Part II: Writing and Submitting Your Manuscript
Meeting Your Muse
The Writing Process: Overview and Tips
William Zinsser wrote in On Writing Well, "I don’t like to write, I like to have written."4
Few things can seem more daunting than a blank page and a deadline. Or worse, a blank page with no deadline. Suddenly the tiniest bit of research drudgery can be the most appealing task in the world.
Even for those of us who truly enjoy the writing process, putting down the first words can be difficult. You can find many resources to help you through the writing process. The most important thing is to be willing to experiment until you come up with an approach that works for you.
Just as research is iterative, writing is also iterative. You will draft, review, re-write, and often even loop back into research to fill gaps in your ideas and arguments. More than documenting your thoughts, writing helps you shape your thoughts. The act of articulation sharpens and clarifies thinking.
Review some helpful tips for getting started with the writing process.
Some writers find it helpful to:
- Start in the middle. The hardest part to write is the introduction. Pick one area of your work you are most excited to describe, and jump right in. Don’t worry yet about flow or structure – just get the first words out.
- Pick up a pencil. If you’re accustomed to drafting on a computer, try the old fashioned pencil-and-paper method, to see if you get different results.
- Start typing. On the other hand, if you’ve usually started with writing notes, try freewriting at the keyboard to activate different parts of your brain in the process.
- Set incremental goals. Assign yourself an hour a day to work on your manuscript. Be accountable to that time – tell a colleague that you will do it, and then report afterwards your accomplishment.
- Keep reading. Find writers whose work you admire and read everything you can find that they’ve written. While reading, make notes on what you admire in their work and see if you can identify how they’ve created excellence. Adopt what you can for your own work, or make a project of writing a paragraph or two mimicking their style.
