We spent yesterday watching the pageant from the Butler’s Wharf building near Tower Bridge. The view was amazing!
Next week I’m back blogging about Google Scholar. Is it all that?
Best wishes,
Elisha
The practice of the creative writer can often be a solitary thing. It is very important to have this peaceful thinking space; however, until you have tried communicating your ideas to someone else, how can you be sure they will be understood? I asked some author friends what tips they had for fleshing out convincing fictional people. These are a few of the methods they suggested:
1 Gossip
Gossiping is a very important psychological process which allows us to analyse the ethical implications of human behaviour while at the same time building feelings of solidarity between our gossiping co-conspirators and ourselves. You could try gossiping about your character as if they are real (it’s probably best that whoever you’re talking to be made aware your character is fictional; otherwise they could waste several hours trying to find their profile on Facebook), revealing all of the juicy salacious details of their life and behaviour. Nothing makes a person more complete and interesting than their flaws, ethical complexities and that irritating way they swallow loudly when they drink tea. Note: if your character eventually sues you for slander then you may have gone a little too far.
2 Personal Artefacts and Property
Personally speaking, I like to keep all my old shop receipts in my handbag as I feel it creates a lovely soft bedding for my mobile phone, the lip gloss that has fluff in it and the Biro which is currently spewing its ink all over the post-it note full of highly important information. The contents of a person’s bag or glove compartment can provide a piercing insight into their personality, daily life and priorities. For instance, the presence of a nicotine patch indicates an ongoing battle against smoking. This in turn may suggest that they could have a reason to give up smoking, such as a new baby or a worsening health condition, or it could simply imply that this character might have rather a short temper at present in stark contrast to their normal bubbly self. By writing a list of contents, and then passing the list to someone else to read, you will be able to get a picture of how someone else may interpret the meaning of the objects and whence the personality of your character.
3 Be them
We are all prone to talking to ourselves of occasion, and so your character would probably do the same. Acting out the character yourself, mumbling thoughts out loud, may help you to gain insight into their demeanour and voice as well as their inconsequential rambling thought processes. Again, do warn any flatmates before hand, especially if your character happens to have a deep demonic growl.
What do you do to get to know your characters? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Take care, Poppy
p.s. –The Writing Laboratory offers one-to-one Skype sessions with writing professionals to discuss all facets of the writing process. Please visit www.thewritinglaboratory.co.uk for more information.
Organising a productive working space is often complicated by the nomadic lifestyle of the student. Traveling between shared halls and silent libraries before heading back home for several weeks of summer holiday, how can you be sure that you have the space you need to study well at all times? There are two criteria that are essential. Firstly, a comfortable place that you are happy to stay in for an extended period of time. Secondly, the tools and materials required for the job.
1. The University Accommodation
If you are the kind of person who likes to settle in for intense 12 hour periods of writing (sometimes followed by intense 12 hour periods of daytime sleeping…) then you may be perfectly suited to working from your college flat, as books can be kept open and ready next to coffee pots and bowls of soggy, but nutritious, cereal. However we all need a break from time to time, so it may be a good idea to set aside a different place in your flat, at a distance from your computer, that you can move to for a nice cup of tea, a gaze out of the window and perhaps some gentle whittling if you are that way inclined.
2. The Library
As human beings, we unfortunately have no tangible way of marking our territory (which wouldn’t then result in ostracism from both our academic institution and peer group). We are also terribly superstitious creatures who can feel quite put out when, on entering the library or IT suite, we find some little upstart using ‘our’ computer. In this situation it is worth remembering that a) all your work is saved to your USB stick and not the computer in the corner that has the best natural light; b) who needs vitamin D anyway; and c) glaring at the person until they go away only costs both you and them valuable study time. The wonderful thing about library working is that you are largely protected from the distraction of people you know and objects you love. Plug in some earphones (at a modest volume), take advantage of books you wouldn’t have access to at home and please save every last thing to that trusty little USB stick for she is truly your best friend.
3. The Home Town
So many books, so little space in the holdall amongst the collected debris of an academic year. So if you intend to write during your summer break then a useful strategy can be to take home hard copies of primary texts (checking library fees and availability) while photocopying required secondary texts (within copyright laws) organised inside a hard folder. If you are a good home-worker, then you could create a dedicated space from the get go. Or, if library working better suits you, then an enjoyable alternative can be a coffee shop, providing you with a bustling but anonymous venue and pints of milky stimulants.
