Things I’ve learned while writing a dissertation; or Because not Everything goes in a Footnote

Writing this list as I was writing my dissertation helped me navigate the process and see it as having a clear beginning, middle, and END. I hope these experiences can help others as they find their own ways through!

Once you finally meet the other requirements, the task of writing a dissertation can feel insurmountable. Here are some things I learned along the way:

-For me, reaching ABD was not a time to celebrate, as much as I had anticipated it.

In the months leading up to candidacy, I dreamt of receiving my letter affirming my ABD status. When it finally came, I decided then to make it a short stint. I did the actual writing pretty quickly, then I took my time getting feedback and revising. I defended as early as possible.

-If it’s not a labor of love, you probably aren’t going to stick with it. Writing isn't a solitary endeavor. Think of it as a gift for yourself and others. Once you commit to finishing, don’t entertain other possibilities. It might take longer than you project, but it won’t be left undone. Remember your reasons for starting. Think of all your friends stalled or stopped in the process. It’s for them, and for you.

-At a certain point, only writing matters. Put down the research and figure out what you’re writing through writing it.

-When advice isn't helpful because it doesn’t fit you, just move on. This is even true from superstars in the field. Everyone experiences this process a little differently.

-Let yourself get inspired. Go to conferences and be a sponge, even when not presenting. Even if you feel too busy. It can help you gain perspective on your research, and it’s a break from the library or computer. It’s also more interactive. Most importantly, it’s motivating on the darkest days when you remember seeing the stars in action.

-But present at conferences too--you’re going to have to find language to talk about your midnight musings soon enough.The more practice now, the more seamless the defense and job talk.

-Get over the awkwardness of trying to explain your project to people outside of your area any way you can muster. I practiced as much as possible on poor unwitting English-language learning undergrads who had politely asked. I also got the chance to try explaining to people in graduate programs far removed from mine because of a mentor role I assumed while working on it. The language to talk about the work is different from the work itself, and should change depending on who you are talking to. Ample practice give you air time with lots of different audiences and can even help you understand your own work better.

-Buy something happy to motivate you. This one time, indulge, if it’s that or quit. I bought a “gold”-spun designer case for my laptop at my lowest point while writing my prospectus leading up to my candidacy. Frivolous? Yep. I got a thrill every time I pulled it out of my bag, thinking of spun gold to set the tone for another writing bout.

-Mobilize gratitude and stay humble.This is a privilege-you don’t have to write this, you get to. Beyond your talents and ideas, there are so many other factors influencing your ability to be writing right now. Yes, you've made sacrifices. You aren't the only one.

-A Dissertation does not propose to save the world; it’s a very limited scope, ultimately. Paring down the initial idea took the most time in planning for me.

-Keep a list of positive feedback as you're writing-it can help you see what's working when you revise! Beyond revision process, it might help with the defense. Build from the strengths for a solid foundation.

-People, sometimes close to you, will be born and die while you are writing. Some will leave. Kids will grow. And you won’t have as much time as you want. Prioritize. Don’t let your personal commitments completely slip, though. Learn not to regret the in-between time-the time passes anyway.

-Write whichever part you feel compelled at the time. Most likely the introduction gets written last or is heavily revised, so don't let it be a sticking point early on.

At a certain point, though, I had to start again at the beginning when I was revising because it’s where my readers would start. Writing isn’t always linear, but reading is more so.

No matter how much you plan, the end product is very different from the opening pages you set out years ago. It all has to hang together at the end.

-Do some writing tutoring or teaching if you can. It’s also a good reminder for all of us to be aware of important things like topic sentences and thesis statements.

-Just write to write. It might turn up something unexpected.Write lower stakes parts and parts you might throw away when you are not sure what to do,

-Don’t talk about writing so much that you avoid it. Also, the research only counts if you write about it at a certain point.

