Hello all! I hope you are all well and really hope you can help me! I am now in the second year of a four year, funded PhD... last year I completed an MRes and worked on my PhD but this is the first year I have to be completely concentrating on my PhD ideas - I am a social science peep. Anyway, I have my MPhil/PhD transfer in May and have to write my first chapter for it. I did an incomplete draft and then went on holiday, came back all refreshed and ready to work and... nothing! I cannot sit still! this has been going on for 3 weeks and am really worried. I am so daunted and don't know where to start - this chapter is so big and important. Also, I think I work best under tight deadlines and May is ages away - I am concerned that I shall waste this time and end up hugely stressed in a month's time! I am silly I know but does anyone suffer this? I love my work - I just can't face it! please help! x

Jayney, if it's any consolation I know exactly how you feel. I have experienced this as well. Although I enjoy my work immensely and feel so grateful that I'm able to do what I enjoy, I have come up against at least one serious (extended) writing block and a few little ones as well. Often the problem is not that you have no ideas but rather too many and don't know where to start. You mention the size of the chapter- focusing on this can bring on paralysis. I find it's better to cut things down into small sections in order to write first, then worry about the structure and fitting things together once it starts to develop. I suspect also that you are a perfectionist. Wanting your writing to be excellent from the outset can make it extremely difficult to 'just start'. Maybe just write freely to begin with, with frequent revisions as you move along- this might loosen things up. Good luck

I understand!! Am currently writing up my thesis at the moment, and found that because the september deadline was ages away I just sort of messed about. However now I have a post doc position starting in June and that was a great motivator to get it finished.I really enjoyed my PhD but did get stuck in a rut while writing. Think the trick is to just do one section at a time then bring it all together. Set a daily goal of what you would like to achieve. Its a waste of energy worrying but thats easier said then done.
Good luck!!

Ah thank you! It is so lovely to know I am not just being whiny, I just cannot focus even though I love what I do and am so grateful to be funded so I can sit here all day and wonder. It is true that I have too many ideas for this chapter, conceptually it is the most important one and am all of a muddle. Usually I am good at just writing, jsut to get soemthing down. At the moment though I am rechecking and having to completely revise this chapter but am stuck at each paragraph and unable to move on - I am a bit of a perfectionist 'tis true. Although aren't we all?!

i had a block for around ten months! it happens to everyone i think apart from the very few people who seem to have been born or raised with the ability to write accademicaly. breaking down things is the best possible advice although as said by others its easier said than done.
i suffer from perfectionism as well and i know its not nice so i know how it feels.
good luck

Think its true we can all be perfectionists but chances are when your supervisor looks at your chapter they will completely change it any way. Your supervisor can always advise you on how to link each section of your work!

I took your advice and am now working out all the sections of this chapter, will write each one seperately and then link them together. What fantastic advice - it would never have occured to me not to write it in a linear style and so I am incredibly grateful. Wow! I am working again! Thanks guys!!