What arrangement works best for you? And what stationary/materials/inanimate objects must you absolutely have around you in order to turn thoughts into writing?
Take care, Poppy
Rachel Gardner has posted a much circulated blog on how fiction writers can jar themselves out of writer’s block. You can find it here. Unfortunately, most of her ideas are not applicable to academic writing, so I thought I’d offer some advice on how to rediscover your academic writing flow.
1. Read what you wrote yesterday. Gardner advises this and I agree. Often when I’m writing about theory, I think I’ve succinctly captured the gist of a complex idea. However, when I go back the next day, I find that I haven’t expressed the idea at all. What, I find are sentences that are stupidly obvious, s
uch as: ‘the other is the Other’; or sentences that make no sense because they are too theoretically dense: ‘Chalier ties the weakening of ontology to the fact of woman’s life and finds in this link the ethical state of being for-the-other.’
When I go back and reread what I’ve written, I become aware of what I don’t fully understand. I also become inspired to write until I do understand!
2. Accept that you may have come to a natural section or chapter conclusion and switch to a new section. I think many us, particularly when we’re new to academic writing, beat our ideas to a pulp. Don’t. If you can’t think of anything else to say right now, move on.
3. Take a break every 45 minutes. Often academic writers do not have the luxury of going to Starbucks, out for a walk or out shopping. We fit our writing time around our many other responsibilities, teaching, researching, families, jobs, etc. This causes enormous pressure to perform to build up during our scheduled writing time. Taking a short break every 45 minutes to go to the loo, make a cup of tea or do something mundane like take out the rubbish gives our minds just enough time to relax from that pressure.
4. Go back to your sources. When I feel I’ve tapped the well dry, I will often go back to the original books, look up new secondary sources or reread my own notes. This grounds me in the originality of my thought by exposing me to the issues that other scholars are talking about.
Hope you found this helpful.
Happy writing,
Elisha
www.thewritinglaboratory.co.uk
ps. the awesome cartoon in this post is from Poorly Drawn Lines: http://poorlydrawnlines.com/
As I went to save our new fliers today, I wondered about the different spellings of this word. Is it flier? Or is it flyer? My personal preference is to use ‘flier’ for a leaflet and ‘flyer’ for one who flies. It seems, though, that there is no solid rules for this.
This is what the grammarist (http://grammarist.com/spelling/flier-flyer/) has to say:
________
Flier vs. flyer
Outside the U.S., there is no difference between flyer and flier. They are used interchangeably, though flyer is about twice as common as flier. American writers tend to use flyer for a small handbill and flier for one who flies. This is only a preference, however, and exceptions abound.
An earlier version of this post said simply that flier is the American spelling for all senses of the word while flyer is preferred everywhere else. Since posting the original, we’ve noticed that American publications display a definite pattern of distinguishing between the two spellings. But the two are so commonly mixed up that we can safely say neither is correct or incorrect for any sense of the word.
Outside the U.S., the issue is equally confounding. TheGuardian style book, for example, says “flyer, not flier,” while the Daily Telegraph style book says “flier, not flyer” (though below we include a Telegraph example that goes against this). Obviously there is no agreement on the issue, and the flier–flyer distinction apparently comes down to preference no matter where you are.
________
And these, good readers, are the fliers going up at UK universities over the next few weeks:
Best,
Elisha – for http://www.thewritinglaboratory.co.uk
I’ve been wondering lately about what stops us from writing when writing is what we need to do. There are loads of tips on the internet for getting writing done. Do a quick search for ‘writing tips’ on twitter, and you will find them. Most of them suggest at least the following:
1. Write.
2. Write about what you know.
3. Commit. Write at the same time in the same place every day.
4. Don’t edit while you write.
5. Don’t think about marketing your text until you’re finished.*
These are generally good tips, but they mainly address procrastination. And I’m not so sure the refusal to write is all down to procrastination. I think, particularly if you’re writing an academic text, there is another reason why you’re not writing: fear. Not just simple fear, but complex fear.
There is:
1. Cold, hard fear of failure. The ‘publish or perish’ mentality is built into academia early on and it affects everyone – even you undergraduates.
