Writing

Writing

The following comments apply especially to people doing research papers, but the quotes at the end apply to most of us!

See also these links to suggestions about writing the story of your church, things to include and how to go about it, as well as suggestions for doing oral history.

How to get writing done!

	Make a start. Draw pictures. Do a "mind map" of your ideas.
	Know that you are not alone! "Writers block" is a common problem. Sometimes it seems easier to read just one more book, than to face writing down what needs to be in your research paper or project.
	Make a list of the things that need to be done for the next bit of the project.
	Some of us work better alone. Most of us work better with some interaction with others who face similar tasks and challenges. Tell somebody (one person!) what you are trying to do and then do it.

The literature on doing theses in higher education indicates how much non-academic factors make a huge difference to the success and failure of projects. This level of research places strains on relationships as well as testing the ability of the person doing the research. It is important to relate to those who understand what it is about, to share your learnings about the process and the means of survival and success.

Solitary work is also needed, but it is important to be able to talk about what is going on with more people than just your supervisor.

Look for every opportunity to make presentations which relate to what you are doing. The more your work as such is verbalized, the more you will benefit from testing your ideas and from articulating more clearly what they really are.

Such socializing should not be a substitute for actual writing. Consider the following: (you may want to pin them above your computer!)

“Don’t get it right, get it written”

“Write early and write often”[1]

“There is no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting”[2]

[1] Sara Delamont, Supervising the PhD, Open University, 1997, 121.

[2] Steve Bevans, conversation with John Roxborogh, Hamburg, January 1998. If you are creative Steve's other bit of advice to me at that time may also apply: "strangle your brain children!" - or as others have put it: "focus, focus, focus!"