Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Getting Something Onto the Page

My current challenge for writing this research paper is the "writing" part. I just need to start writing -- no more research, no more social validation (for now). I think I can handle adjusting my thesis (once I have one), or making my ideas coherent, or doing research or asking people for feedback... but only once I've actually started writing.


At this point, I don't see much purpose in trying to ask a professional a good research question before I even know what I want to do with my paper. And I need to actually have something on the page before I begin doing any serious research -- I have precious little time as it is to finish the essay, and I don't want to waste it panicking and chasing down references, quotes and essays which I will not end up using when what I most need to do is just write something.

While I've done a close reading of The Phantom Tollbooth, armed with my red pen, I've found quite a few topics that really interest me. My current course of action is to let the words flow out, putting my ideas down to the paper. I've loved finding puns, new perspectives, and repeated themes. I feel like there is a paper floating around in my mind, even though I don't know the thesis yet. I'll write the paper, then see the thesis spell itself out in the words.

2 comments:

  1. Good plan. Consulting an expert isn't as important at this stage as pulling together your thoughts from your analysis of the primary text and whatever secondary sources you've pulled together thus far. I'm sure you will have a great thesis, since you love that book so much!

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  2. I can relate to where you're at in the process. I have a lot of ideas written out, and outlined. I even have a pretty solid idea for my thesis, but I know it's going to change once I start writing and my ideas are on paper. So, I found myself in the same boat. I just needed to start writing. Now that I have, I've seen things come together a lot better than before. I can't wait to see the finished product!

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