-Have set goals for the month and flexible goals for the week early on in writing. Be more forgiving about the daily goals-you might find new discoveries that change your timeline. Past the discovery stage, set more weekly goals, eventually daily.

-Keep track of progress. Write down what you actually did each day and review it each month. There will be months of more and less productivity and you will have to come to terms with both outcomes. Figure out how to be more productive based how you've actually spent your writing time. If you skip a few days of recording, recommit to the practice.

-Getting back to writing after a period away sometimes feels like starting again, and so does switching to new chapters. That's not necessarily a bad thing when you're in the middle of your project. Take advantage of this if you need a break but don't have time to stop. You might revise, edit, or draft a different section.

-It’s good practice for post-PhD life to learn how to satisfy the demands of a committee. You aren’t going to be a student forever. You aren’t going to be a student forever. You aren’t going to be a student forever.

-There will be two paragraphs that are more delicately and deliberately strung together than twenty pages. These are often something you care about most or a part where you are exploring new territory. It took me two weeks of focused attention to write a page. I had to put together something eventually and move on to areas I could write more quickly.

-Holidays are only awesome days to email committee for you.They won’t be as thrilled. Do it if only you must. Must you?

-Committee members usually want to see rather cohesive drafts. You know your own process by now or are figuring it out, but an early draft might be harder for them to comment on.

-You’re going to find out your note-taking system, whatever it is, doesn’t really cut it, at some point, and have to adjust as the goals and timeline change.

-Work on your acknowledgements page whenever you make a breakthrough, reach a milestone, or lose motivation (but don’t let your committee see it too early).

-Don’t second-guess intuition. Even if it takes some work to find a theoretical basis, it makes for better writing and a more rewarding process.

-Get over the shame and talk to others about your progress, or lack thereof. Just don't talk at the expense of progress.

-Don’t stand in your own way. It took me a year and a half to give myself permission to succeed as I was putting together my project before writing it. Really, a year and a half.

-Dissertating is nothing like coursework. Part of the challenge is adapting to the time constraints and learning how to manage your own time.

-Not every day is as productive as you envision: remember people die, get born, fight with you, you’ll get sick, fall in love, fall out of love , fall in love, fall out of love (with your research, of course). Keep going back, don’t take too much stock in your best intentions getting dashed-but still, make progress.

-Don’t let the committee be the only feedback you get on your writing. Ideally not the first either. Again, thinking of a larger audience makes for a more viable long-term project.

-Some days, emailing your adviser will steal all your strength. Recognize the accomplishment.

-The actual writing is a lot easier than thinking about writing, most days. Some days might feel like autopilot and others you’ll want to trash everything. Don't trash everything.

-Mentor others. It can benefit everyone and help you realize new roles that are possible for you. Sometimes you even find new friends that way.

-If you're as lucky as I am, there could come a point in your writing process when your dissertation will call every day between 2 and 3 a.m, no matter what you have planned for the next day. For over a year it sat with me at that time. It does stop eventually, but leading up to the defense can alter your sleep schedule.

-Find easy but healthful foods to sustain your writing that are filling, some of which you can savor by eating while working. For me, these include oatmeal and the darkest chocolate. Also, eat some slow-cooked foods. Simmer a broth in the long stretches if writing at home. Eating this way also helps stretch the grad school budget.

- Ultimately, it’s clear you wouldn’t want an adviser and committee that doesn’t challenge you and help you produce your best work. Just take a step back, smile, and look for the good in the feedback. Ride it out if you can, and you can. You’ve survived worse. Next time will be better-only up from here.

-When it’s time to write, write. Write all the time, in your head when you’re away, post a sentence to your phone, email an idea to yourself, use apps. Write in long sessions, write in fifteen-minute breaks. A sentence, a paragraph, a section, it adds up. If you have to go back into extant research, evaluate everything you read in terms of your project first.

-The benefits of the PhD go beyond the title and the new job prospects. Appreciate the value each time you read an article, talk to a student, or devise a new research plan.