After being away from my Fud for four months I have to get my act together, and need your help. I have to start writing papers. Yes, I should have been doing this all along, and I should have been doing conferences (again, as I used to, internationally) but Prof wouldn't let me for the last 4 years. He said that I mustn't reveal my expertise to my participants. Ho bloody hum. Apart from writing book reviews in the THE I gave up my career. So I'm now free of the shackles, but also devoid of the academic help, such as it was. Prof wasn't in my niche.
There's at least one part of my Fud that's totally methodologically innovative, and it's about a projective mechanistic analogy interview technique I devised for obtaining evidence from youngish children on the autism spectrum to reveal their social/sensory understanding. I didn't make a big issue of it in the Fud, because it would have used up too many words, and used it as a brief pilot, but I know it's really big.
I've been back working on further Lit evidence for the last two days, and am very hopeful I can put this together by the end of the month.
Please, can some of you nudge me to keep me on task?
My personally-set deadline is end of July, which means I expect to finish it by 21st, thus allowing me time to nit-pick!
Thanks!

I'm happy to prod you :) I took a break after finishing my PhD in March 2010, for quite a few months. I was very worn down from the neurological illness and everything, and really needed to recuperate. I only started writing papers properly in late summer 2010. I found that working on 2 simultaneously worked for me. When they were advanced I'd move onto the next 2 and so on.

I wouldn't underestimate how many papers you can produce from your PhD. By all means identify the most important elements, and the most innovative ones, but you should be able to produce multiple papers from a good PhD. I produced 1 PhD-derived one during my PhD (+ another about archives and disability access), and have 6 more in various states of acceptance/review/planning at the moment. I would always aim the best papers at the best journals, but I didn't seem to find it hard to come up with other ones.

Setting yourself a deadline is a good idea, for the first draft for your paper, but do allow adequate time to nit-pick later. And if you have any colleagues (whether staff or PhD students) who would be willing to read your paper and give feedback/suggestions before submission, take them up on that offer. It can improve things quite a bit.

Have you identified a target journal for your first paper? That might influence how you write it. Though I would recommend identifying at least two possible journals, in case the first one rejects it. And check the journal rules for what length they want. And stick rigidly to their style guidelines.

Good luck!

Thanks for your wonderful and really helpful reply!
I've identified the two journals I want to aim for (first choice, second choice) and I've also got some lesser ones in mind.
All in all I think there about 8 papers in the Fud, but I'm starting with the one I find most exciting so as to give me real motivation. I've also had an offer (albeit from another continent) to look over my stuff before I submit, so I think I'm following most of your guidelines, but really am lost in academia.:-)

Hi Beajay,

I'll happily prod you as I'm in the same position as you in that I need to write papers too and finish my corrections which are boring me to death! I am in need of papers to kick start my academic career which is not going anywhere fast at the moment. I was told by my supervisor that is the key so I need to get going! That's probably the only useful piece of advice they have ever given but that could be due to the fact they want to their name on them!!!!

My aim is to get the corrections finished at the end of this month so that is good motivation for me too!

Good luck (up) ;-)

Great, Doodles! I've done another 4 hours so far today (prep stuff - what I call 'immersion'). Let's do some mutual prodding!(up)

Doodles, thanks to your energising support, I did 8 hours of work today, and I think I've nailed the intro. I have the bulk already done, but I need to get it focussed, and you really helped me to get my mind and heart on this.

Can't thank you enough!:-)

The key bits in any journal paper are the intro - where you sell why it's worth reading, and where it fits into wider research - and the conclusions. It's possible IME to wrap up anything nicely that way. So well done.

Thanks, Bilbo! As a lifelong journo, this is something I know and I know from experience it's the hardest thing to do. So in the last week, while I've been thinking about this paper (and I always write in my head before writing), the big issue for me has been, 'What's the hook?'
The hook has to be there in the first para. I think I got it. I hope so!

Congrats Beajay - keep going! It looks like you've been a lot more productive than me! I need your discipline! I've not managed any work today but I have just finished an online application so I'm glad that's done! Of course I've managed to post here today so I need to lock myself in a shed without internet access to get some work done tomorrow!!!! ;-)

It's not really discipline - it's that I live alone, and have nothing else (much! ha ha) to have to do! The only discipine I'm exerting at the moment is trying to give up smoking. Now that really IS hard! How are you getting on??

Just finished for the day. Now 7.40pm - over 10 hours. Am going to have home-made curry (I even made the sauce!) and a glass of wine and chill. So far, 3,000 words, and a heap of new references. Thanks for being there! I really appreciate the support.

Mmmmmm that sounds lovely! (mince)(turkey)(sprout) Just had to get some food icons in there! I hope you had a good dinner and chilled out. You deserve it after your hard work! I got a bit done today so it's getting there slowly! I also got an unexpected offer of work (not dream job but useful for CV) today for a few months so that should spur me on to finish corrections as I'm going to be busy.

I'm glad I can help but thanks also for your support too. Mutal prodding is a good idea! (up)

Hi Doodles!

Thanks to your prodding, I'm almost there. Another week should see this paper put to bed. Today I talked to my (world expert) 'co-supervisor', and he'll read and do a peer review before I submit. The journal I intend to submit to is one that's carried his papers. So that will be really useful.

How're you doing with the new job, etc?

Just worked all day. Phew! getting there! Have done 4,500 words and know the limit is 6K for my journal, including references. So I'd better crack on. Almost at the end of Discussion. Conclusion will be short. How are you doing?

Wow you're getting there! I need your discipline! I've managed to distract myself alot and do some work inbetween but need to do loads more! I really need a shed to hide away in! Congrats .. you'll have a paper in no time!