The write-on thread Forum

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

I know most of us on here are 1L's, so I thought I'd start a thread where 2L/3L's on journal can give us general advice for write on competitions.

Some questions I have off the top of my head:

My competition starts in 3 days, what would be the best use of time in preparing for it?
Are there any good strategies you would recommend for writing the note? What did you do that you think worked/didn't work?
Are there any good strategies you would recommend for the bluebooking? What did you do that you think worked/didn't work?

And, for the sake of integrity please do not use this thread to ask specific questions once your competition has started.

[Geist13]

One thing I'm doing is reading the bluebook as I lay in bed waiting for sleep to come. This way I'm getting in 15-20 minutes of bluebook reading without taking away from my finals studying. Another benefit is that its boring as fuck and puts me to sleep. While there's no way that I will know the bluebook cold, at least I'm getting a sense for how it's organized and hopefully will retain enough for a couple of things to pop out at me during the competition.

A 2L suggested to bluebook all the case note sources before doing the bluebooking exercise. That way you've built up some practice and familiarity before actually doing it.

[RonnieHoward]

Does Chicago make us use the Bluebook or the Maroonbook for our write-on? (we've been using the bluebook for all of our LRW assignments)

[spondee]

If you have time, Volokh's book on Academic Legal Writing has an entire section on the writing competition. It's pretty helpful.

Also, sign up for the Bluebook online. Much easier to find stuff when you can just type it in a search box.

[Alyosha]

Volokh's "Academic Legal Writing" book has an entire chapter about preparing for law review competitions. He has a lot of good suggestions - in terms of preparing and handling the actual competition. (looks like Spondee beat me to it)

I probably spent about 40 to 50 hours on the competition over the course of six days. But we didn't have the BB exercise. It's best to clear everything off your schedule (to the extent possible), and start immediately when you get the packet. I haven't graded submissions, but I get the sense you can really distinguish yourself by writing a clear, organized note even if your analysis isn't groundbreaking. And if your school reserves spots for the highest combination grade/writing scores, then distinguishing yourself might be all you need.

Good luck. I was exhausted after finals last year and really didn't want to do the competition. However, working hard on the competition was one of the best decisions I ever made.

[nygrrrl]

If you have time, Volokh's book on Academic Legal Writing has an entire section on the writing competition. It's pretty helpful.

Also, sign up for the Bluebook online. Much easier to find stuff when you can just type it in a search box.

The Volokh thing is really interesting.
As to online Bluebook - I know of several schools (including mine!) where any and all on-line resources are forbidden. Has to be from the book, hardcopy.

[weee]

I am going to do this write on thing but every time I think about it I feel like a whiny kid again.

But MOOOM, I don't wanna do the write-on competition

[drdolittle]

I probably spent about 40 to 50 hours on the competition over the course of six days.

Is this type of time commitment pretty typical for most competitions? I'll probably only have time for half this at most, so should I just not even bother with it?

[Alyosha]

I probably spent about 40 to 50 hours on the competition over the course of six days.

Is this type of time commitment pretty typical for most competitions? I'll probably only have time for half this at most, so should I just not even bother with it?

I have no idea. And honestly I was going slowly because I was so exhausted from exams. I think Volokh recommends spending about this much time though.

[Rurik]

I probably spent about 40 to 50 hours on the competition over the course of six days.

Is this type of time commitment pretty typical for most competitions? I'll probably only have time for half this at most, so should I just not even bother with it?

I have no idea. And honestly I was going slowly because I was so exhausted from exams. I think Volokh recommends spending about this much time though.

Yeah, the Volokh book is pretty hardcore (probably rightfully so) about the commitment to the writing competition. Off the top of my head, I seem to remember him emphatically telling you to clear off your schedule, make sure you have no other commitments. He mentioned that if you're living with a roommate, it might be a good idea to find some other place to stay during the competition so you can have maximum focus. I also think he reminds you that it's okay to go out to dinner with friends, but that's about the extent of "fun" that he extends.

edit: I should also add that some of the people I talked to who have written onto their respective law reviews mention that they were putting in 12-14 hour days working on it, so I don't think Volokh is somewhere out in gunner left field, at least not for the people actually writing on.

[98234872348]

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[traehekat]

our write-on competition apparently lasts like 6 weeks or something.

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

I probably spent about 40 to 50 hours on the competition over the course of six days.

Is this type of time commitment pretty typical for most competitions? I'll probably only have time for half this at most, so should I just not even bother with it?

Ours is 12 days. And the people i've talked to have said a good faith effort would be over 100 hours of work :/

[IzziesGal]

Best advice I can give --> trick yourself into thinking now that your semester doesn't actually end until the write-on ends. This way you keep yourself in the right frame of mind and don't feel completely disappointed when you celebrate the end of 1L only to start writing a 15+ page casenote a few days later. Save the celebrating for when you turn in your packet. Trust me, you won't regret this.

[Kilpatrick]

our write-on competition apparently lasts like 6 weeks or something.

Mine is about that long as well. What are we supposed to with that? Am I really working 12 hour days for a month and a half into the summer?

[traehekat]

our write-on competition apparently lasts like 6 weeks or something.

Mine is about that long as well. What are we supposed to with that? Am I really working 12 hour days for a month and a half into the summer?

well i think ours is like... we do a different assignment for each journal (which is incredibly obnoxious). so that may be why we get so much time.

[drdolittle]

our write-on competition apparently lasts like 6 weeks or something.

Mine is about that long as well. What are we supposed to with that? Am I really working 12 hour days for a month and a half into the summer?

well i think ours is like... we do a different assignment for each journal (which is incredibly obnoxious). so that may be why we get so much time.

That just sounds nuts. I guess they don't expect you to have a summer job or anything better to do, or what?!

[usuaggie]

i made the great choice of getting married during the write on competition, and then taking my one week honeymoon too. guess life could be worse though i'll be cramming the 3 week competition into 6 days, most likely.

[fathergoose]

Wow just yesterday I was thinking, "I wish TLS had a kick ass write-on thread to help me through it"

Thanks in advance.

[usuaggie]

Finding a topic to write about

http://osaka.law.miami.edu/~schnably/advice.html

learning how to bluebook

http://www.law.suffolk.edu/library/research/Bluebook/

general advice

http://outofthejungle.blogspot.com/2006 ... -time.html

[gwuorbust]

idk if write on is worth it..I feel like it is a lot of work for just a chance at something I probably don't even want to do.

[jkay]

Do not want to find out results...do not want to get on...do not want LR on my resume anyways...will be happy when I get rejected next week...enjoyed the competition...did it for personal growth, nothing more...


Not so subtle reverse psychology.

[Triangles]

My school doesn't have pure write-on spots for law review, and my grades arn't high enough for me to get on. No, I get to spend a week of my life doing this shit when I know my best hope is a secondary journal. FML.

[Stanford4Me]

Our writing competition is 2 weeks, and it starts the same week that I start working, which is 6 days after my last final. Fun.

[Omerta]

Hell yeah, the bluebook quiz only took me 13 hours to do! I hope the comment is just as fun.

I probably spent about 40 to 50 hours on the competition over the course of six days.

Is this type of time commitment pretty typical for most competitions? I'll probably only have time for half this at most, so should I just not even bother with it?

Ours is 12 days. And the people i've talked to have said a good faith effort would be over 100 hours of work :/

Yeah, have you looked at that packet? It's pretty damn complicated.