This document discusses challenges that writers may face during the writing process and provides strategies to overcome them. It addresses getting started on a writing project by outlining or filling in a standard scientific paper outline. It recommends changing environments or habits to stay motivated if productivity declines. Writer's block occurs from negative thought cycles and can be overcome by making writing a priority and initiating new productive behaviors. The document concludes that an imperfect study can still result in a good manuscript if it fully explains methods, analyses, references, and limitations.

2. Chapter 31
Writing Strategies

3. Writing Process Challenges
• Writers must overcome the barriers to getting started
on a writing project.
• Writers must find ways to prolong the period of high
productivity that often occurs at the start of a writing
project.
• Writers must find the motivation to persevere and to
complete the manuscript.

4. FIGURE 31- 1 Typical Variations in
Productivity during the Writing Process

5. Getting Started
• Scientific papers follow a standard outline. To begin
writing just start filling content into the outline. Then
start filling in the gaps.
• The content of the manuscript does not need to be
added in any particular order.

6. Staying Motivated
• Change habits or scenery if lacking motivation.
• Build in rewards that celebrate intermediate successes
on the way to a completed paper.
• Writing 100 words a day will lead to a completed first
draft of a manuscript in less than two months.
• Setting up a weekly meeting with an advisor or a
writing group may also help with staying on track.

7. Conquering Writer’s Block
• Writer’s block occurs when a negative thought cycle
develops around underlying issues such as fear of
being judged and fear of failure.
• Writers with writer’s block need to initiate new
behaviors to facilitate success.
• Writer’s block can be overcome only when an
aspiring writer makes writing time a priority.
• Remember that no paper is perfect.

8. Final Drafts
An imperfect study can still result in a good manuscript!
A good paper:
•Fully explains the actual methods used.
•Provides all the appropriate analyses.
•Includes a helpful set of references that support the
results.
•Presents polished prose.
•Honestly identifies the limitations of the study and
explains what was done to address them.

9. FIGURE 31- 2
Forms of Writer’s Block