Thursday Thoughts: Tips for Overcoming Writer's Block
One of the most frustrating elements of writing is when the words just aren't coming. You've done the reading, you know the assignment, and yet you still just can't make those ideas swirling around in your mind come out onto the page. Writer's Block can be a serious issue for Walden University writers who are asked to produce a great deal of writing in a short amount of time. Since we regularly get questions about overcoming Writer's Block, today's Thursday Thoughts post is dedicated to sharing the Writing Center's top resources to help you Break the Block.
Here's a list of resources you can consult if you ever find yourself standing behind a wall, looking through a glass, or trying to draw water from the well that's gone dry:
The Writing Center's Website Overview of Overcoming Writer's Block: Check out this compendium of strategies you can employ in your writing process to develop a well-rounded writing process that contains safeguards against Writer's Block.
Break the Block: A Three-Strategy Series on Writer's Block: This blog series dives deep into three strategies for overcoming Writer's Block. In this series, our helpful Writing Instructors have shared their best-practices for ensuring that you never get trapped in an avoidable situation.
Writing Center Live Webinar Recording on "Developing a Paper From Discussion Post to Course Paper": This overview-look at the writing process of a Walden writer can be helpful if you'd like to develop skills to make the transition between types of assignments smoother.
We hope you use and enjoy these resources.
The Walden Writing Center is comprised of professional Writing Instructors and Dissertation Editors who would love to share their strategies for overcoming Writer's Block with you. We'd also love to hear from you. Post your questions, comments, and strategies for overcoming Writer's Block in the comments below.
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Here's a list of resources you can consult if you ever find yourself standing behind a wall, looking through a glass, or trying to draw water from the well that's gone dry:
The Writing Center's Website Overview of Overcoming Writer's Block: Check out this compendium of strategies you can employ in your writing process to develop a well-rounded writing process that contains safeguards against Writer's Block.
Break the Block: A Three-Strategy Series on Writer's Block: This blog series dives deep into three strategies for overcoming Writer's Block. In this series, our helpful Writing Instructors have shared their best-practices for ensuring that you never get trapped in an avoidable situation.
Writing Center Live Webinar Recording on "Developing a Paper From Discussion Post to Course Paper": This overview-look at the writing process of a Walden writer can be helpful if you'd like to develop skills to make the transition between types of assignments smoother.
We hope you use and enjoy these resources.
The Walden Writing Center is comprised of professional Writing Instructors and Dissertation Editors who would love to share their strategies for overcoming Writer's Block with you. We'd also love to hear from you. Post your questions, comments, and strategies for overcoming Writer's Block in the comments below.
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Postgraduation Capstone Publication
In the Writing Center, we are often asked about what
students' options are for publishing their capstone after graduation and how to
go about doing so. There is no correct
answer to how to proceed, as many aspects of the approach will vary on the type
of degree, type of publication sought, and ultimate goal of the
publication.
Since early 2017, the Writing Center editors have created
several Kits to help students while writing the different parts of the capstone
document. We have recently added the Postgraduation
Kit, which is intended to guide students through the process of publishing
one portion of their capstone or a revised, shortened version of the complete
study.
Here are a few things students should consider when thinking
about a postdegree, capstone-related publication:
A Chapter or Section as a Stand-Alone Document
Consider the publication type. Many professional programs design their
capstones so that one chapter or section is already intended as a stand-alone
document. Students should consider
whether there is already a portion of the capstone that could be minimally
revised and reformatted as a document.
Examples of this are the DBA Consulting Capstone Section 3, EDD Project
Study Project, and DNP Section 5.
This approach involves removing the unnecessary chapters or
sections and the Postgrad Kit has instructions on how to do this. The end result here is often a white paper or
a project that can be shared directly with individuals or organizations related
to the topic. The goal may be a white
paper or project to disseminate among professionals in the field, and whether part
of the capstone was designed as such, does not matter. Any chapter or section can be made to exist
as a paper on its own, with the appropriate introduction and conclusion added.
Peer-Reviewed Journals
If a white paper or project to be disseminated is not a
desired outcome, students should consider revising the capstone for
peer-reviewed publication format. To
begin trimming down the lengthy capstone into a shorter paper, in its entirety,
we suggest first settling on a journal.
Then, students should review their References list and explore the most
frequently referenced journals. These
should be a good place to begin.
After a journal is selected, students should conduct some
research on the journals, their style, and the submission process. Publication will involve including all
components of the capstone, but in a briefer version and without a lot of the exposition. There is no need for development of and
explanation of the different research methods and all designs that the student
could have used. There is a certain
amount of knowledge assumed of the reader.
Generally, the headings included are: introduction, literature review,
method, results, discussion and conclusion.
The Postgrad Kit also includes steps and instructions in more detail.
Other Options for the Capstone
If the student's goal is to raise awareness about their
results, not necessarily aim for an academic publication, there are other
options as well. Trade journals may also
be an appropriate venue. Though they are
not part of the peer-reviewed process and often do not follow the standard
format of intro., literature review, etc.
