Two years ago, in February 2021, I began writing a blog that expanded on my book, A Tattoo on my Brain: A Neurologist’s Personal Battle against Alzheimer’s Disease. Some of the regular readers of that blog may have noticed that I have not posted for a while. I aimed at writing something every week. Sometimes I missed a week, but by the beginning of 2023, I was stuck for nearly month. The truth is I have been having a lot of trouble thinking of anything interesting to write. I literally sit staring at a blank screen on my computer, unable to start writing. After several weeks of frustration, it dawned on me that I have writer’s block.

Writing the paper is one of the most challenging aspects of a project, and learning to write the report well is one of the most important skills to master for the success of the project and for sustaining a scholarly career. This chapter discusses challenges in writing and ways to overcome these challenges in the process of writing papers in the social and behavioral sciences. Two main principles emphasized are that writing is (a) a skill and (b) a form of communication. Skills are developed through instruction, modeling, and practice. In terms of communication, the research report can be conceived as a narrative that tells a story. Sections of the chapter focus on identifying common barriers to writing and ways to overcome them, developing a coherent and appropriate storyline, understanding the essential elements of a research paper, and valuing and incorporating feedback.

Publishing short stories: writing websites, print periodicals, competitions. Submission tips. The relationship between agents and editors. How editors make decisions. Targeting and pitching a novel. Understanding and getting value from rejection. Holding your nerve. The writing life: a place to work; a time to work; keeping a notebook; finding a community of writers. Writer’s block and how to avoid it. Set achievable goals. The pleasures of writing.

‘If we believe we’ve said everything we want to say we may as well give up writing. Everything we write is an adventure, an attempt at mastering what we might never quite conquer. You’ve finished when you know you’ve done everything you can to make it as true and good as it can be.’