PhNet WS"Terminal Perfectionism: Overcoming the Fear of the First Draft" with Dr. Danica Stojanovic-Schaffrath (University of Graz)
- https://www.uni-giessen.de/en/faculties/ggkgcsc/ggk-gcsc-calendar/wise2526/workshops/terminal-perfectionism-overcoming-the-fear-of-the-first-draft-with-dr-danica-stojanovic-schaffrath-university-of-graz
- PhNet WS"Terminal Perfectionism: Overcoming the Fear of the First Draft" with Dr. Danica Stojanovic-Schaffrath (University of Graz)
- 2026-01-14T14:00:00+01:00
- 2026-01-14T16:00:00+01:00
When
Jan 14, 2026 from 02:00 to 04:00 (Europe/Berlin / UTC100)
Where
Konferenzraum- 001, EG, Otto-Behaghel.Str. 12
Contact Name
Add event to calendar
They say that if you stare at an empty Microsoft Word page for too long, it might stare back at you. Whether that claim is true and whether it might be resolved by using another word processing software remains unclear.
Starting a project as big and complex as a PhD dissertation can be daunting. Blank pages, the need to rewrite and weigh every single word, constant fine-tunings and revision are a part of the process, but they also might lead to the vicious cycle of ‘terminal perfectionism’ i.e., the inability to move past perceived imperfections, be they syntactic, structural, or argumentative. The goal of this workshop is to discuss and develop skills for overcoming the urge to keep rewriting the same chapter (or sentence!) when composing the first draft of your dissertation. The workshop offers insights into structuring your thesis, grappling with the dreaded theory chapter, and obtaining skills that can boost your writing productivity. After this hands-on session, you will have learned to recognise when and how to pursue your ideas in-depth, and finally, when to let go of the arguments and theories that no longer serve you.
Danica Stojanovic-Schaffrath is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Graz, Austria. She completed her PhD on staging contemporary fantasy in British theatres, and is currently conducting research on early modern women’s prose. Her research interests include early modern literature and culture, English and East Asian literary intersections, Shakespeare studies, as well as modernism, postmodernism, and postcolonial studies. Her recent publications include “Queering the Colony: Examining Non-Heteronormative Colonisation of Taiwan,” “When We Make It – Nuyorican Constriction and Dreams of Freedom,” as well as an upcoming monograph Contemporary Fantasy on Stage – From His Dark Materials to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.