This expert advice comes from Sonja Foss and William Waters - authors of Destination Dissertation: A Traveler's Guide to a Done Dissertation
Here are two key strategies for writing a dissertation effectively: fast writing and slow revising.
Fast Writing
When it's time for you to write, only write; don't revise. Write a "spew draft" -- a draft in which you write as fast as you can until you have a complete rough draft of a chapter. You'll revise later, but right now, your task is to get your ideas on paper in any form. The following strategies are designed to keep you writing and to stop you from editing. Give them a try!
Slow Revising
Writing and revising your dissertation can look overwhelming in the beginning. Try out some of the ideas in fast writing and editing and you might find that writing your dissertation can be both satisfying and enjoyable.
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About the Authors: Co-authors of Destination Dissertation: A Traveler’s Guide to a Done Dissertation, Dr. Foss is a professor of Communications at University of Colorado, Denver, and Dr. Waters is an assistant professor of English at University of Houston-Downtown, They are co-directors of Scholar’s Retreat, a program to support progress towards completion of your dissertation, thesis or writing project.