Purpose This study addresses the limited research on how Indonesian EFL teacher educators develop professionally and reshape their identities through academic writing and publishing. Design/methodology/approach Using a multiple-case qualitative design, it examines how 20 teacher educators from 20 universities construct their professional growth and experience identity transformation through writing. Guided by a sociocultural framework and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic approach, the study explores participants' developmental pathways, challenges, and reflective practices. Findings Findings show that academic writing operates as a mediational process that integrates reflective inquiry, scholarly participation, and institutional support. Engagement in writing groups, collaboration, and mentorship strengthens research skills, confidence, and resilience, enabling educators to negotiate their identities at the nexus of teaching and research. Originality/value Thus, the study posits that professional development in academic writing is a continuous, socially mediated process that depends on both individual agency and sustained participation in academic communities.
Wahyuningsih et al. (Wed,) studied this question.