If you may have noticed, dear reader, I have slowed down the posting a bit. I have a stack of books and articles I need to read before I vomit my dissertation from my head.
I have a somewhat unorthodox style of writing. Notecards, notes, and outlines were always a counter-intuitive structure for me. I cannot sit down and write until I have done the best I can to turn over every stone, and then collect every specimen that I might use. I let all of that get added to my brain like a nice slow roasted sauerbraten or chili for a while, and then I start writing until I stop. I do exactly what I tell my students not to do. I would like to think that it is about learning all of the rules and why they are rules, just so that you can break them later on.
Why do I do it this way? I never like to commit a nascent thought I want to submit for publication until it has been shaped in my brain by as much information as possible. The more you know, the more your actual re-presentation of what you know in writing will change. And the less you will ultimately write because you understand the language of what you are writing that much better. This would drive a lot of people nuts who need to focus on one logical piece of a larger work at a time before moving on. But I cannot stand starting an argument, then having to go back because something later no longer quite makes sense with what was at the beginning.
I guess I sould call it "organic". It worked for my master's thesis which also won me a fellowship in practical theology. There I read everything that I thought I would use, and then vomited about 200 pages in five chapters of material out of my head onto the page in a week writing about eight to ten hours a day. Basically, I lay out all the parts in my head, synthesize it into what I want it to look like, then start writing. I think it works because my approach has been to read everything related to the topic and do a thorough reading of it.
And yes, it does take a much longer time to do it! So how do you write research papers, academic/scholarly publications, etc.? Does my "method", or lack of it, drive you a little batty?
No related posts.
1. i LOVE CAlvin and Hobbes and this is a classic one!
2. Whatever works for you is what's best.
3. "Notecards, notes, and outlines were always a counter-intuitive structure for me." ME TOO
4. i find it difficult with the Lyme to string thoughts together for a short post, let alone writing for 10 hours. The thought of that just wears me out!
5. "I do exactly what I tell my students not to do. I would like to think that it is about learning all of the rules and why they are rules, just so that you can break them later on." A professor i had in grad school for my film degree told us in our directing class that we were not allowed to break any of the rules of directing UNTIL we had learned them first. Good advice i guess. It is good to have an understanding of the basics before jumping off and trying another way. YET, some of us march to the beat of a different drum and make the jump before learning the rules. That's what makes us all unique i guess!
How do you write with your lyme? i want to write my memoir but feel overwhelmed by tackling it. A friend suggested i record my thoughts.
the rules thing is something i picked up from the salvador dali museum in st. pete, fl. the exhibit takes you through his work chronologically and you can see how he intentionally tried to master numerous styles before his first unique piece of surrealism. they teach you that if you are learning to play jazz.monk, bird, miles, marsalis, all learned proper style before breaking the rules. dizzy is an exception to the rule!
my motivation is finishing my phd. and i need to do it fast. been muddling through dissertation for a few years now and i have to get it done. so it's been a haul, especially since lyme screwed up any momentum i built after our second son was born spring of 2007.
1. i LOVE CAlvin and Hobbes and this is a classic one!
2. Whatever works for you is what's best.
3. "Notecards, notes, and outlines were always a counter-intuitive structure for me." ME TOO
4. i find it difficult with the Lyme to string thoughts together for a short post, let alone writing for 10 hours. The thought of that just wears me out!
5. "I do exactly what I tell my students not to do. I would like to think that it is about learning all of the rules and why they are rules, just so that you can break them later on." A professor i had in grad school for my film degree told us in our directing class that we were not allowed to break any of the rules of directing UNTIL we had learned them first. Good advice i guess. It is good to have an understanding of the basics before jumping off and trying another way. YET, some of us march to the beat of a different drum and make the jump before learning the rules. That's what makes us all unique i guess!
How do you write with your lyme? i want to write my memoir but feel overwhelmed by tackling it. A friend suggested i record my thoughts.
the rules thing is something i picked up from the salvador dali museum in st. pete, fl. the exhibit takes you through his work chronologically and you can see how he intentionally tried to master numerous styles before his first unique piece of surrealism. they teach you that if you are learning to play jazz.monk, bird, miles, marsalis, all learned proper style before breaking the rules. dizzy is an exception to the rule!
my motivation is finishing my phd. and i need to do it fast. been muddling through dissertation for a few years now and i have to get it done. so it's been a haul, especially since lyme screwed up any momentum i built after our second son was born spring of 2007.