The Twelve Days of Dissertation Chapter Editing . . .

Given that we're right in the middle of the twelve days of Christmas, we decided that a special present was in order for all of our lovely readers. Kate has been toiling away on her Arthur and the Crusades Chapter, and submitted it to her advisor before the holidays. While lamenting to Kristi over its decrepit state, the two of them began discussing the ups and downs of the writing process, and the fruits of that conversation can be found (in story-book form) below. It is, in part, an homage to one of our all-time favorite blogs, Hyperbole and a Half, but also the best way we knew how to cope with and describe the highs and wretched, wretched lows of the dissertation process.

And so, here is your Christmas story.

Wasshail!
-- Kate and Kristi



Day 1: MOTIVATED!!! (i.e.WRITE ALL OF THE CHAPTER!!!!)

Day 2: Photocopy the mother******* articles like an adult! (censored for the children).

Day 3: Sharpening Pencils (I mean business!)

Day 4: Despair, Part 1 (What does my introduction even MEAN?!)

Day 5: Stalling (Icecream and Netflix!!)

Day 6: RALLYING!

       








Day 7: Cut and Paste?!

Day 8: Senseless Destruction or Sensible Destruction?

Day 9: Despair, Phase 2 (Control, Alt, Delete?)

Day 10: Purchase oddly appropriate t-shirt that mocks your crushing sense of inadequacy. 

Day 11: After copious revisions (and assurances from your fire extinguisher-wielding partner in ice-cream misdemeanors), send to advisor. 

Day 12: Holiday party -- advisor says he's received chapter and your knee-jerk response is "I'm sorry . . ."