How long does 'writing up' an Arts PhD take, do you think?

[JaneS]

What it says on the tin. I've no clue. It feels as if I could spend ages but want to motivate myself. Someone very kindly told me lots about how to make it work and how her science students do it, which is great, but if anyone is doing an Arts subject, I'd love to know how it's going or how you've planned and timetabled it, as I feel at a bit of a loss!

I did most of mine in about 9 months. Have you done all the research? I think you can write v. quickly in that case. I used to aim for 1000 words a day, and stop when I'd finished, however crap they were. The words soon mount up and then you can edit etc. You could always aim for 500 a day if 1000 seems a bit much.

I think the trick is to just write - don't worry about it being perfect or polished. Get the words on the page, and then knock them into shape.

Depends.

Do you have "the fear", LRD?

I fannied about for 3 years not writing my PhD - just doing enough to look active, IYSWIM.

Then it was July, and I needed to be finished by September (getting threatening letters from my dept.).

So, inspired by "the fear" TM I pretty much wrote my PhD from start to finish in about 3 months. I went underground, basically, only emerging to eat and sleep.

It was brutal, but I did it.

I think that I'd been brewing the ideas in my head for so long, it was sort of like laying a particularly painful egg, or something. Everything came out fully formed, and I didn't need to re-draft that much (thank god).

That said, my otherwise-delightful examiners did mention the high number of typos in their comments... Clearly, I did not leave enough time to proof-read that well...

Friends, though, were much more grown-up, and responsible, and produced chapters in a timely fashion throughout, then polished up for the last 6 months or so. Like the spectacular hypocrite that I am, this is how I now tell my own students to work...

Not sure that this is very helpful, other than - I hope - to reassure you that you will get there in your own way.

Well, if I knew whether I'd done all the research it'd help! I've no idea. I mean, I know some of it isn't done yet, but I have drafts of all my chapters, it's just that now I need to do more research to make them all fit together, if that makes sense?

Can I ask, is it usual to have a point where you genuinely stop researching at all and just write, or do you mean 'done' as in, got the basic ideas sorted?

You can see I'm a bit clueless ...

Cross-posted with you pen. I've had the effing 'fear' all the way through!

I'm stunned by three months - that must have been painful.

Basically, the reasons I'm worried are firstly that I'm dyslexic and crap at structuring work, so I'm concerned it might take me much longer than most people, and secondly that my supervisors, though lovely, confuse me a bit. They keep saying it's fine but occasionally will let slip a comment that makes me think I'm doing something a bit crap or a bit odd. I'm trying to get on with it quickly because I really want to be out earning money and also because of the aforesaid fear I'll end up taking much longer than expected ... if that makes sense.

Penth

LRD - I think there comes a time when you just have to write. But if you have drafts of all your chapters, then you have already written a lot.

I think what I would do in your position is to take one chapter at a time, and spend 1-2 hours a day revising it, and the rest of the day doing the reading/research you need to make the revisions. That way, you are actively writing, and won't spend ages faffing around doing research and procrastinating. (Not casting aspersions, this is just what I tend to do.)

I'd probably do this for 2 weeks per chapter, just to give myself a bit of a deadline and a sense of urgency. You can always come back to them at the end of the cycle if need be.

I would say a year to be comfortable, if you're reasonably speedy probably 9 months or so.

Because when you start writing up you WILL find things that don't quite click, and you may need to do a bit more research so it's best to leave time for that

LRD - x-posted

Perhaps time to sit down with your supervisors and ask them to give it to you straight? It probably really IS fine, but best to know if not.

Hmm. Good question.

I reached (and still reach when I'm researching now) a point when what I read doesn't really add any more to my own ideas; or, even weirder, when you start to have this "hey, I know this already" feeling, because you're so familiar with your area that you can anticipate what someone is going to say just from the first paragraph of their article/book. It's about then that I know that reading any more - or at least reading exclusively - is no longer productive, and I have to start writing.

You can never really "finish" research in 99.9% of projects, however (except maybe for work on - say - modern novelists on which not much/anything is written [which is the bomb, as I've recently realised!] ). So I wouldn't worry about that. But you do reach a point where it is enough for you, IYSWIM. Having a sympathetic reader helps too - someone to spot the gaps that you've missed.

Barnacles, that work plan makes really good sense, thanks!

I could sit down and ask - the problem is, I've just switched to a new supervisor and she doesn't really know me yet, so she can't say a lot (I mean that nicely: she's wonderful and helpful, it's just she hasn't had the time).

Good point re. never 'finishing' Pen, thanks.