2. Fear of telling the truth. As you get into your research, you will become an expert amongst a very small group of experts. You will inevitably contradict them, upset them and have to defend yourself. This is no easy task as most of them have been at this game longer than you have.
3. Fear of finishing. This is particularly the case for Ph.D. students. In the last 4 months of writing your thesis/dissertation, you will come to know a new type of anxiety. You will wonder what will happen to you once you no longer have to get up and write your thesis any longer. You will wonder about your future. You will question your identity – who are you if you’re not a Ph.D. student?
So what can you do? I suggest you start by addressing the fear of telling the truth. Disagree with people early and tell them so. Go to conferences and raise objections to papers. Publish about your disagreements. Learn to defend yourself. This will help you to realise that although academia is incredibly competitive, it is also cooperative: when you contradict someone, the both of you learn to think more deeply and thus more accurately about the subject at hand.
I think that once you can get a handle on telling the truth, you will feel stronger, braver and better able to navigate the fear of failure and the fear of post-Ph.D. life.
Hope this was helpful! Let me know what you think.
Remember, if you want high-quality editing and proofreading services or if you need someone to talk to about how to write your dissertation or thesis, check us out at: www.thewritinglaboratory.co.uk.
Best,
Elisha
*I took these from Indie Author News, for the full list, go here: http://www.indieauthornews.com/2012/01/20-best-writing-tips-for-authors-to.html?spref=tw
I’ve been wondering about this question for some time. As writers and thinkers, what do you count as writing practice? Do you only count those words that might be published or read by someone else? Do you only count your academic writing, your fiction writing or your short essays on history as good practice?
Or, perhaps, is all writing a good practice for writers? Do the carefully worded emails teach you to invent metaphors you hadn’t thought of before? Do your funny texts make their way into your stories? Does your shopping list ring poetic?
I was reading through some notes I made about 8 years ago when I was in the process of moving to the U.K. They are incredibly well written and well observed. Because they are notes and include lists of international moving companies, pet carriers and the numbers of flat finders in London, they are also careless, thoughtless and as such rather vibrant.
So what counts?
Elisha
Hello blogland,
One of the best courses I ever took was a tutor training course. The first day of class, Cynthia Haynes-Burton gave us an assignment. She asked us to write 500 to 1000 words describing our writing process. I had been writing since I was very young, but it had never occurred to me to think about my writing process. I stayed up until the very wee hours analyzing and pondering. This is what I came up with:
1. I must plan (this plan will be thrown out eventually).
2. I must write my plan out with a marker pen in very large letters with pictures. This helps me see my eventual transitions (which is where my originality is usually found).
3. I must write more than I want to. I have a tendency to write strongly and with focus for 45 minutes and then to drift off into other things. I must not do this. I must write through this lull and find that sweet writing zone.
4. I need one week extra time before I hand anything in. I use this time to edit, proofread and generally fuss over what I’ve written.
What is your writing process? When do you write?
Best,
Elisha
15 – 20 September 2012. This is the deadline for handing in most Master’s dissertations/theses in the UK. That gives you 5 months. No problem, right? All you need to do right now is finish your papers for the spring term, take a bit of time off and then start reading for your dissertation in late July. Right? Wrong. If you go about it that way, you’ll find yourself hard up against your deadline in September.
Here are my tips for getting your Master’s dissertation/thesis in on time:
1. Get organised.
First, organise your notes. You’ve taken a bucketload of notes and now it’s time to find out which ones apply to your chosen topic. Sit down, read, create a file and copy all the relevant information into that file. By doing this, you will not only remind yourself about what you’ve studied, you will also create connections between ideas that at first seem disparate.
Next, place your notes or resources under category headings. For example, if you are writing about the revolutionary impact of graffiti in 1970s New York, you may want to consider category headings like: the economic climate of post 1960s New York, the history of racial tension in New York City, the impact of street culture on dominant culture, the history of graffiti style, etc.
Finally, whenever you find new information, categorise it using your system. This will help you to clearly see what information you have and what you still need to find. It will also, and this is important enough to say twice, help you to make connections between different resources.
2. Research and narrow.
Once you’ve organised what you know, compile a list of what you don’t know. Make the list narrow (i.e. focus on a few relevant topics). Try not to get distracted by covering everything on your list. You might find that one topic, when adequately covered, provides enough material for your entire dissertation/thesis.
