There is some wonderful advise about the process of writing out there, if you "google" the "Flowers paradigm" you can find the information. It is simple yet helpful, it walks you through a 4 stage process starting with the madman, ending with the Judge, which gives you a structure for brainstorming, writing, editing and proof reading, and the sequence to use ( i.e you DON'T get to edit in the madman stage!!!). It WORKS! Everyone I have referred to this process thinks its great, and it gives them a way to plan their writing.

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I think you might make some adjustments dependent on your field of research--but that the overall principles apply no matter what!

Another helpful piece of work on how to edit is by Bryan Garner. It is geared at American legal writing, but its editing tips for structure and flow, how to tie one paragraph to the next through simple words that serve as connectors--again--this HELPS soooo sooo much, and it takes the pain and mystery out of writing.

On those days I am stuck, I make a simple yet achievable task for myself---like write 500 words. They can be the most rubbish 500 words, that is not the point, its just to write them. Sometimes then the writing takes off and becomes more than that, and sometimes its just that. But at least its a milestone and something done.

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I think the important thing is self motivation is to break your task down in sizes you can manage. If you look at the big picture its overwhelming....so just keep breaking it down until you reach a size that feels do-able that day. And then do it. Like the writing 500 words, or updating bibliography, or precis on boring new article. Then the feeling of frustrations give way to feelings of achievement, of having got SOMETHING done, and seeing progress.

Ditto ditto ditto ditto. No enthusiasm no love for my work no confidence. I was honest with my sups and they said to take some time off and I would be more productive afterwards. I just don't feel I can justify my funding. Some days I sit and stare and the comp for hours without achieving anything. If I just get 100 words done its a breakthrough!!! BUT as the saying goes 'this too shall pass' and I intend to ride it out with lots of alcohol and chocolate

i went through this feeling as well. My understanding now is that if you get depressed = it could mean you might have too much time. Solution: get a part time job, take some fun classes, hang out more, publish more, etc. Get extremely busy then you won't even have time to care about your advisor or how the feedback is going to be....etc.

Bananacake, that's great advice. Although sometimes the feeling is from doing too much, from being too busy without any downtime. Maybe the hardest thing is not to get into a self-fulling loop - to be depressed, then act depressed, so others react to you differently. I commiserate, and am hitting the wall now in the middle of the 4th year part-time. So, I just bought myself a bass guitar. Sometimes we just have to pamper ourselves, because who else is going to?

(That flowers writing paradigm is great. I'm going to try using a digital recorder for the madman stage while driving to work in the morning, and then transcribing it with Dragon Naturally Speaking.)

Esprsso

Glad to hear that the Flowers paradigm is helpful--it works, it really really does! I think just having a process or method to shape how you go through the nessary stages of writing--from the madman creative part to the picky proof reading of footnotes and citations, and everything in between is so helpful!

I would be interested to hear how you get on with it.

And the bass guitar sounds like a great idea as well.

Hi all, I completely relate I've had a productive first segment of my second year and now I swear I am just crippled by the feelings that I don't know anything. Its nice to hear it isn't just me.

I thought my transfer document was done and dusted but it seems to have highlighted about 5000 problems with my research and Im wondering if carrying on is really worth it! Have just had enough and Im fed up with having a supervisor who clearly thinks she can put me at the bottom of the pile whenever something else crops up. Ahhh. Rant over.