In the movie Stranger than Fiction, the character played by Emma Thompson sits in front of her Selectric typewriter, stubbing out cigarette after cigarette in hopes of overcoming writer's block and finishing her literary masterpiece (thereby deciding the fate of the movie's protagonist and the main character in her book). While not as dramatic or fate-deciding as Emma Thompson's writer's block, the dissertation writer's predicament is similar-words, sentences, and paragraphs simply refuse to flow from the mind to the page.
Not just an inability to write but an inability to write clearly
Emma Thompson's struggles suggests that writer's block is akin to a bouncer refusing entrance of the most meager word or sentence in the club of creative expression. Indeed, the universal symbol of writer's block is the blank page, mercilessly staring back at the tortured writer, imposing in its absolute whiteness. But writer's block can take many forms: confused sentences, underdeveloped ideas and paragraphs, too much repetition, and even increased mechanical errors. In short, dissertation writer's block isn't just marked by an absence of writing, but can also be indicated by the presence of muddled writing.
The twin concerns: knowledge and organization
The causes of dissertation writer's block are numerous. An impasse may signify that the PhD student has failed to understand the research material to a degree that would promote writing. Perhaps more than other types of writing, dissertation writing requires an explicit understanding of the subject matter, much of which can be quite detailed or methodologically complex. Dissertation writing is more about what you know than about your experience or viewpoint of the world, and a lack of fluency with the material can lead to writer's block.
Along with the problem of inadequate knowledge, poor organization is another culprit in the struggle against dissertation writer's block. A student can read dozens of articles and books, understand the ins and outs of his or her topic, and possess critical insight into the relevant issues. Knowledge, however, is not the only prerequisite. Without a roadmap, the dissertation student may find him- or herself wandering through the byzantine corridors of the topic, unable to arrive at the destination: a coherent, focused dissertation. Consequently, the following cannot be stressed enough: outlines, formal and informal, are crucial to avoiding writer's block.
Not just an inability to write but an inability to write clearly
Emma Thompson's struggles suggests that writer's block is akin to a bouncer refusing entrance of the most meager word or sentence in the club of creative expression. Indeed, the universal symbol of writer's block is the blank page, mercilessly staring back at the tortured writer, imposing in its absolute whiteness. But writer's block can take many forms: confused sentences, underdeveloped ideas and paragraphs, too much repetition, and even increased mechanical errors. In short, dissertation writer's block isn't just marked by an absence of writing, but can also be indicated by the presence of muddled writing.
The twin concerns: knowledge and organization
The causes of dissertation writer's block are numerous. An impasse may signify that the PhD student has failed to understand the research material to a degree that would promote writing. Perhaps more than other types of writing, dissertation writing requires an explicit understanding of the subject matter, much of which can be quite detailed or methodologically complex. Dissertation writing is more about what you know than about your experience or viewpoint of the world, and a lack of fluency with the material can lead to writer's block.
Along with the problem of inadequate knowledge, poor organization is another culprit in the struggle against dissertation writer's block. A student can read dozens of articles and books, understand the ins and outs of his or her topic, and possess critical insight into the relevant issues. Knowledge, however, is not the only prerequisite. Without a roadmap, the dissertation student may find him- or herself wandering through the byzantine corridors of the topic, unable to arrive at the destination: a coherent, focused dissertation. Consequently, the following cannot be stressed enough: outlines, formal and informal, are crucial to avoiding writer's block.
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