U.S. Intellectual History Blog

Beating the Summer Blues

I always get a bit depressed at the start of July because it marks the middle of summer and no matter how hard I’ve worked in May and June, it never feels like enough. I have to face the stark reality of not getting as much done during the summer as I’d hoped and seeing the shrinking, setting sun of the summer and the rising moon of the school year.

I felt the need to return to some of the basic writing advice that I’ve heard many times, because the reminder is helpful. I thought you might appreciate reading some of it too.

Practical Advice for Writing Your Dissertation, Book, or Article from the AHA.

And I’m sure you’ve heard of the Academic Ladder–its motivational and practical advice is super helpful. Here are some quick tips for the new hire.

And, forgive the self-promotion and replication of links, here is a column of reflection and advice I wrote a couple months ago for the “Eight Questions” series at the “In Service of Clio” blog. Since I posted, historians have written from the perspective of Urban History, Economic History, World History, and Agricultural History.

What advice do you have for writing, staying motivated, and accomplishing things during the summer?