I'm on day 13 of what was supposed to be a month of time of intensive writing time, I have managed to write no more than a paragraph. Sure, I've cut and pasted and moved things around but I'm not making any real progress. I'm worried about what I'm going to say to my supervisors when I get back. Why won't the words come?

I hope you have had a more productive day than me !

Yesterday was bad, had a headache and since I was awake till abt 2-3am in the morining everyday, had to get some sleep but wrote about 200 words and deleted most of what I wrote the day before. That happens I guess, two steps forward and one backwards.
So far today I could only manage to do a bit of reading and wrote few notes for writing later tonight. Had to sort out admin stuff related to PhD work, so emails, calls, waste of time just to get small things done.

Sumah, just keep on going, I sometimes find that if you just write things even not very formed sentences, then that gives an urge to write more. In the end of this it produces lot of pages, not all useful but could get some good parts out of that. keep updates in here or in a diary. At the end of a writing session, note down what you have to do for the next day, that will kick start your next day work. (up) (I'm good at advicing but maybe not at implementing them)

OK, 6 more pages to go, must finish tomorrow. sleep is very much needed now.

Editing is finished, just need to add a detailed section, 3 pages would do.:-) hope for a even better tomorrow. Good luck to others who do this!

Lost the touch  !!!(arrrgh..)
Only did a bit of reading on Friday and didn't get any work done on weekend. Today for several hours tried to get back to writing, but got no where, should have done at least some writing each day. can't think right now. I will have to get back into this tomorrow.

Task- To make notes of the 5 articles on a word document

======= Date Modified 15 Sep 2009 00:21:57 =======
falling behind again..no work in 3 days..can't afford this losing time..Trying to do at least one para today..keep yawning & my eyes are giving up on me...would tomorrow be any better?



I need to plan and stick to it whatever happens..but too may distractions with family issues

:$

Good luck in getting on with the writing. I'd personally take the weekend off though. You mustn't burn yourself out. And you mustn't put yourself under too much pressure. It's got to be a sustainable pace to take you through to the end.

Yes, it sounds like things aren't progressing for you at the moment. Can you take a few days off, so you don't think about the thesis and don't feel guilty, then come back to it refreshed? Feeling guilty just makes you feel bad and doesn't help! Hard not to though, I know. Good luck!

======= Date Modified 15 Sep 2009 10:21:24 =======
============= Edited by a Moderator =============
-inappropriate content-

Thanks Sue & Bilbo.:-) If I keep on doing something each day it helps and when I get off days its hard to get back to things. That's why I try to write everyday. Today looks positive not too much distractions, so good luck to me.

same here ,I too have to submit in December,2009.I have written literature review, two chapters on my work and results but all are still partial. I need to write the Introduction and also conclusion and feel i'm so far away. This thread is encouraging and gives hope. Thanks Sheena for posting this and your progress, we all are with you and we shall do it.
Best,
(up)

Transgene, Good luck to you too(up)

Just had a couple of hours work done,,not much on the writing part..tomorrow I have a list to finish the discussion and that chapter would be done. Its almost written in my head, have to put it down on paper. not feeling great either..cough..cough..need sleep:p

Hi everyone,

I'm also dreaming about submitting by christmas, however today i'm having a massive freak out, and possibly small panic attack! i've been up since 9am, and 5 hours later i haven't written a word! trying to finish my intro, which is mostly done, just tidying up, updating and completing 4 last sub chapter bits! however, its felt this week like everything i've added has made the whole thing worse, and it becomes more incoherent!

I could leave it and go on to my second chapter, but I feel I shouldn't give up on the intro when its so close to completion and I could get the first draft to my boss! I'm not sure how he'll react to it, and whether it is really bad, or i'm being a silly perfectionist, and seriously wondering whether to open a fresh document and rewrite it,with all the reference points from the original? This will take loads of time though when i'm not sure how bad it really is!!!???

Not sure anyone can really help, but just need to vent and freak out a little on here instead of to partner/friends etc! who prob think i'm over reacting and family keeps telling me that "i'm so close", "you'll get there" "you're just doing your usual and it will all be fine" etc etc etc, the usual one liners! ok, that sounds horrible, they're all great, and really supportive but just don't know what to say or how to help or encourage me!

anyway, does anyone else look at a chapter and think "oh *%$@ !*!*!, this looks awful, incoherent and probably doesn't even have the right content!?!? is this normal, or is it that my intro is just really bad and needs completely revamping!!!

Cheers

Hello, hope you've woken up and are not still freaking out! I often look at drafts of my chapters and think they're dreadful! Doesn't stop me from submitting them tho!;-) If I were you, I wouldn't start again - you're right, it will take too long and you're not sure what you've written is that bad anyway. Go through and do a really good edit, do one more rewrite, then put it aside and have a look later. Then send it off to your supervisor! I give mine stuff I know could do with another overhaul, but I really want comments and I want to just keep ploughing ahead, so not-perfect drafts get sent off. And my supervisor writes all over them, sees how I'm going, and is generally happy and doesn't think they're too rubbish. Let it go and move on.

...hope you had a nice 5th anniversary!

I've been in bed with the flu, so haven't written anything for days, and now have to do 3 days RA work...next chapter seems so far away!

Hi Sue,
Thanks again for being the voice of reason! you're completely right, and i'm feeling slightly better today! didnt manage to do much yesterday but did read a couple of important papers so not all lost!

In the office today, and hopefully going to see my boss, but also putting application together for job, and then maybe do some editing of intro tonight and just hand it in to supervisor for "red-penning"!! :)

Oh no, i hope you're feeling better, I had flu other week and its very frustrating, and tiring, just ease yourself back in otherwise it'll take your body longer to recover properly and you won't be as effective. eat lots of chocolate :p

had lovely anniversary thank you, nice walk in the countryside and a yummy dinner, shame my weekend wasnt very productive afterwards, but another day/week is upon us....(up)

Good luck everyone