Paragraphs: stepping stones through your argument
Paragraphs are like stepping stones across a river - your reader steps from one paragraph to the next to follow the flow of the argument.
Keep It Simple, Stupid!
It's best to write in a way that is simple, direct and comprehensible, so that your argument shines through.
Writing with empathy
Empathy helps you to understand and engage your readers. If you identify what drives your audience, you will have your readers in the palm of your hand.
Learning never stops
We're all learning all the time so don't be daunted by new tasks. Anything can be mastered if you break it down into small steps - including writing skills.
Finding your voice
Finding your voice is as important for academic writers as for novelists. When writing on a subject about which you care deeply, your voice will come through loud and clear.
Getting quality feedback on your work-in-progress
It is vital to get quality feedback on your manuscript by approaching the right person for each aspect of your writing: an expert on the subject to check the content; your supervisor or a colleague to check the argument; a trusted friend with good writing skills to check the grammar and punctuation.
What’s your investment in your writing?
To find your voice as an author, whether you are writing a thesis or a novel, bring your own subjectivity to your work: the filters that colour everything you think, see, remember and value - and your curiosity. This is your investment in your writing.
The role of the protagonist
One of the most successful tools for doctoral students is to envisage the role and nature of the protagonist: that is to say, the character (or discipline; or theory; or interpretive paradigm) that undergoes the most profound change during the course of the work.
To plan or not to plan?
Are you a 'constipated' or a 'splurge' writer? Although there is no right or wrong way to write, if you are embarking on a long piece of work such as a dissertation, it is advisable to devise a tight structure before you start drafting.
Managing your time during the long game
The key to managing your time when you're writing a dissertation or a book is to break down the task into manageable chunks and to fit the work comfortably around your other commitments.
