Break Your Work Down

March 8, 2019|Academia, Law, Little parts, Writing

No, I didn’t write breakdown. But this is what it feels like when we get too aggressive about what we think we can accomplish in each writing session!

I have been talking to women who have had challenges in making the time to write. Indeed, that’s why people register for events such as online writing retreats, writing challenges, and come to Meetups.

However, when we sit down to write, I think that we often bite off more than we can chew.

It’s kind of like relationships. When we start a new relationship, we sometimes bite off more than we can chew.

Perhaps we set aside far too much time. That will be for another post. (and you know what that feels like in a new relationship).

This time, I want to address that we take on too much to do. With relationships, that could mean on this date we will go see the movie, have dinner, walk by the beach, have drinks afterwards and . . . whoops, you have to work on Wednesday morning.

We do that with writing as well. 

Today I am going to write the first 40 pages of this chapter.

There are people who can do this.

Chances are, you are not one of them.

So take time to think through what are the constituent parts of what your writing? That’s why Wendy Lauren Belcher’s book How to Write Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks is so valuable. She breaks down what you’re doing into small bits.

  • Do you have the argument?
  • Have you thought through the component sections that support your argument?
  • What are the subpoenas in the sections?
  • And now, it’s in a place where you can actually take little bites and move your writing along.

So take this time to think through the little parts of what you’re writing (this applies to researching as well!). Break them up into little pieces. THEN set aside how much time you will need for the little pieces.

And you can always send me a note if you have any questions!

Michelle