One of my problems while writing is that I have a hard time stopping the research and reading bibliography part to actually sit down and start writing. I just like the first stage too much. If you add to that my ADD tendencies, then at some point I will find myself reading about completely unrelated things. Just one thing led to another, and somewhere I lost track of my goal. I do manage to get back on track, but that is a tendency I have to wrestle with. For example, the reason why I moved from that stage and started writing my dissertation was the very real threat of uncertainty: I didn't know whether I would have funding past my fifth year or not (I probably would have, but that threat allowed me to go into the job market the year before the economy crashed).
If, as I am now, you are attempting a major project, the juggling can get complicated. I have managed to start writing, while doing research at the same time. So far, I've written 35 pages in the past month and a half. However, I haven't written anything in the past week and a half. The last two days, because I was busy with the R&R, but last week, I just immersed myself into the world of reading and research. Some was useful, but I didn't really need to tackle Alain Badiou out of curiosity right now. I am not sure if I do this because of short attention span (I get bored with a big project every so often, and I need to switch my attention to something else), because I don't know how to organize myself, because I am stuck in my writing (I don't feel so, but I haven't felt compelled to write like I usually do), or why.
Does this happen to you? How do you deal with it? How does your brain (for lack of a better word) works while you are embarked in a research process? I'd love to hear your stories
I'm not ADD but I could have written every single word of this post. :-) I also tend to get so involved in the reading / research process that I have to make myself turn finally back to writing. There is always that one more book or article that seems so crucial to read right now. And, of course, that book or article leads to another and another and another.
ReplyDeleteFor me, this is an evasion technique that allows me to put off writing. Because as enjoyable as a good day of writing is, it is always harder for me than reading and looking for secondary sources.
This is still a hurdle I need to learn to overcome.
I think being aware of it helps a lot. And also, occasionally, allow yourself the distraction the same way you would allow yourself an indulgence. Going back is the hard part.
ReplyDeleteI do this too, but have always chalked it up to finding so many different things interesting :-)
ReplyDeletei just make myself stop reading at a certain point and tell myself i can go back and add in to the writing if in reading at future point I need to. Otherwise like all academics, I'd never write a word. After all why become a Ph.D. if you don't enjoy the tangental intellectual wanderings :_)
ReplyDelete"After all why become a Ph.D. if you don't enjoy the tangental intellectual wanderings :_) "
ReplyDeleteGreat point. It is the stopping part that is hard, though.