NSERC has some great information on their website for the new and returning applicant. Their article “How to write a winning proposal” is excellent reading for all Discovery applicants. It contains a lot of information but has a good overview of the things to keep in mind when writing your grant application.

One of the most important points that new applicants often miss is that NSERC Discovery grants fund PROGRAMS of research, not research PROJECTS. What is the difference? Longevity, cohesiveness and scope. Read the article (linked above) for further clarification.

I realized that I have been posting a lot about editing lately and not too much about writing.

Many of my clients speak about the challenge of starting a big writing project. The overwhelmed feeling that accompanies the thought of “where to begin” can result in inertia. If you don’t try, you can’t fail.

No matter what your project is, getting those first few words on paper can be critical. I often work with my clients to break down the writing process into more easily completed steps. I also help them set timelines so that all of the pieces are completed and ready to pull together by their deadline.

Some tips to get started:

1. Break down the tasks
2. Brainstorm an outline for each task
3. Tackle one small task and work to completion

Sometimes, setting deadlines for each task can be effective too. “I have 20 minutes to complete this step.”

Drafting one small piece will work wonders on your outlook of the project. “Well if it was so easy to get that done, I suppose that I could do this . . .”

This is a really simplistic solution to writer’s block; however the maxim of writing down something, anything is really the trick to getting unblocked. Quite often focusing on trivial steps can help break an author out of the blocks.

Here are some suggestions regarding writer’s block and writer’s anxiety from Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) – an excellent resource for any writer.

At long last, my annual Discovery Grant Help Guide is available online. I am only posting the Saskatchewan edition this year. Email me with requests for information for other provinces/universities. Versions for different jurisdictions would vary only in the calculation of non-discretionary benefits and links to signature/ethics policy.

Major changes from last year: discussion of the controlled goods restrictions, the new minimum award amount and many minor typographical fixes. It is shorter too, with more links to NSERC content.

Sorry about the delay.

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Today is my first Anniversary of full-time freelancing/consulting. This year has been quite the adventure!  Not only did I give birth to my business, I also welcomed my second son into the world (he was born on Valentine’s Day) and somehow survived both. I have learned so much and cannot express how much I appreciate all the mentorship and support that my former colleagues and friends have shared with me, not only during the past year but over my entire career.

Thank you for all the opportunities, advice and suggestions that have helped my first year be so successful! I am looking forward to finding new ways to build my consulting practice and expand my service offerings.

In 2003 I wrote an article for Science’s Next Wave, (now the online magazine, Science Careers) called “The Cheese Keeps Moving“, part of a feature on “Commercializing Technology in Canada“. The article discussed my career transition from the lab bench to a technology transfer job. The title of the article refers to the book Who Moved My Cheese, by Spencer Johnson, M.D., an interesting little story that describes people’s attitude toward change. This book is a definite must read for anyone who experiences change (which is everyone, by the way). Check out the summary of the book and read it to decide if you are a Sniff, Scurry, Hem, or Haw.    

Yet again, my cheese keeps moving and I scurry after it.

Dr. Jacob Kraicer, a faculty member from the University of Toronto, wrote “The art of grantsmanship” in 1997, where he discusses how both new and veteran researchers can optimize their chances of success in peer-reviewed funding competitions.

This article is the best summary I have ever read on grantsmanship and I feel it should be required reading for both research faculty and graduate students who are thinking about applying for peer-reviewed funds. While the statements in the document seem simple enough, it is astonishing how many people fail to incorporate even the simplest of recommendations into their grant applications or their research activities.

With competition for funding increasing, researchers must use all of the tools available to them and ensure they do not waste precious effort by making foolish mistakes. When I was employed by the University of Saskatchewan as a grant reviewer/editor, I saw every mistake Dr. Kraicer highlights in his article from both new and experienced faculty members. I was never surprised when those applications did not get funded.

Even if you are overwhelmed with the required reading already on your desk, make the time for the 12 pages of

You will not regret it.