Hi all,

I realise this is a 'how long is a piece of string' question but was hoping for some advice. I'm currently re-writing/structuring empirical chapters x 3 (qual thesis) - 1.5 still to do. Drafts are being given to supervisors for comments. I still have to re-write literature review, discussion/conclusion, re-structure a study context chapter and methodology and write intro from scratch. The weird anxiety dreams are happening and it all seems to be taking toooooooo long. It feels the more I'm doing, the more confused I 'm getting and am totally beginning to doubt the 'it'll all come together/Eureka moment' that others keep talking about. My personal deadlines are being exceeded and it feels as though there is still so much to do. And, it is soooooooo taxing and dull at this stage. Anyone got any advice? Any tips for easing the process?

I'm planning on getting final draft to sups 1st July as I have a wedding to attend later than week and am hoping they'll have a chance to make comments whilst I am away. Final submission date is beginning of August.

Thanks for reading......
Yours, increasingly beleaguered Blackbyrd

======= Date Modified 31 May 2012 13:08:36 =======
Hi Blackbyrd,

I know how you feel - I get really stressed about my own personal deadlines being missed so I can sympathise!

I think (without knowing your work or writing), all you can really do is plan, give yourself small goals to meet and go from there. I print out monthly calendars and do a rough guesstimation of how many words per day I need to turn out in order to meet my deadline, then work around that. Generally I write in the mornings and read in the afternoon, so each afternoon's reading informs the next morning's writing. I think it can be done, you just need to work hard!

Good luck!

Hi! I don't really have any tips about how I write best...I think it depends on the day! But I'm also hoping to get a first full draft done by July (to be more specific, end of July, to submit hopefully in Sept), so I feel your pain!

have to write an intro chapter too-pretty much from scratch, though I have some rough drafts of it; another (short) chapter from scratch; rewrites of all the other chapers, and the final discussion from scratch. I'm aiming for a chapter a week (with a bit more time for the final discussion chapter).

I think using the one goal thread will be useful!

Hope it all goes well xxx