Turning the Dissertation Marathon Into a Garden of Possibilities – Alyssa A. L. James
What metaphor do you use to describe your writing project? Could it be reframed as something more aligned with things that bring you joy?
Writing a dissertation—or any large writing project—can feel like a marathon, a slog, or even a mountain that looms larger the closer you get. From my first conference paper to my final revisions, I joined dissertation writing retreats at the Columbia GSAS Writing Studio. I was able to carve out the time and space to make real progress while learning strategies for developing a writing practice instead of just a writing product. One of the workshops that really turned the tide for me was called (I believe) Renewing Your Relationship With Your Dissertation, led by Molly Lindberg, PhD. She helped us use metaphor to reframe how we think about our work.
How Do You Describe Your Dissertation?
Molly encouraged us to explore the metaphors we used to describe our dissertations. For many of us, it was a slog, a marathon, a battle—a long, exhausting journey with the finish line always out of sight. (At least with a marathon, you can train beforehand; you don’t really get to practice writing a dissertation until you’re already in it!). It’s easy to get bogged down in that feeling, and that’s when procrastination and self-doubt creep in. But what if we could shift that narrative?
We were asked to think of a metaphor that played to our strengths and interests. For some, it was a dance, a quilt, a recipe, a canvas, a symphony. For me, the metaphor that resonated was a garden.
The Dissertation as Garden
Gardening is something I enjoy both theoretically and practically, so I found this metaphor recast my dissertation writing mindset in ways that motivated me to keep going. Growing plants requires care, attention, and patience, much like writing a dissertation. Like planting seeds in a garden, writing a dissertation requires care, attention, and patience. You don’t know which seeds (or ideas) will sprout or which plants (or chapters) will bear fruit—if they grow to maturity at all. Yet, you keep watering, feeding, pruning, and planting because you know some will thrive. Instead of the dissertation controlling my identity, the garden metaphor brought me back to what had interested me in the anthropology of food, farming, and coffee in the first place: possibility.
This metaphor reminded me that the process wasn’t just about the final product. It was about cultivation—nurturing ideas and watching them develop into something meaningful. And just like in a garden, the growth isn’t always linear. Some parts need more time and effort, and others may not grow as expected, but that doesn’t mean the process isn’t worthwhile.
Common Fears & Overcoming Them
While the metaphor of the garden helped me reframe my work, there were still underlying issues I had to address head-on:
Fear of Failure. I worried that my work wouldn’t be “good enough” or that I hadn’t read enough. One thing I learned through the writing process is that you don’t have to have all the answers before you start. My knowledge of the literature grew as I wrote because I started reading differently, with my own data and analyses in conversation. Don’t wait until you know your “scholarly intervention” to start writing—it’s not like a seminar paper where you state your thesis and then support it. It’s in the writing that you deepen your understanding of the literature, where your work fits in, what your intervention is.
Fear of Looking Stupid. Imposter syndrome, the feeling that someone will “figure out” that you don’t know enough, that you’re not an expert like you claim. To combat it, Molly suggested that we flip the scenario: Where are you the expert? I realized that I am the expert on my data and my field work. You’re already an expert—you just need to trust yourself. The more you write, the clearer your arguments will become.
Lack of Discipline. One thing I’ve been learning through these NCFDD webinars is that The Academic™ abundance of unstructured time and resistance to writing means we spend more time on tasks with built-in accountability: teaching, meetings, mentoring, etc. I’m still learning to identify resistance, prioritize consistency, and create accountability in my writing practice. A great piece of advice I received was to write with people on the same timeline as you so you keep each other on track. But even if it’s just you, set small, achievable writing goals each day and go from there.
Finding Your Metaphor
If you’re feeling stuck or uninspired, try the exercise Molly did with us. It might just shift the way you think about your writing project:
1. Current Metaphor Reflection: Write down how you currently describe your dissertation or writing project. A slog? A marathon? A mountain? The fourth circle of Hell? Whatever it is, be honest about how it feels.
2. Reframe: Think about something you enjoy—whether it’s gardening, cooking, solving puzzles, or building things. How does that activity mirror the writing process? Can you find a metaphor that aligns with your interests, strengths, and joys?
3. Counter Your Fears: List your biggest fears about writing. Then, for each one, write a counter-argument. For example, if you fear rejection, remind yourself that feedback and criticism are part of the academic process. Your ideas are valuable and deserving of a place in the conversation.
4. Put the Metaphor Into Action: Take the metaphor you’ve chosen and apply it to the specific tasks or fears that are holding you back. For instance, if your metaphor is dance, think of each writing task—whether it’s drafting a chapter or editing—as learning new steps in a routine. You wouldn’t expect to master complex choreography on the first try, but with practice, the movements become smoother, more natural. Similarly, revision is like rehearsals: refining your steps, getting the rhythm just right. By approaching your writing this way, you can see the process as fluid and iterative, instead of rigid and intimidating.
Food For Thought
If you’re in the middle of your own writing slog—or dreading getting started—take a moment to pause and reframe. What could your writing process be? What metaphor might inspire you to keep going? Remember: writing is a habit and a practice. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. Like a garden, it grows over time, and with consistent care and attention, your ideas will blossom.
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