Student publishing 3

Angela Roskop Erisman writes: "I have to disagree with John Lyons. There are more than two options about what kind of scholar you want to be. I think you ought to take it VERY seriously, because at this point in your career you're forming a reputation. (I'm in this stage of my career, too, so I'm speaking from experience.) Take the time and put out the energy to make it a good one."

I doubt Angela and I really disagree here. My point is that to make a reputation at all you now seem to have to publish, and that taking the time out to do this 'well' (or even at all) means taking time out from working full-time on the PhD. By all means it should be good, even very good. But as Angela's example shows, you can wait a long time and still not be very good! Do it early if at all possible and use anyone you can to make it better, but don't wait for some mythological point when you will be good enough to publish. It could now, it could be never. Give it a try.