by Robbin Warner, PhD | Sep 20, 2016 | Dissertation, General, Getting started, writer's block, writing process
Sometimes, we have deadlines to meet—defense dates, submission deadlines, departmental review dates. At those times, we simply have to force ourselves to sit down and write. There are other times in the writing process, however, when we have the time and space to give...
by Robbin Warner, PhD | Sep 6, 2016 | book review, Editing, General
Quick. Name an academic article you’ve recently read that was engaging and well written. One that left you intrigued, delighted, and wanting more. Having a hard time? It’s understandable. Academic writing is full of dry, uninspiring, stilted prose that sucks the life...
by Robbin Warner, PhD | Aug 30, 2016 | Drafts, Editing, General, Getting started, writing process
Your computer will fail at some point while you’re writing your dissertation. Your schedule will collapse on top of you despite your best intentions. You will receive unexpected and sometimes negative feedback on your work. While you cannot control the world around...
by Robbin Warner, PhD | Aug 16, 2016 | Drafts, Editing, writing process
Who hasn’t been here? You’ve been dissertating for hours, productively making your way through a chapter, presenting your evidence, crafting your arguments, and generally achieving the ideal of dissertation writing. Without warning, the power in your apartment goes...
by Robbin Warner, PhD | Aug 9, 2016 | Drafts, Editing, Getting started, writer's block, writing process
In physics, the momentum of a system is said to remain constant so long as there are no outside forces acting on that system. The same law applies in writing—a dissertation, an article, or any other project. Once we begin writing, we can speed through; we’re on a...