Not sure where to begin your research? Start with the electronic databases relevant to your field (MLA for Modern Languages, SSN for Social Sciences, etc). If you’re unsure where to look, ask your university’s librarian. He or she will point you in the right direction. These databases offer a broad view of the current debates taking place on your subject. They also provide you with an understanding of the primary texts other academics are using.
3. Create a Bibliography.
As you research, build a bibliography/works cited page. Format your bibliography pages in the style guide you are expected to use for your dissertation. Do this now and you will save yourself time and anxiety later.
4. Write.
Do not wait until you have finished your research to begin writing because your research will never be ‘finished’. Write every day. You may want to divide up your time consistently each day. I tended to write in the mornings and read in the afternoons when I was doing my thesis.
Writing every day not only helps you meet your deadline, it also clarifies the originality of your argument. Being clear about what you want to argue will give you confidence about your writing. Soon enough, you will find that the joy of writing a research paper is discovering the originality of your own ideas.
5. Rewrite and edit.
This final stage is the most ignored and the most important. Rewriting is more than simply checking for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Rewriting requires you to read over your text carefully, looking for gaps in your argument, false statements and possible errors in attributing references (i.e. plagiarism).
First, consider the organisation of your paper. Ask yourself the following: does one idea lead clearly onto the next?; are the transitions smooth?; do the introduction and conclusion make the originality of the paper clear?; have you supported your claims adequately?
Next, consider how your sentences are structured. No one wants to read a 15,000 word dissertation composed entirely of five line sentences. Nor do they want to read only short, staccato sentences. You want your examiner to enjoy your work! Sentence length is fundamental to capturing the attention of your reader. Make sure you mix it up and give it texture. Use short sentences to accentuate a point. Use long and medium length sentences to inform.
Finally, have someone else read your work! None of us are brilliant at editing our own work. If you do not have a friend or a relative who you trust to read your paper, give us (thewritinglaboratory.co.uk) a try. Our tutors can guide you through every stage of the writing process. We can, for instance, offer comments about the quality of your argument or help to make sure you have not unintentionally plagiarised. We can also proofread and edit your text. If you include the code ‘AprilMayJune’ in your order, you will receive 10% off whichever service you choose.
I hope you have found this article helpful. I will be back in two weeks time with an in-depth look into how to research effectively.
Best,
Elisha
To get a PhD in the UK (and most of the world), you need to:
If you are thinking of doing a PhD or have already begun one, these two requirements are daunting. How in the world do you come up with an original argument? If you are working in science or mathematics this path might be clear (although my new tutee, who is a mathematician, tells me this is not always so).
Let us begin by removing your doubt: you can, and you will write an original argument. No one doubts your ability to do so. If you have already been given a place to study, your supervisor, your department, your funders (if you’re lucky enough to have them!) and your university believe that you will finish your PhD. It’s only you that doubts this fact. As many a famous philosopher has pointed out (name them if you can!), originality begins with doubt. In other words: if you doubt yourself, you’re on the right track.
One can’t spend all one’s time doubting, however. You must begin thinking! Where do you begin? The following are three suggestions to get you going. Do these three things every day. Yes, every day. This includes day 1. If you’re already at day 45, begin now. Right now.
1. Write
This might seem obvious. However, I’ve known quite a lot of people who’ve spent the first year of their PhD reading. Don’t make this mistake. Writing is thinking. Let me say that again. It’s important! Writing is thinking. The sooner you begin to write, the sooner you will begin to think. It’s that simple.
2. Disagree
You should be asking: how do I know what to write, if I haven’t read anything yet? The answer is to do both at the same time. As you’re reading, take notes on the following:
3. Format the style of your text
It might seem strange to worry about things like spelling, grammar, page formatting, footnotes and a bibliography in your first few months of doing a research degree. However, taking 30 minutes at the end of each writing session to format and proofread your text will not only save you time and aggravation later, it will also make you very, very, (very!) good at checking for errors. After only a few weeks, you will be expert at formatting and pretty good at proofreading. Eventually, this will become second nature to you and you won’t have to panic about formatting when you submit your work to your supervisor.
Thanks for reading! In Part 2 of the ‘How to be Original’ series, I will help you analyze the writing you’ve already completed and give you advice on spotting the kernels of insight that set your work above that of the crowd.
Best,
Elisha
thewritinglaboratory.co.uk 