From the very beginning, expect and accept that you will write many drafts and that this is a normal process. This means you have to allow yourself time to do it and try to develop a positive attitude toward it. Treat it as something helpful, even a pleasure, rather than as a chore. One way of looking at the writing of drafts is to see them as a problem solving tool. While you are working from the very rough drafts through a succession of drafts to the final one, you will work out what you really want to say, you will find the best ways of structuring your work, and the best ways of expressing your meaning. So, take the pressure off getting things right and tell yourself that you are 'only working on a draft'. This gives you freedom to take risks and try out ideas and ways of presenting them. You can always say to yourself, "No one but me is going to read this. I can ditch it if it doesn't work out". It is only through licensing yourself to do this that you will hit on the best way of putting it all together. Sometimes you will just write and write to see what you need to say. At other times you will have a better idea of what you want to say in a particular section, of where it fits in the overall argument and structure. With draft number eight, for example, you will probably work on more specific things: seeing if your argument is coherent and clearly signposted; tightening the structure; and eventually working on the style and mechanics of writing. At different stages you will want to show your drafts to your supervisor as well as to other people so you can receive feedback. This you will consider in the next round of draft writing. Since you will be showing someone your writing when it is at various, unperfected stages, you will want to signal to your reader at what level you are seeking the feedback - on the overall argument, on whether the evidence is convincing, on whether it is interesting, whether some explanation of a difficult concept or theory holds together and makes sense to someone else. Don't become fixated on getting the draft perfect before you pass it on to a reader. But always check the spelling and make sure the language is at least clear, even if it is not your most elegant. Unclear language and lots of careless spelling and other mechanical errors will distract your reader from seeing the guts of your writing and you won't be able to get useful feedback. If you feel uneasy about showing your work in other than a perfect form, write DRAFT on it in large letters.

	Revising and editing.
	Revision.
	Editing.
	Sometimes when I'm writing I feel as though I'm saying the same thing over and over. How can I avoid repetition?
	I have difficulty showing whether it's my idea or someone else's. Do you have ways to help with this?
	I love doing all the research/experiments but I just can't write about it. How do I overcome writer's block?
	Seeking, receiving and handling feedback.
	Strategies for getting the best feedback possible.
	Overcoming reluctance to seek feedback.
	Deciding on your structure.
	Seeing a plot emerge.
	Developing a picture of the thesis as a whole.
	Preparing an outline.
	Is there a particular thesis structure I have to follow?
	Each time I finish a chapter or major section I say 'great'. But how can I make myself start again and get on with the next bit?
	Achieving unity in your thesis.
	Writing the literature review.
	Working on a section.
	When do I start writing.
	What style of writing is expected?
	Use of the personal pronoun.
	Active vs passive voice.
	The use of tenses.
	Writing a proposal.
	Writing an abstract.
	Some writing tips.