Obstacles to Obstacles to Academic WritingAcademic Writing

Dr. Steve WallaceDr. Steve Wallace

Inside and Outside Game Inside and Outside Game of Writingof Writing

Inside game: our habits and motivationsInside game: our habits and motivations

Outside game: the techniques and Outside game: the techniques and strategies we use in writing. strategies we use in writing.

What Stops Us from What Stops Us from Writing?Writing?

I am really too busyI am really too busy. – 15 minutes a day. – 15 minutes a day Teaching preparation takes all my Teaching preparation takes all my

extra time.extra time. Good teachers produce more Good teachers produce more writing (Sax, 2002).writing (Sax, 2002).

I will write just as soon asI will write just as soon as______ - You ______ - You don’t have to be perfect first.don’t have to be perfect first.

What Stops Us from What Stops Us from Writing?Writing?

I’m too depressed to writeI’m too depressed to write. – Triggered by . – Triggered by continuous stress over time. Consider exercise continuous stress over time. Consider exercise or medicine.or medicine.

I’m going to make writing my number one I’m going to make writing my number one goal in lifegoal in life. “The most valued activity carries . “The most valued activity carries demands for time and perfection that demands for time and perfection that encourages its avoidance” (Boice, 1997).encourages its avoidance” (Boice, 1997).

I couldn’t get to my writing site.I couldn’t get to my writing site. – Become – Become flexible with your writing environment.flexible with your writing environment.

What Stops Us from What Stops Us from Writing?Writing?

I have to read just one more paper.I have to read just one more paper. - Mastery - Mastery is an illusion, some of the best research is is an illusion, some of the best research is done in isolation.done in isolation.

I just can’t get started.I just can’t get started. - Reward yourself for - Reward yourself for writing. Phone or e-mail partner. Plan an writing. Phone or e-mail partner. Plan an agenda for the next writing session.agenda for the next writing session.

I’m afraid of writing because my idea is very I’m afraid of writing because my idea is very controversial or emotionalcontroversial or emotional. - Consider . - Consider alternatives.alternatives.

What Stops Us from What Stops Us from Writing?Writing?

I’m afraid of writing because publication is I’m afraid of writing because publication is so permanentso permanent. - Peer review helps.. - Peer review helps.

I’m not in the mood to write right nowI’m not in the mood to write right now. . Behavior modification theory.Behavior modification theory.

My childcare responsibilities are preventing My childcare responsibilities are preventing me from writing.me from writing. – Use small, more efficient – Use small, more efficient blocks of time; babysitters (Sax, 2002).blocks of time; babysitters (Sax, 2002).

What Stops Us from What Stops Us from Writing?Writing?

I really can’t move forward on this I really can’t move forward on this writing project.writing project. – Move to a different – Move to a different project.project.

I can’t write because my idea sucks.I can’t write because my idea sucks. – – Writing makes better ideas.Writing makes better ideas.

My thesis advisor is a bigger problem My thesis advisor is a bigger problem than a help.than a help. - Try writing without help - Try writing without help first or change advisor.first or change advisor.

What Stops Us from What Stops Us from Writing?Writing?

I can’t sit still.I can’t sit still. - Short bursts with an - Short bursts with an alarmalarm

I feel guilty about not writing.I feel guilty about not writing. – – Common problemCommon problem

I write so slowly that I never seem to I write so slowly that I never seem to get much done.get much done. – Most people write – Most people write slowlyslowly

What Stops Us from What Stops Us from Writing?Writing?

If I have a long productive writing day, I have a If I have a long productive writing day, I have a hard time getting started the next day. hard time getting started the next day. Common Common problemproblem

I know my writing habits are bad, but that’s just I know my writing habits are bad, but that’s just who I am. I can’t change.who I am. I can’t change. - Choose productive over - Choose productive over uniqueunique

I am eager to write, but I don’t have the material or I am eager to write, but I don’t have the material or scrolling resources.scrolling resources. – Third World countries – Third World countries

I have to make progress on several writing projects I have to make progress on several writing projects at one time and I am in a panic.at one time and I am in a panic. – Two projects are – Two projects are better than onebetter than one

What Stops Us from What Stops Us from Writing?Writing?

I would love to ask someone to read and comment I would love to ask someone to read and comment on my work, but everyone seems so busy and I on my work, but everyone seems so busy and I don’t want to bother them.don’t want to bother them. - Schedule time to read - Schedule time to read togethertogether

I’m beginning to wonder if being a professor is I’m beginning to wonder if being a professor is really the career for me. So what’s the point of really the career for me. So what’s the point of writing? I probably won’t get a job anyway.writing? I probably won’t get a job anyway. – – Teaching, writing, research, socializing, organizing, Teaching, writing, research, socializing, organizing, and disciplineand discipline

I’m not smart enough for this kind of work.I’m not smart enough for this kind of work. – – Passion more importantPassion more important

What Stops Us from What Stops Us from Writing?Writing?

I get distracted by Web surfing emailing, I get distracted by Web surfing emailing, and text messaging.and text messaging. – Disconnect yourself – Disconnect yourself

It is so difficult to write in English.It is so difficult to write in English. – – Reading leads to better writingReading leads to better writing

I need big blocks of time to write, but my I need big blocks of time to write, but my schedule doesn’t allow for such blocks.schedule doesn’t allow for such blocks. – Short and more productive blocks– Short and more productive blocks

Identify Your Own Identify Your Own Writing ObstaclesWriting Obstacles

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