These types of journals often accept articles that are written in a
language that is more geared to professionals in the field than an academic
audience.
A conference presentation may be another effective option. Sometimes, the topic needs to be further
developed, even after the dissertation, before it may be ready for a
journal. Presenting at an academic or
trade conference may help test the ideas and allow the student/researcher to
gain feedback on the interpretation of the results. Seeking out a conference to present the
material may be a goal, in itself, or a first step toward exploring
publication.
For more information and tips what to do with the capstone
after graduation and on how to develop the document into a working publication
visit our Postgraduation Kit on the Form and Style website.
Direct questions about writing the capstone or potential revisions for
publication to editor@waldenu.edu.
.png "Kelly Chermack author picture")
Kelly Chermack is the Manager of Editing Services in the Walden University Writing Center. She first joined the staff as a dissertation editor in 2012. She earned her PhD from the University of Minnesota in Sociology, and specializes in organization theory, workplace policy, and research methods. She is also a contributing faculty member in Walden's Human and Social Services PhD and Doctorate of Business Administration.
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Thursday Thoughts: Paper Review Appointments and December Webinars
The Writing Center will be closed this week on Thursday and Friday, November 23rd and 24th, for the Thanksgiving holiday. For many of you, this is also a quiet time of the semester, with few papers due and even fewer readings. We hope you enjoy the reprieve!
A little known secret is that the Writing Center's schedule is aplenty with appointment openings the week after the holiday, because quarterly classes are just getting underway. Come visit us during this slow week and submit a paper for review that's already been graded. We at the Writing Center will be thrilled to provide you with ideas to strengthen your writing for your next term!
As you begin coursework next week, keep the December webinar schedule in mind. We have six webinars throughout the month.
Nicole is a writing instructor at Walden University's Writing Center. Having worked in writing centers for 10 years, Nicole has developed a passion for supporting diverse groups of students with their diverse sets of needs.
 |
| We at the Writing Center would love to see you! |
A little known secret is that the Writing Center's schedule is aplenty with appointment openings the week after the holiday, because quarterly classes are just getting underway. Come visit us during this slow week and submit a paper for review that's already been graded. We at the Writing Center will be thrilled to provide you with ideas to strengthen your writing for your next term!
As you begin coursework next week, keep the December webinar schedule in mind. We have six webinars throughout the month.
- An Inside Look at Writing Center Paper Review Appointments
7:00PM - 8:00PM Wednesday, November 29, 2017 - Plagiarism Prevention: The Three Components to Avoiding Plagiarism
7:00PM - 8:00PM Wednesday, December 6, 2017 - Writing Center Resources and APA for Master's Students
2:30PM - 4:00PM Thursday, December 7, 2017 - Preparing for the Form & Style: Common Errors and Editor Q&A
3:00PM - 4:00PM Tuesday, December 12, 2017 - Practical Skills: Using & Integrating Quotes
12:00PM - 1:00PM Thursday, December 14, 2017 - Prewriting Techniques: Taking the First Steps
6:00PM - 7:00PM Wednesday, December 20, 2017
We hope to see you during the quiet week after Thanksgiving, and we can't wait to see you in our webinars!
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Avoid Procrastination and R.E.A.P. the Benefits of Proactivity
For me, procrastination often stems from feeling overwhelmed
by the amount of things I need to get done. That said, procrastination has a
way of feeding off itself—the more a person procrastinates, the more things
need to be added to a long list of to dos, Thus it becomes more stressful to face those to dos and, subsequently, the more one might
procrastinate. While it might be difficult to change one’s emotional reasons
for procrastination, it is possible to use strategies to help one move from procrastination
to proactivity. In this blog, I will discuss some strategies to help you R.E.A.P
the rewards of facing procrastination head on:
Ready Yourself by Creating a To Do List
To do lists can be a step towards proactivity since they
force a person to think about and document what they need to do. It’s a good
idea to create a to do list even for more mundane activities (like grocery
shopping) if a person has a tight schedule, such as students who, in addition
to working on their degrees, might also be working full-time and or have other
responsibilities. However, many people who create to do lists might not
actually follow through with them because, in creating the list, a person can
feel overwhelmed, thus perpetuating procrastination thinking. While I used to
create just one big list, I learned that I was less likely to get things done
because I felt overwhelmed. So, I started to create daily lists.
Evaluate Your To Do List for Priorities
What I learned from creating daily to do lists is that it is equally important to prioritize the list according to high, medium, and low priorities to include how time consuming each task is within a given priority level. This way, smaller, less time consuming lower priorities don’t build up, and larger, more time consuming priorities are gradually worked on and not left for last. For instance, I usually take care of both high and low priority emails as they come since I can often quickly respond to them as needed, then I start working on larger projects that are both time sensitive as well as more time consuming.
