tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post3911646154677041214..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Bogged down in writingJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-1683924850568969712017-06-14T22:19:45.181+10:002017-06-14T22:19:45.181+10:00Got it in; 2 minutes before the computer completel...Got it in; 2 minutes before the computer completely collapsed, but not able to do it thru the ANU turnitin website. I have your first drafts logo now up on the wall.<br />Computer now fixed, but if you have been watching my posts, now in the middle of a major CATastrophe. When I did my MA(Hons), I commented how Tolley, then a rambunctious kitten, had hindered and amused. 16 years later, as an old diabetic cat, I think we are looking at the end days, and I am really not coping. He has done so much stuffing up the keyboard, and helping with 'printing'. Like many things in my life, dear Jim, I don't know how I'll cope without him. I suspect we are looking at days, rather than weeks. We are certainly not looking at months or years. Please send good vibes for my little man. xxxx<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-23714082030608285252017-06-02T09:20:07.757+10:002017-06-02T09:20:07.757+10:00Morning,both and thank you both!
Interesting chal...Morning,both and thank you both!<br /><br />Interesting challenge, JCW! I'm not sure that I'm in a good position to advise given that you have been getting HDs! Like you, I find some problem editing on screen because its slow in terms of back and forwards. So I tend to burn trees in running of copies. Sadly my printer has just died! But, for what it's worth a few things I have found useful when working under tight deadlines.<br /><br />Step one. Set you macro and style guide up first. This saves time later on in editing, especially if you are scissors and pasting. <br /><br />Step two. Start creating the bibliography from the beginning. Fixing those fiddly references at the end can be a time consuming pain!<br /><br />I generally start by crash reading the main sources I intend to use, not taking detailed notes although I do jot down page numbers and ideas and add to the bibliography. My aim is just to understand, to generate ideas, to begin to create an initial structure. <br /><br />I use a lot of on-line material. To order material, I have found it helpful to create a a file structure on the computer that consists of the story (the main piece) and a reference or notes section. I often copy material into a single reference document with the linkages that I can then find easily. For bigger tasks, I have a master doc and then a separate file called working drafts. That way I can work on bits of the document and then copy back into the master.<br /><br />Having done my initial crash read, I generally sit down and just think, trying to sketch out a rough structure, main lines of argument, questions to be answered. Sometimes I sketch out an opening and closing para. Sometimes I do a power point - I rarely key this, just use sheets of paper - since this forces me to identify key points and supporting sub points. It also gives me an illusion of progress since I can enter them into the master as headings and sub-headings. So I have a base structure plus emerging bibliography! <br /><br />With deadline stuff, I do a rough time plan. Mind you, I rarely did this with uni essays since I wrote so many the night before! I find that I have to allow time for proper final editing. Take that of the top and you have at least first draft deadline. While I lot of what I do is effectively first draft, I really need several drafts for really good stuff.<br /><br />Depending on the task, I generally write in chunks that I can then post into the evolving master. I can't afford two computer screens at home - that would be a wonderful luxury - but often use split screens. So I might have the working draft up plus the working reference stuff. I usually have the reference material printed off as well because its so much easier to work from I can check from that, find the bit I need and then transfer across.<br /><br />As you know, while I am reasonably focused I am not a specially disciplined person. She laughs! By far the biggest mistake I made with my current projects (but not the PhD)lay in my failure to record material and document properly at first blow for later use. With three million or so words in multiple forms, content management has become a very real problem! <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-43804180127411056512017-06-01T23:39:23.509+10:002017-06-01T23:39:23.509+10:00Im having major problems hitting a 5000 word draft...Im having major problems hitting a 5000 word draft was supposed to be handed in before today ; have to have it complete and polished , with references and a bibliography by next Thursday. So far there's about 2000 words in draft. 300 words a day isn't even in the ballparkc (that was Mr Tolley adding his 5 cents worth). I think my life for the next week is pretty circumspect, and I'm sure as hell too old and tired to be pulling allnighters. I'm pretty stuffed doing all dayers! 3 hours at the books and writing pad (yes, I draft in pencil on paper first; I cannot write to the screen) and then an hour or so on the computer, and I'm all in. I should have done this years ago.<br />Any advice, JDB?<br />Love<br />JCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-70506151785569485452017-06-01T22:33:50.871+10:002017-06-01T22:33:50.871+10:00Wishing you progress.Wishing you progress.Noric Dilanchiannoreply@blogger.com