What does August have in common with January and New Year’s?
If you are an academic writer, a PhD in academia, or an ABD, the last half of summer and August, in particular, may be the calm before the storm, the last best chance to do some serious writing before classes start and maybe before your advisor (or department chair) returns to campus and you have to face him or her.
Just as in January, when everyone is urging you to start afresh, to lose weight, to join a gym, with August looming, you are now getting offers of four free sessions with a coaching group or membership in a low-cost online writing group. Come closer to the August dissertation/academic writing hype—use the hype to start your own fire.
You could try my Boot Camp, or steal my model for yourself.
My Boot Camp is a concentrated 2-week session in which I ask writers to commit to write four hours daily. Writers draw firm boundaries to eliminate distractions and to avoid setting themselves up for failure. For accountability, I ask clients to email me after each daily writing session.
By sticking to the plan, a success strategy is in motion. Over the two weeks, writing becomes a habit because success is a habit.
Even if you’re working full time and also juggling a dissertation, you can make time over the next few weeks if you open yourself to the potential for summer productivity.
Don’t let this season of opportunities pass you by. If you’ve been an on-again, off-again dissertation writer for far too long, establish the writing habit and enjoy successful writing.
Enjoy the success of building a consistent, daily, robust writing habit.
I’m keeping an eye on the calendar. Are you?
Nancy
P.S. If you’re interested in successful writing and summer productivity, I’d like to hear from you. Have you tried Boot Camp? Check out my tips at my website—www.nancywhichard.com and www.dissertationbootcamp.net.
Nancy Whichard, Ph.D., PCC
Your International Dissertation and Academic Career Coach
www.nancywhichard.com
www.usingyourstrengths.com
www.dissertationbootcamp.net