So good to hear that other people have the same fear of starting writing!

Will start on that crappy introduction LOL

Hi MsCrow
Well I suppose it's how clear on things people are approaching the start of their PhD. I had my research area, theoretical approach and empirical avenue all pretty much nailed down, so I just cracked on with arguments for what I was proposing and (largely) against those that had been put forward already. The writing was too simplistic and not balanced enough, for example.

As people say there are many who don't write anything/much and there has to be a period of learning and 'grinding away' as it were.

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But just like the physical sciences the problems still have to be worked through, tested, accepted or revised and so on. It's hard work hitting the level that established scholars are at (even if disagreeing with what they are saying!!), and I'm struck by the number of people who don't finish on time - that's not a criticism, just a measure of how hard writing a PhD in 3 years actually is, hence the urging to start the writing process as early as one can in order to perceive more clearly the enormity of the task ahead.