My weird writing habits

I've been stuck for the past few days.  I wrote out all the ideas I had for this chapter, in disjointed paragraphs, and found myself stuck after having written just a little over seven pages.  And then that was it.  I couldn't think of what else to do, and I was dissatisfied with the seven pages I had written, knowing that there was so much more to say on each little point I made, and yet unsure of where to even start. 

And then, for the past few days, there wasn't even the staccato, over-thought, under-developed writing.  I was just stuck.  I did some reading to try to figure out secondary materials that I could work in to what I've already written, but I couldn't get past this vague feeling of frustration about the chapter as a whole.

But today, while I was walking to the bus, I started trying to figure out how I could discuss one movie that I hadn't discussed yet.  And then I realised how it fit together with everything in the chapter.  And then I realised that this movie ties the whole chapter together, and that I should start the chapter by discussing it. 

And that's how I ended up writing a page and a half of my dissertation in my wee purse notebook.  Most of it was written on my short bus ride to the University, and then I developed the rest while I was sitting after my allergy shot.  I came home and typed it up, and then spent some time moving around the rest of the chapter so that it all worked.  I came up with some more to say, and started writing it this afternoon, but then I stopped at an obvious place where I can begin tomorrow. 

It's funny how I'm right back at the same place I was when I started this blog, and learning the same lessons all over again: sometimes I just need to break out of the routine so that I can get the creative part of my mind working.