I have just realized that my recent activity (well most of summer) has resulted in: one paper manuscript sitting on a journal submission server waiting approval of pdf while I dither over whether the title is the correct choice, another sitting on the hard drive while I worry about how to explain something clearly without appearing to come to two opposite conclusions, a third one pretty much written and agreed but waiting for a decision with my co-author as to whether it should be submitted to an RSC or an ACS journal. All of these were in this state about 4 weeks ago but inaction has led to compulsive microediting of the text and minor adjustments to figures.
I am almost certainly into the law of diminishing returns and I should just dispatch them to the jaws of the reviewers. I often feel the same about grant applications with a belief that over-editing can somehow make an application look weaker as you obsessively try and cover any chink in the proposal. I sometimes believe that I have had most success in grant applications when I have had to rattle something off in a hurry to meet a looming deadline and also the least disappointment if they fail because I have not sacrificed as much time in vain.
However, the opposite is true when writing longer pieces such as reviews. One of which was also produced this summer. Here a long period of time working on the project seems to produce the best results. Summer, with its absence of teaching, does give the opportunity for these time consuming exercises. However, I now have the tedious business of getting permissions to use other peoples figures in the reviews.
A certain academic I know spent some time this summer perfecting a review along lines you describe – but barely is term started when he’s been persuaded to write next summer’s review (well, the deadline is next summer and I doubt it will be done before, given everything else). He did try to say no……
Hah! You’ve described some universal truths there, in particular about the disappointment ratio to time invested.
I particularly like inaction has led to compulsive microediting. That is so it, and where I’m at now.
inaction has led to compulsive microediting
:D With permission of the author, I may adopt this as a personal motto. ;)
Sometimes, you just have to say ‘stop’, no matter how arbitrary that might seem at the time. It happened to me during my Ph.D. when I had to make the agonizing decision to stop collecting data and start writing up. Procrastination was something that came more easily to me then. I’d do it now, though, if I could only get round to it.
When I did my PhD I had a deadline of write up by November 1 so I could start a post-doc job in France. Without deadlines I work to an asymptote with the target neve quite achieved.
I guess the real function of having PhD students to supervise is to provide one with a large supply of deadlines for projects.
When I did my PhD I had a deadline of write up by November 1 so I could start a post-doc job in France. Without deadlines I work to an asymptote with the target neve quite achieved.
I guess the real function of having PhD students to supervise is to provide one with a large supply of deadlines for projects.