivors Select 14, The Rehearsal Issue, September 2026 by Nathan Ryder. Cover shows a stylised red pawn figure stood on a theatre stage behind the curtains. A sign reads "Mock Viva Today!"

It’s release day for The Rehearsal Issue, the latest issue of Viva Survivors Select!

You can find The Rehearsal Issue on my Payhip store now. After exploring general viva prep in many other issues in the series and spending a few issues to focus on particular aspects of getting ready it felt only right that I take one collection to really cover why rehearsing matters so much for the viva.

Page 1 of the issue, titled HELLO! A description of the contents.

The Rehearsal Issue contains twenty curated posts from the Viva Survivors blog archive. The posts explore the value of prep, options beyond the mock viva and how rehearsal connects with confidence. As with previous issues I’ve also included two new pages of viva help too – including a new concise version of my mini-vivas resource.

It’s been a continuing treat to draw the art for this issue as well. I love the shades of red on the cover and enjoyed the challenge of creating the interior black and white art too. I hope you enjoy the illustrations too!

Page 7 of the issue. Titled "Preparing For A Video Viva", the first two-thirds of the page are the text of the blog post. The bottom third shows an illustration of a desktop setup for a video viva.

Viva Survivors Select 14, The Rehearsal Issue, is out now for £3. If you like the blog, want more help and want to support what I do then please consider buying Viva Survivors Select. If it helps you then please pass on details of The Rehearsal Issue and Viva Survivors Select to anyone you know who is looking for viva help.

Thanks for reading!

Nathan

 

PS: the next collection, The Questions Issue, is due out on Wednesday 14th October 2026!

Nathan

Live Webinars, Autumn 2026

Event, Update

The Short Version: I have three upcoming dates for independent viva help webinars and registration is open now. Full details of all three dates are at the link and you can also find out more below. Thanks for reading!

 

The Longer Version: I got a really lovely email from a PhD candidate about one of my webinars over the summer.

“Thanks for your time and for setting these up – often it helps to hear about this from someone not in the department/same uni to get a broader perspective. I felt so assured when you said you’re more likely not to submit a final thesis than you are to fail a viva – so in a way that will make me have a much better summer knowing the hard slog is actually 90% over. I liked the structure of the session as well as your willingness to answer questions and interact with us.” – University of Leeds PhD candidate

It was nice to receive this after one of my independent sign-up 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva sessions in July. I love delivering this session: I’ve shared it over 100 times now to many, many PGRs!

I think of it as a 1-hour confidence boost for the viva. In the space of an hour I cover key reasons why people succeed at the viva. There’s space for everyone to ask questions, a copy of my 101 Steps To A Great Viva pdf and a catch-up recording of the session too.

I really love sharing this session and that’s why I have three dates coming up in the next few months where you can join me to find 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva:

These are the only independent sign-up sessions that I’m running between now and Christmas. I might be running a viva help session for your institution between now and then, so do check with your graduate school or doctoral college first before booking.

If I’ve not been invited to help your PGR community then please take a look at the details for these upcoming events. Registration is open now for all three events. If you’re looking for viva help or know someone who is then please take a look.

Thanks for reading – if you think it will help a friend then please pass on the news.

All the best,

Nathan

Nathan

“What You Should Do”

Daily Post

Let’s assume that any viva advice you’re given is well-intentioned.

Let’s go a step further and assume that the content of the advice is also fairly sound and reasonable.

So when your supervisor, a friend, a video, an LLM-service or me(!) tells you something to help with your viva they’re doing it with good reason and they sincerely hope it will help…

…still you have to stop and think, “Is this right?”

When you get a piece of viva advice:

  • Check the regulations for your institution if it’s relevant.
  • Check with another source to see if there is similar advice, say, for a prep idea.
  • Then compare it with your particular situation to see it still seems good.

Generally, expectations and advice are broad and cover many circumstances. Your case might be different from the typical “should”. That doesn’t mean anything is wrong but you might have to think more about how you apply things to you.

Be careful with viva advice that says what you “should” do.

Nathan

Viva Survivors Select 12

Update

Cover for The Contribution Issue, dated July 2026. Background image shows a red stylised pawn on a ladder painting a large mural. A blue pawn has a ? speech bubble at the foot of the ladder

It’s release day for The Contribution Issue, the latest issue of Viva Survivors Select!

You can find The Contribution Issue on my Payhip store now. This issue is an exploration of what it means to make a significant, original contribution – what that means for a PhD candidate, how they can prepare for the viva and how they can use their contributions to help build up their confidence.

Page 1 of The Contribution Issue, titled HELLO! - an overview of the issue's contents

The Contribution Issue contains twenty posts from the Viva Survivors archive as well as two original pages of viva help. For one I get a little bit reflective myself and think back on my PhD and what my understanding of my research contribution meant for my viva. I also share a daily reflection tool for building up a summary of thesis contributions. And once again I’ve done all of the art – I’m really enjoying making art a part of what I do in 2026 🙂

Page 3 of The Contribution Issue. A post titled "Contribution is Cumulative" takes up the first half followed by a black and white image showing a pawn character standing on top of a tower of blocks

Viva Survivors Select 12, The Contribution Issue, is out now for £3. If you like the blog, want more help and want to support what I do then please consider buying Viva Survivors Select. If it helps you then please pass on details of The Contribution Issue and Viva Survivors Select to anyone you know who is looking for viva help.

