Getting Started/Writer’s Block
Every student I’ve talked to struggles to get started on essay assignments. We can get into a pattern of feeling we’ve wasted the day because we haven’t got as far as we’d like, and then find it difficult to pick it back up again because we’re feeling ashamed of ourselves. I’ll remind you here that any work you do, including reading around the subject, and staring out of the window trying to connect the dots, is all part of the process.
I’d argue even if you’re at a stage where you’re avoiding the work by cleaning your room, washing the car etc. that’s your brain beginning to acknowledge that you have a hard creative task on your hands. And it is a creative task, make no mistake about that. Study guides don’t lead with this point. I think they’re concerned that you’ll forget the evidence if they talk about creativity. But though we should aim to be as objective as possible when writing academically, all knowledge is contestable and there is no certainty. This means what you’re attempting with an essay assignment is creativity, with all the psychological challenges that come with it.
There is no perfect way of doing things and because of this, you need to find your own way. You start with a blank page, and though you need to write factually, the material you choose to discuss and critique will create a unique piece of work. This is possibly why many people don’t go near their essays until late on, it’s their brain telling them not to engage with uncertainty. You’ll need to create some mental space and you might well benefit from a process of some kind. A process is a set of actions you do to achieve something complex. Creative processes tend to be personal to us and come with a particular environment and you will probably have an idea of what your process is from previous academic or creative work.
Using your process
If, say, you’re avoiding your essay by cleaning the car, try to find a postcast or YouTube video on the topic your essay is about that you can listen to. Either keep a notebook with you so you can write down ideas as they come to you or use voice to text notes (more on this on the next page)
Sometimes I find it easier to get started if I know