How to get your article finished!

Are you a Postdoc who can’t quite seem to finish an article? Here’s what might be stopping you and how to move forward.

It’s quite common for postdocs to struggle with finishing articles, for a number of reasons. Building your publications list presents very different challenges from writing your doctoral thesis. And the pressure can be intense. Normally, I enjoy writing, but after finishing my thesis I felt so burned out that I found it hard to do any writing at all for more than a year.

Luckily, most cases are not so bad. However, there are a few common themes that I hear from postdocs trying to develop their publications list, or even just finish their current article. Happily, there are also some simple fixes that seem to work.

1.Structural or Argument Uncertainty

Academics often feel stuck because they are struggling to clarify the central argument of a paper. Or sometimes they have doubts as to whether it is strong enough. You may have lots of data or literature but aren’t sure how to organize it so that it flows logically.

Tips to move forward

· Write down your main argument or arguments in one sentence for each argument

· Try mind-mapping the structure with key claims, evidence and connections between the sections

· Write a summary sentence for each section of your article then look to see if the flow is logical. You can do the same at section level and write a sentence for each paragraph to see if the section flows well.

2️. Competing Responsibilities and Time Pressure

This is a major challenge for postdocs. Research, teaching, grant writing, and administrative duties compete with writing and thinking time and sometimes drafts linger unfinished for months.

Tips to move forward

· Set yourself achievable weekly goals or even daily goals. If motivation is an issue, make these really small and achievable. Even sitting down to write for 20 minutes helps to set you in motion (this one works well for me).

· Schedule time-boxed, closed-door writing sessions with a specific focus or goal such as drafting or revising a specific section or even just a paragraph. Be ruthless about this. Do not allow yourself to be distracted.

· Set up an accountability mechanism. Schedule regular check-ins with an accountability partner (it doesn’t need to be a fellow academic, a friend or partner will do). If you don’t like this idea, you can just get into the habit of noting down what you have done in each writing session. This way you can clearly see your progress, no matter how small the steps are.

3️. Motivation and Accountability Challenges

Academic writing tends to be isolated work with few external deadlines beyond journal submissions. This can often lead to procrastination or lack of follow-through.

Tips to move forward

· Find coaching/mentor support if possible. Or some kind of accountability partner (as mentioned above)

· Understand your own writing process. What works for you? This is different for everyone and there’s no right or wrong. Some people like to plan meticulously before they actually start writing, whereas others like to just write as much as they can and then organize it. If you don’t already know which you prefer, you can experiment with different methods. Sometimes, to disrupt procrastination, you can try a different method.

· Use micro-deadlines and incentives. Break large tasks into small, achievable steps, as small as they need to be. Then use some positive reinforcement and reward yourself for completing them. A reward can be a coffee, 20 minutes scrolling on your phone, or a chat with a friend.

· Schedule breaks. This can be a short 5-minute break to stand up and stretch, every hour, or coffee, biscuit and phone check every couple of hours.

· Phones. Set your phone on silent and put in away in a drawer. Schedule phone checks at suitable intervals but do not have it beside you as a continual distraction.

These are just some quick tips and ideas. Experiment and adapt to see what works for you.

Note:

If this is something that you are struggling with, I am offering a few pilot places on my Finish & Publish program with a 75% discount off the usual price until mid-April.

If you think this could help you, feel free to get in touch!