I am in the midst of writing another chapter for my History Project and it is not going well. I am officially behind, again, and I have some long days ahead of me to complete it. It will be an important chapter and I think that is part of the reason it is taking so long to write. All the chapters from this point on are very important because they touch upon areas of my particular subject that have not had enough attention.
Research is always the fun part of my job. Notorious PhD Girl has a three-part post about research (read all three). Clio' Disciple has done the same. They have done a great job giving practical advice. They deal with Medieval history, which I do not, but some of the basic principles apply. The trouble begins when it is time to take the Research Notes and develop Actual Chapters. Now, this is not impossible, but if one is a slow writer like myself, it can be difficult to sift through everything and find all the details that will help craft my prose. Everyone works in different ways. I find it helpful to take all my notes on computer. If I cannot take notes on computer while in an archives, I resort to the paper tablet. When I do not transcribe or take notes, I photocopy. The tricky part is making sure everything is organized, otherwise when time comes for the writing, I can waste too much time searching for what I need.
This latest project has been a great test for me. I have written my dissertation and that was OK. It was hardly great. I finished it and started working on this new project before I had time to do anything with my dissertation. I want to return to it at some point when I finish this current History Project. The test for me is trusting that what I have to say is worthwhile, that the conclusions I make are valid. As a PhD Student, I worked within an established historiographical field guided by a committee/adviser. I was an apprentice. With the PhD behind me, I work as a professional historian without that safety net. I make my way then as a Grown Up Historian. I suppose after all these years, it is about time. What was the point of all that education and study, if I cannot think and work with confidence?
Research is always the fun part of my job. Notorious PhD Girl has a three-part post about research (read all three). Clio' Disciple has done the same. They have done a great job giving practical advice. They deal with Medieval history, which I do not, but some of the basic principles apply. The trouble begins when it is time to take the Research Notes and develop Actual Chapters. Now, this is not impossible, but if one is a slow writer like myself, it can be difficult to sift through everything and find all the details that will help craft my prose. Everyone works in different ways. I find it helpful to take all my notes on computer. If I cannot take notes on computer while in an archives, I resort to the paper tablet. When I do not transcribe or take notes, I photocopy. The tricky part is making sure everything is organized, otherwise when time comes for the writing, I can waste too much time searching for what I need.
This latest project has been a great test for me. I have written my dissertation and that was OK. It was hardly great. I finished it and started working on this new project before I had time to do anything with my dissertation. I want to return to it at some point when I finish this current History Project. The test for me is trusting that what I have to say is worthwhile, that the conclusions I make are valid. As a PhD Student, I worked within an established historiographical field guided by a committee/adviser. I was an apprentice. With the PhD behind me, I work as a professional historian without that safety net. I make my way then as a Grown Up Historian. I suppose after all these years, it is about time. What was the point of all that education and study, if I cannot think and work with confidence?
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