Adapt Your To Do List When Necessary
While it is important to work towards completing everything on a to do list in a timely, daily, manner, it is also necessary to be flexible enough that you can adapt your to do list if and when necessary (such as when a new, immediate priority needs to be added to your list). It’s all about balance and continually working on tasks while making any necessary changes. So, maybe I don’t get to all of the low priority emails I wanted to in one day, but I will be able to add them to a new day as long as I keep working on my to do list and focusing on high priority tasks first (and do low priority tasks that are quick) so I stay on track in order to have time to delegate a low priority task that are time consuming
Pamper Yourself
People often underestimate or overlook pampering themselves with self-care as a high priority. Yet, providing enough “me” time helps ensure that a person stays on track because it helps reduce stress which is another important reason for to do lists—working on tasks and completing them in a timely manner means that when it is time to relax a person is not worrying about what they need to get done. Setting time aside for self-care is important for proactivity; however, many people might not set aside such time because they have a lot to do, which brings me back to my introductory point— stress can lead to procrastination and procrastination has a way of feeding off itself and creating more stress which is self-sabotaging for one’s proactivity.
So, I suggest creating a daily to do list, prioritize that list into time consuming and less time consuming high, medium, and low priorities, adapt the to do list when necessary, and always leave time for pampering yourself to feel good about all you have accomplished!
I hope you'll join in on the conversation and tell us: What are some tips you have for combating procrastination?
Veronica Oliver is a Writing Instructor in the Walden Writing Center. In her spare time she writes fiction, binge watches Netflix, and occasionally makes it to a 6am Bikram Yoga class.
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Evaluate Your To Do List for Priorities
What I learned from creating daily to do lists is that it is equally important to prioritize the list according to high, medium, and low priorities to include how time consuming each task is within a given priority level. This way, smaller, less time consuming lower priorities don’t build up, and larger, more time consuming priorities are gradually worked on and not left for last. For instance, I usually take care of both high and low priority emails as they come since I can often quickly respond to them as needed, then I start working on larger projects that are both time sensitive as well as more time consuming.
Adapt Your To Do List When Necessary
While it is important to work towards completing everything on a to do list in a timely, daily, manner, it is also necessary to be flexible enough that you can adapt your to do list if and when necessary (such as when a new, immediate priority needs to be added to your list). It’s all about balance and continually working on tasks while making any necessary changes. So, maybe I don’t get to all of the low priority emails I wanted to in one day, but I will be able to add them to a new day as long as I keep working on my to do list and focusing on high priority tasks first (and do low priority tasks that are quick) so I stay on track in order to have time to delegate a low priority task that are time consuming
Pamper Yourself
People often underestimate or overlook pampering themselves with self-care as a high priority. Yet, providing enough “me” time helps ensure that a person stays on track because it helps reduce stress which is another important reason for to do lists—working on tasks and completing them in a timely manner means that when it is time to relax a person is not worrying about what they need to get done. Setting time aside for self-care is important for proactivity; however, many people might not set aside such time because they have a lot to do, which brings me back to my introductory point— stress can lead to procrastination and procrastination has a way of feeding off itself and creating more stress which is self-sabotaging for one’s proactivity.
So, I suggest creating a daily to do list, prioritize that list into time consuming and less time consuming high, medium, and low priorities, adapt the to do list when necessary, and always leave time for pampering yourself to feel good about all you have accomplished!
I hope you'll join in on the conversation and tell us: What are some tips you have for combating procrastination?
Veronica Oliver is a Writing Instructor in the Walden Writing Center. In her spare time she writes fiction, binge watches Netflix, and occasionally makes it to a 6am Bikram Yoga class.
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WriteCast Episode 44: Jeannie's First Residency
Jeannie Croichy is a writing instructor in the Walden University Writing Center, but she is also a student in the Walden Ed.D program. Like many of our students, Jeannie balances work, life, and her academic program. Also like many of our students, Jeannie attended an in-person residency, which provided her with a different type of academic experience. In this WriteCast episode, Jeannie shares some details from the residency she attended, including what it was like to meet other students in her program and the lessons she learned.
If you have never attended a residency, this episode can help prepare you and highlight the positives of working in-person with peers and Walden staff. If you have residency experience, you may find it nice to hear a fellow student's reflection.
Listen below by pressing the "play" button, or access the podcast transcript here.
A full list of WriteCast episodes and transcripts can be found here.
The WriteCast Podcast is produced by the staff of the Walden University Writing Center and delves into a different writing issue in each episode. In line with the mission of the Writing Center, WriteCast provides multi-modal, on demand writing instruction that enhances students' writing skill and ease. We hope you enjoy this episode and comment in the box below.
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If you have never attended a residency, this episode can help prepare you and highlight the positives of working in-person with peers and Walden staff. If you have residency experience, you may find it nice to hear a fellow student's reflection.
Listen below by pressing the "play" button, or access the podcast transcript here.
A full list of WriteCast episodes and transcripts can be found here.
The WriteCast Podcast is produced by the staff of the Walden University Writing Center and delves into a different writing issue in each episode. In line with the mission of the Writing Center, WriteCast provides multi-modal, on demand writing instruction that enhances students' writing skill and ease. We hope you enjoy this episode and comment in the box below.
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