Hello All, I am completely new to the PhD world. I start my PhD in January on a p/t basis over six years. i am in the fortunate position of being retired so in theory I should have plenty of time! I hope to specialise in creative writing / biographical studies.
Any advce / comments about what les ahead and how to manage it all would be much appreciated.

Hi 1patrick

It's not really possible to answer your question/s as the scope of 'what lies ahead' and how to manage that is very, very wide.

The PhD process depends on many factors including discipline/subject, background of the candidate (do you have research experience? if so, how recent? etc), the motivation & desire to complete (is this 'just for the sake of it'? or have you been planning to undertake the degree for a while?), financial situation can be a major factor as can support - family, friends (although the need for this varies from person to person) and they are just the external factors, we haven't even gotten to the nuts & bolts of the degree itself.

I would suggest going to Amazon and doing a search for some books, a great all-round 'how-to' that explains the process of setting up your research is "Destination Dissertation" - this is a wise investment for your studies and may help to give you an idea of what the degree is like and also has excellent information management strategies. There are also many websites and books that deal with the challenges of the degree & forums such as this where you can see for yourself what the day-to-day concerns of many PhD students are like. Time spent finding some relevant sites and reading around your general area to see what the latest debates and issues are (associations in your discipline are a good starting point for notices of conferences and publications).

I'm sorry I can't tell you exactly what your experience will be like. It just differs for everyone. But if you are motivated and realistic about the time and energy you will need, the dedication that it can demand from you then you are off to a good start.

Good luck - this can be such an exciting time, anticipating your topic/area, having the luxury/privilege of immersing yourself within a scholarly area & conversation that interests you. I look forward to hearing about your progress. :-)

NB: I have just realised that your subject is creative writing - does this mean that you are doing a professional doctorate? If so, that is a different beast to the PhD & much of what I have said may not be applicable to your circumstances.

Thank you for your advice which i will follow up asap. I've started trawling throught the net but need to continue with this. i am a determined person who is always committed to whatever challenge i set myself. Much will be learning on the job. i have an induction day in January when I hope to meet others who are in the same boat s myself. I am hoping that the contacts i make will be the beginning of a long trm reltionship where we can support each other. Contact with other students will be so crucial.

Regards,
Patrick

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