57 DAYS to write, edit, and submit a manuscript for publication!

Ok... so I've been neglecting my intention to write a manuscript with my thesis research results for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. I am now getting to the point where I really need to start working on this as I prepare to present my research at an international conference in Florida this summer. All I need to do is put together 2000 to 3500 words and jump, leap, twirl into this unknown world of academic publishing... and hopefully not fall flat on my face!

I need to stop procrastinating and start working on it. It doesn't help that I feel I could redo my analysis or perhaps delve into my data even deeper before sending out my results for publishing... but as a budding qualitative researcher I need to come to peace with wrapping up my analysis and moving on to other projects, otherwise I could potentially look at these data over and over again with ever new fascination without end! Ahhhh!

I got inspired by 50 days to write a book I found written by Kathleen Kendall-Tackett. In this blog she documented her journey as she challenged herself to write a book from start to finish in 50 days. She set up this personal challenge with a deadline that coincided with a travel departure to Europe. What can I use as a deadline milestone to spur me into focused action? Could I perhaps use the beginning of Summer classes as my deadline with the idea that I will not want to have this hanging over my head anymore by then? If I did that, then I could refer to the article in my july presentation as either "submitted" or even "accepted" if I am ever so lucky... or maybe even as "in press"! :-)

Too bad that I will have a trillion othe papers and presentations to write in the meantime as well, but to be completely honest, I am not the best time maximizer and often find myself spending away my evenings surfing the internet and producing ZERO! So, if perhaps, I had this personal challenge set up for myself, maybe... just maybe, I would start using my evenings more productively again. What do you say, are you ready for this challenge? Can you finish the semester with a bang and start the new semester with a completed and submitted manuscript??? That's 57 days (from tomorrow 03/25 until Sunday 05/13) and of course, I would need to recruit my co-authors support with editing and revisions within this timeframe. Let's see if we can do it.

Ready, set, go! 57 days till manuscript submission!!!!!!