Wednesday, October 28, 2009

InaDWriMo2009 - do it, do it now!

As if it weren't patently obvious, I'm still swamped under the combination of multiple projects, multiple collaborations, and multiple offspring. I just haven't hit upon a way to incorporate much blogging.

One of the other things languishing is a couple of projects in different stages of writing. One is a manuscript revision that has been in periodic hibernation since I left my thesis lab. (Ok, it is embarrassing to write that. The reasons for such a state might be both understandable and inexcusable, but at this point, who cares? It's time to get it done). This requires a substantial rewrite of the Discussion section, as well as the Introduction. This also requires some time with the literature, which I have been only peripherally following once this project came off the front burner.

Another writing project is a draft of a short manuscript, on some old results that started fast and then got stuck in neutral. While this project isn't completed, I think I know enough of the general story to at least start a draft. Writing that will make it much more obvious what needs to be done in order to publish it.

To help motivate me, I've decided to join up with the InaDWriMo2009 that Dr. Brazen Hussy is hosting. It's derived from a dissertation specific "fork" of the NaNoWriMo, that has been extended to all sorts of academic writing projects.

I figure that combined, the both of these will require something on the order of 5000 words. My goal is to complete them during the month of November. Watch the side bar for progress.

And, who else is in? The motivation is contagious. Sorta like H1N1, but with mental pain rather than physical.


3 comments:

Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde said...

Ooh yeah! This is the kick in the butt I need to start writing a manuscript....

Nat Blair said...

Awesome, let's do it.

I got the progress meter here if you're interested:
http://www.writertopia.com/toolbox

I need all the motivation I can get!

In fact, solely because of this, I wrote 350 words in 20 minutes about this side project that's languishing. Now just to keep it going!

Nat Blair said...

The other meter stopped working, so I ended up getting the progress meter here:

http://www.languageisavirus.com/nanowrimo/word-meter.html