In Challenges in Writing Your Dissertation: Coping With the Emotional, Interpersonal, and Spiritual Struggles, Noelle Sterne, Ph.D., demystifies the dissertation-writing process. She offers practical strategies so this often overwhelming process becomes less intimidating to doctoral candidates. Sterne addresses common fears and hurdles students face when writing and defending their dissertations and provides inspiration and encouragement during this long stressful time. This important resource is a must-read for doctoral candidates.

PermissionsPraise for Challenges in Writing Your DissertationForeword: By Professor Irma M. BarronAcknowledgmentsIllustration: The Ideal DissertationIntroduction: How I Became an Academic Nag·Why This Book·What's Here·My Methods and Techniques·Why Me?oI Never Left SchooloFrom Professor to TypistoTo Coach and EditoroDisclosure: My Writing (Mostly Nonacademic)·A Word About the Spiritual·"Academic Nag"PART ONE: SNEAKING UP ON THE DISSERTATIONChapter 1. The Decision: Your Dream, Your Life·How Is the Degree Part of Your Life's Dream?·What Will the Degree Do for You?·Visualize Your Dream·Affirmations for Strengthening Your Life Dream·As They Say, Meditate, Don't Medicate2. BIG Changes·It's Not Just College Anymore·How Ready Are You to Change Your Lifestyle?oNo StructureoNo Leisure·It's Your Time·Declare and Feel Your ReadinessPART TWO: REALLY DOING IT3. Priorities and Promises to Yourself·Your Inner Mentor: Listening for Answers·Rethink Your Priorities·Find the Holes in Your Schedule·Keep Your Promises to Yourself·Your Later List·Affirm Your Right Time and Timing4. Enroll Your Higher Self·Hello, Light Being!·Trust the Process·Three Puzzling and Powerful Reinforcing LawsoThe Law of Least EffortoThe Law of Intention and DesireoThe Law of Detachment·Recognize and Accept Your Power·A Few Higher Self Affirmations5. Starting the Work: Positive Patient Persevering·Listen for the Topic That's Right for YouoTopic ConsiderationsoRight Topic Considerations·You're the Scholar in Shining Armor·Muster Your Courage for the ProposaloWhat's Your Problem?oCourageous Affirmations·You Don't Have to Walk a Straight (Out)Line·Tricks to Tease and Ease Yourself into It·Writing Doesn't Have to Be Torture: Proper Style and Semipleasant Process·Settle In: You Deserve It6. Sticking With It: Temptations and Tonics·Dissertation Interruptus·Death by Rationale·Resisting the Extension Siren·Getting Sick . . . of It All·Fear of Finishing·Discipline Is a Choice·Continuing the Work: Your Wayward Outline·If You're Concerned About Your Brain·Reasonable Breaks and BalanceoWorking QuestionsoBalanced Breaks·Affirmations for Sticking With ItPART THREE: YOUR NEAR, DEAR, AND DESPAIRINGSIGNIFICANT OTHERS7. Orient the Important Others in Your Life·Stranger in a Strange Graduate School Culture·Family and Friends: Starting Off Wrong·Starting Off RightoSelfish?oSaying No·Sacrifices and Rewards: Short-Term, Mid-Term, Interminable-TermoEducate ThemoBribe Them8. Family: Choruses of Complaints, Songs of Support·Partners: "I Didn't Bargain for This" or "I Never See You Anymore"·Kids: "We Never See You Anymore"·Involve Them: Share What You're DoingoInvolving PartnersoInvolving Kids·Special Dates With Partners and KidsoDates With PartnersoDates With Kids·Other Relatives: "We Never See You Anymore"oEducate and Bribe, AgainoSabotage, Unconscious or Not·Holiday Strategies·Toxic Volleys and Tough QuestionsoYour Neutralizing ResponsesoHard Questions and Your Brilliant Answers·Troubled Waters: Fights, Separation, Divorce·See Them WholeoSend Love AheadoSee Them Supportive9. Friends: Are They for You or Against You?·"Come On-It's Only a Quick Lunch": Just Say Not Now·Community Involvement and Volunteer Activities: Just Say Later·Handle Jealousies and Putdowns·Let Go of the Crazymakers·Those Questions Again: "Aren't You Done Yet?"·Assure Them You Still Love Them·Know and Believe They Are For and With You10. Make Peace and Time With Your Employer and Work Colleagues·Express Your Gratitude and Explain, Explain·Point Out How Your Degree Benefits the Company·Negotiate What Works for Both of You·Superior JealousiesoRecognize ToxicityoToxicity Antidotes·Work Colleagues' Envy·Affirm, Visualize, and Project Employment PeacePART FOUR: GOOD UNIVERSITY COPS AND BAD11. Your Dissertation Committee: The Best/Worst Friends You'll Ever Have·Are Professors Really Human?·Excruciating or Exceptional?·Who Can You Work With and How Do You Know?oGather Plenty of InformationoAsk Questions About the Chair·Listen Inside: Gut and GuidanceoAsk Questions of YourselfoHow Do You Feel?·Design and See Your Perfect Committee12. Dancing With the Committee·Whose Topic?·Buddying Up or Keeping Too DistantoChumsoStrangersoThe Ideal Balance·Playing Humble Student and Keeping Your Self-RespectoSwallow Your PrideoRaise Your Head·When You're Older Than Your Professors·The Infinite Loop of Revisions·Appealing to Higher AuthoritiesoOn the GroundoIn Your Head·Your Higher Self and TheirsoPsychologically SpeakingoSpiritually Speaking13. University Support: You've Got More Friends Than You Think·Fellow Students as Mentors·What Can You Learn From Learning Centers?·You Can Speak to the Geeks in the Computer Lab·Add to Your Team: Statisticians and ResearchersoStatisticiansoResearchers·Librarians Love You, Secretaries Stand By YouoLibrariansoSecretaries·Consider Coaches and EditorsoCoachesoEditors·Old Course Professors Don't Have to Fade Away·Picture the Perfect University Friends You NeedPART FIVE: GRADUATION: IT'S ONLY A WALK AWAY14. Am I Really Almost Done?·Rehearse Your Perfect Defense·Yet Another Faculty Review·Master the Red Tape·How to Enjoy Your Own Graduation·Avoid Post-Parting Depression (PPD)15.Waking to Your Dream·The Most Dangerous Time . . .·Envision Your Future, Take the Steps·Peek at Your Long-Neglected Later List·Reenter Your Family's Atmosphere·Plan Your PayoffsoPositionsoPublications·Celebrate Your Professional and Personal Growth With GratitudeConclusion: Why I'm Still an Academic NagReferencesSelected ResourcesA Short Glossary of Important AcronymsAbout the Author