david romer's rules

• Don't clutter up your life with other activities;
  just write.
  
• Don't carry out a thorough and comprehensive search of the literature;
  just write.
  
• Don't attempt to make sure that every page you write shows the full extent of your professional skills;
  just write.
  
• Don't write a well-organized, well-integrated, unified dissertation;
  just write.
  
• Don't think profound thoughts that shake the intellectual foundations of the discipline;
  just write.
  
• If you don't have a paper started by the spring of your third year,
  be alarmed.
  
• If you don't have a paper largely drafted by the fall of your fourth year,
  panic.
  
• Have three new ideas a week while you are getting started.
  
• Don't try to game the profession,
  work on what interests you.
  
• Good papers in economics have three characteristics:

  • A viewpoint.
  • A lever.
  • A result.