Academic Thesis
by V.E. on May 25th, 2009
When I write something—creative or academic—my average thought-to-page ratio is one hour per typed page. Doesn’t really matter how long the assignment is, or if I’m really into the topic, or whatever; it all boils down to about one hour’s work for each typed page I produce (not including any preliminary reading or research I have to do; I’m talking about actually writing something).
Such was the case with every single TPS report I wrote (ten reports totaling 90 pages);
Such was the case with my 525 manuscript (154 pages);*
Such was the case with my academic thesis (23 pages and two pages of citations).
(And such will be the case when I finally finish my manuscript, which is supposed to be twice as long as it is now.)
All that means that I’ve spent hundreds of hours writing this semester. I’m not even counting previous semesters or the entirety of college or high school or anything. I mean, Jesus.
Just imagine how much time I’ve spent during my lifetime simply writing… If I’m not a writer after thinking about all that (you do the math; I’m not a mathematician), I don’t know what I am.
… In any case, the academic thesis IS NOW DONE thankyewverymuch. I sat in my apartment with no internet access all Memorial weekend and cranked that sucker out. Last day of the semester is Wednesday, and I’m finished just under the wire.
I’ll have to edit and edit (and edit more) now, of course, after my professor looks at it, and I’ll have to defend it in June at the MFA residency, but the meat of the thing is DONE. Sheesh, what a load off, huh?
I kinda want to go to a movie to celebrate, but I can’t afford it (which is in itself another story altogether). I think I’m going to have to settle for McDonald’s french fries instead.
I still have no internet service in my apartment, so I’ll be updating Twitter via text and won’t be able to read anyone else’s updates or tweets for the time being. Just a heads up.
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* 525 was my residency class in January; the last class before earning a Master of Arts in Creative Writing.
