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 Writing is hard, writing is hard, writing is hard, ... December 29, 2008
2 out of 3 found this comment useful.
If you're looking for a book on how to research a paper, layout a plan of attack for a disseration or thesis, or simply trying to figure out how to be a more productive writer, try another book.
This book can be summed up quite easily: writing is hard, make a plan, writing is difficult, stick to the plan, writing is hard, get a good mentor, and, writing is hard.
 A Tightly Written Behavioralist Approach to Production of Academic Writing November 16, 2008
2 out of 2 found this comment useful.
I confess I have not been as productive a researcher as I should have been since getting tenure. This little gem of a book is changing both my attitude and behavior toward academic writing. There are numerous articles hidden in the dozen or so new data sets I have collected over the past few years. This book has already helped me establish my writing goals and now is the time to produce. Thanks, Dr. Silvia for help and advice. By the way, as of Nov. 2008, he is at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro which is an excellent university.
Wllliam Bailey, Ph.D., University of Arkansas
 "How to write a lot" helps a lot October 23, 2008
2 out of 2 found this comment useful.
This book is very easy and pleasant to read. In my opinion, the first 4 chapters are the most original and interesting, giving motivational 'tools' to schedule writing time and stick to it. Regularity in writing is the secret to productive writing, according to Paul Silvia.
This book helped me to change my behavior with writing.
However, I found the 3 chapters about style and about writing articles in journals/books less original; I had already read such information in other books on scientific writing. The conclusion chapter was funny and inspiring, especially the last paragraph entitled "Enjoy Life" that ended with: "it doesn't matter what you do as long as you don't spend your free time writing - there's time during the work week for that".
Not worth the money October 3, 2008
22 out of 24 found this comment useful.
This product has a handful of useful tips but its basic premise can be summed up in a few words: Make a writing schedule, stick to it, and don't make emotional or psychological excuses. That's about all the book has to say, and while the author doesn't claim to do much more, nonetheless it is not worth the money and is not the kind of book you'd want to return to again and again. In addition, its sole target audience seems to be the field of psychology, so its usefulness is even less for people in other fields.
fantastic book October 3, 2008
2 out of 3 found this comment useful.
The book is very readable, to-the-point, and its arguments are well-supported. Silvia takes a behavioral approach to writing, focusing on how to form effective writing habits. His book is focused on the field of psychology, but his methods are certainly applicable to non-fiction writing in other areas as well.
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