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Writer's pictureKaun Lab

Staring At A Blank Page

Updated: Oct 24, 2021

To me, the hardest part of writing a manuscript is staring at the blank page on my computer. Here are a few tips for how to avoid staring at the white screen of death for embarrassing amounts of time.

  • Work on your figures. Leave plenty of time because it always takes longer than you think it will. Like way way longer.

  • Make an outline - then slowly fill in that outline until it becomes more and more detailed.

  • Write your manuscript like a bedtime story. Start with once upon a time and just write and write and write. Then spend lots of time editing.

  • Write each point in super short sentences (like six word sentences). Write what you have to say in these super short and choppy sentences, re-order according to logical flow, then later work on your prose.

  • Write your manuscript in this order: figures, figure legends, methods, results, discussion, introduction, abstract.


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