Writing a dissertation or thesis is a mammoth challenge. Many students encounter writer’s block at some point during the writing process, which can induce frustration or even straight-out panic.

Writer’s block at this level has less to do with a lack of ability and more to do with perfectionism and procrastination. Overcoming writer’s block is definitely possible, especially once you understand what might be holding you back.

A great resource for those struggling with writer’s block is (surprise!) Understanding Writing Blocks by Keith Hjortshoj. In particular, Hjortshoj addresses the feeling of inadequacy that can cause an otherwise capable academic to freeze in his or her tracks:

“Writing blocks are most common among advanced undergraduates, graduate students, scholars, and other professional writers who are not supposed to need help with writing and do not need the kinds of writing instruction offered in the typical composition class.”

In other words, many students might feel ashamed that they’re having problems with writing and productivity. Sound familiar?

How about these situations?

• You don’t feel “ready” or “prepared enough” to write. You might not feel like you’ve read enough. For those in the sciences, you may not have ever had to write long papers, unlike your colleagues in the humanities.
• You might also feel a discrepancy between the standards you hold yourself to and your actual performance. Confronting this difference can be daunting, since it’s difficult to own up to one’s shortcomings.
• You’re finding it difficult to adapt to the style of writing or conventions within your field.
• You’ve had negative past writing experiences. Perhaps you’ve had teachers or peer editors who have been overly critical or have given you hurtful feedback.

Once you’ve figured out what feelings might be causing the block, what should you do to? Try one or two of these remedies.

1. Set goals and track yourself

Cutting overwhelming tasks down to size is an effective way to gain momentum. It sounds simple, but simple solutions aren’t necessarily easy to execute.

Consider dividing your writing into different types of tasks. Completing a chapter involves filling it with content, making your argument clear, fitting it into the outline of your entire paper, creating transitions, checking your citations and data, and editing. That’s too much for many people to do all at once. Instead, tell yourself, “For this chapter, I’ll get the basic content outline down; no editing, no argumentation” and move on from there.

2. Schedule time purely for writing

We’ve talked about creating a writing ritual before. It’s important to shield yourself from distractions, even from checking every single citation and figure as you go. Make time to just write, since ideas are useless if they reside only in your brain. If you’ve never done this before, don’t try to sit for two hours straight off the bat. Try for 30 minutes and build up from there.

3. When you see a gap in your research or become stuck, seek help

Many students with perfectionistic tendencies panic when they get stuck or find that their research is lacking. They might be reluctant to ask for help, but honestly, that’s what a good thesis or doctoral advisor is for. The sooner you reach out, the sooner you’ll resolve the problem. Additionally, don’t forget to ask your peers for help or advice. You might find that others are in the same boat and be able to identify ways to help each other.

4. Look at similar dissertations or papers

Speaking of looking to others for help, you might want to look at existing dissertations in your field. You’ll see where you’re doing well and what you could improve. In many cases, seeing finished products can boost your confidence by showing you that you aren’t as behind as you think. This tip is especially handy if you haven’t yet started and are looking to write your proposal, since you’ll see what’s manageable and what’s unwieldy in terms of scope.

5. Fight perfectionism by letting go

Perfectionism can paralyze you. You’re worried you won’t meet some standard and won’t begin out of fear. Or you might delay yourself with constant rewrites and re-reading, which can create a sense of hopelessness. However, realize that your thesis committee will question your arguments no matter how “perfect” your work is. You could improve your paper for a lifetime and still get a ton of questions and critiques. When you feel that a paper is 95% good enough, and your content, data, and arguments are solid, it’s time to let it go.

Are you writing your dissertation or thesis? Don’t let a fear of mistakes hold you back from getting it done. We LOVE editing undergrad and graduate work—the lengthier the better!