I was wondering how everybody goes about writing. I think I've been following the Bolker lady's (I can't remember her first name :$ ) advice of writing anything down and refining it later. So what I do goes a bit like this.

1. Start writing with loads of highlighted bits saying "needs reference" and "verify" i.e. check that I'm not making this up!
2. Then I re-read and tidy up the arguments a bit and make sure I know what I am at least trying to say.
3. Search the files on my computer trying to find out where I got the info from/ find docs to back up what I'm saying
4. Add in the references that I found on my computer and make the modifications that come from re-reading them.
5. All the usual formatting stuff

How do you do it???

I usually start with a plan of what I want to write - and what I think the arguments are in the literature, how they lead up to the point I want to make.

I then just start writing and read as I write - I rarely read before writing, apart from a few key papers to get the jist of the whole area.

I then change about sentences and add bits/remove bits and perhaps restructure if I read something that changes my argument.

I then format it

Then my supervisor changes it all :-s

I’m not sure I have a consistent style, but from first draft to ‘’finished’’ would probably look something like:
1. Re-read primary materials (literature) and read as many secondary sources as possible in the time I’ve given myself making lots of notes as I go along, no matter how inconsequential and random they seem at the time.
2. Stop and read through everything written during 1), work out what the different parts of my argument are even if they don’t all fit together yet
3. Organize into some sort of logical shape and add in references.
4. Send to sup with lots of notes like ‘need to expand upon this’ and ‘waiting for this book to turn up’ : D
5. See what he comes up with. Look up all the extra references he inevitably suggests and start trying to integrate them, work on any style issues he’s highlighted.
6. Send it back. At this point there’ll either be a major flaw in my argument which needs hammering out over a period of time or I can stop and just focus on wording/style.
7. Check references and it’s good to go.

All in all, a long and messy process!

I am horrid. Don't please do this.

I don't write for 3 weeks. I work myself up into a frustrated frenzy.

Then I sit and write 10,000 words in about 2 to 3 days.

Many months later there'll be up to Version 23 if it is being submitted proper. Else, that's it.

Then I don't write for 3 more weeks.