Thanks for reading!

Nathan

 

PS: the next collection, The Personal Issue, is due out on Wednesday 12th August 2026!

Nathan

Final July Webinar!

Event, Update

“Hi Nathan, Thanks for your time and for setting these up – often it helps to hear about [the viva] from someone not in the department/same uni to get a broader perspective. I felt so assured when you said you’re more likely not to submit a final thesis than you are to fail a viva – so in a way that will make me have a much better summer knowing the hard slog is actually 90% over. I liked the structure of the session as well as your willingness to answer questions and interact with us.”

– PhD Candidate, University of Leeds

These very kind words from a recent attendee at a 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva session were a big boost. It felt like they got exactly what I’m offering with these sessions. It was so nice to receive this feedback 🙂

 

My final viva help webinar before I take a summer break is this Wednesday morning. Bizarrely it will also be the 100th time that I’ve delivered the session.

I say bizarre because it had such strange beginnings: 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva was something small I did to try something new during the first COVID lockdowns in April 2020. I was only going to run it once, maybe twice, but it has grown to be one of my most-requested webinar sessions.

I really love sharing this 1-hour confidence-boost for the viva and seeing how it resonates with PhD candidates. The session is designed to be a confidence boost, concise and valuable, with plenty of time for questions too.

Tickets for my final 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva session of the summer are available now. If you’re looking for viva help then I hope you can join me on Zoom this week:

Registration for this live 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva webinar is £20 and includes a follow-up email, a pdf copy of my 101 Steps To A Great Viva guide and access to a catch-up recording of the session.

Thanks for reading! I hope to see you there – and if you think this might help a friend with their viva prep or viva nerves then please share this message with them.

All the best,

Nathan

Nathan

July 2026 Webinars

Event, Update

I have three 1-hour viva help webinars coming up in July! Today seemed like a good opportunity to send out a reminder.

7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva has grown to be one of my most-requested webinar sessions since I first it delivered during COVID lockdowns in 2020. I love sharing this confidence-boost for the viva and seeing how it resonates with PhD candidates.

I’ve offered viva help for more than fifteen years to over 10,000 PGRs and shared 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva almost 100 times. The session is designed to be a confidence boost, concise and valuable, with plenty of time for questions too.

I’m offering 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva at a range of times in July – including my first weekend session this coming Saturday morning! Attendees for all sessions will have access to a catch-up recording to review for four weeks afterwards. They’ll also receive a follow-up email and resources including my pdf guide 101 Steps To A Great Viva.

Tickets for my July 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva sessions are available now. If you’re looking for viva help then I hope you can join me on Zoom on one of these dates:

One more time: registration for these live 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva webinars is £20 and includes a follow-up email, a pdf copy of my 101 Steps To A Great Viva guide and access to a catch-up recording of the session.

Thank you for reading. I hope you can join me for one of these sessions – and if this news might be helpful to a friend with their upcoming viva then please share this message.

All the best,

Nathan

Nathan

Be Helpful, If You Can

Daily Post

After your viva, be helpful for other PhD candidates if and when you can.

  • Share your viva experience if it will help someone understand what they need to do to get ready.
  • Listen to someone if they have questions about the process.
  • Give suggestions for helpful viva prep ideas.
  • Offer your time if you can to ask someone about their research (the mini-viva resource will help).

If you can, when your viva is done, share your experience. Share what helped you get ready.

Nathan

Viva Survivors Select 11

Update

Cover of VSS11, The Examiners Issue, dated June 2026 and by Nathan Ryder. Two towering figures loom over a smaller figure; all are stylised as simple game pieces

It’s release day for The Examiners Issue, the latest issue of Viva Survivors Select!

You can find The Examiners Issue on my Payhip store now. This issue is a curated collection of writing from the blog and I’ve tried to cover every angle: who examiners are, what they do, how they’re selected and how you can prepare for meeting them at your viva.

Page 1 of VSS11, titled HELLO! and introducing the content of the issue

The Examiners Issue contains twenty posts from the Viva Survivors archive as well as two original pages of viva help: a reflection on my own examiners and a helpful quick process for exploring who yours are. This issue continues my plan for this year’s zines to create all of the art myself. I’m very happy with the cover for this month and can’t wait to share the next cover too! (you’ll find it as the back cover teaser on this issue!)

Page 5 of VSS11, titled Citing Examiners. The top half of the page is a short article and the bottom shows a black and white illustration of a figure examining a noticeboard with various images and papers connected by strings

Viva Survivors Select 11, The Examiners Issue, is out now for £3. If you like the blog, want more help and want to support what I do then please consider buying Viva Survivors Select. If it helps you then please pass on details of The Examiners Issue and Viva Survivors Select to anyone you know who is looking for viva help.

Thanks for reading!

Nathan

 

PS: the next collection, The Contribution Issue, is due out on Wednesday 15th July 2026!

And PPS: if you’re looking for even more viva help then check out the details for my upcoming 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva webinars: you can check dates for sessions over the next six weeks at Eventbrite, and the first session is next Wednesday 17th June 2026.

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