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I understand the motivation behind this discipline; create some space every day to write and you will find that your writing improves. However, as is ably pointed out in the comments, this advice overlooks the pressures on modern working academics to teach ever-larger classes; their ‘service’; and as I’ve found observing my wife who’s a full time academic, an ever-increasing avalance of self-criticism, quality-framework reporting, and administrative miscellany (the one area you’d think that a university could employ clerical specialists to do). As a part-time PhD, of course I personal also have the burden of an actual job that occupies four days a week. There is also a difference between prolific and influential.
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I found that regularly writing on things like music and music criticism when I was doing my masters in international relations considerably improved my writing generally. Realise it can be a massive task though. I’ve tried to start off the year saying I’d write three times a week on set days – Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Even if it’s 100 words, getting something out there keeps my writing sharp.
I’m actually very interested to hear how you juggle work and a PhD. I’ve often seriously considered doing one, but was wondering what the time pressures might involve.
To be fair, I think the original author meant “write on your topic” but I agree, almost any seriously disciplined writing helps. In some ways that’s why I set up this blog although I don’t write daily (as opposed to reposting links etc).
Probably this year’s first semester will be my moment of real truth, as I take on getting the PhD past confirmation stage and grapple with juggling that along with (unusually, for an Australian PhD) coursework in the languages that I’m required to complete. It’ll be the first time in 2 years I’ve done any coursework at all; and probably 20 years since I crammed for an examination! It makes me wish I did the languages rather than the history for the M.A.!
At the moment it means I work Monday to Thursday and Friday and Sunday I spent on research. So Saturdays is the only day I have off. The big problem is that weeknights I’m too fagged to do anything really useful research-wise – but hopefully I will be able to take the language coursework on – there’s weekly work involved. What it does mean that I have a very limited social life really and all the subsidiary hobbies – like making music, and open source contribs – are right out. In some ways the PhD replaces those.
I hope to write a bit more in depth on this as the semester progresses.
Oh yeah, I knew you were talking about writing on subject, but I thought I’d chip in with my slightly related two cents.
Very interesting info regarding the part time workload. I’m guessing though it has to be self funded?
No no, all PhDs in Australia taken by residents are free of any fees or tuition. The government fully funds the University for my “research output”. Unless I went full-time, I can’t claim an APA or University research scholarship, though (about $20k tax free). I do get access to a small amount of travel funding.
I didn’t even know that. That’s awesome..!!!