Odell, L., & Goswami, D. (Eds). (1985). Writing in Nonacademic
Settings. NY: Guilford.
Other books that look at nonacademic writing in interesting ways:
Bazerman, C., & Paradis, J. (1991). Textual Dynamics of the
Professions. Madison, WI: U. of Wisconsin Press. (also an edited
book)
Barton, D., & Ivanic, R. (eds.) (1991). Writing in the
Community.Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
For what it's worth, I'm less jaded than Jay about dissertations,
Angel. (and probably less jaded than Russ.) I was pretty
interested in the problem I studied, and found it helpful
to produce a rather bloated version of the research to
suit the dissertation genre--it helped me explore the
problem in due thoroughness. As Jay pointed out, cutting
the several hundred pages down to a journal-sized piece
was a completely different rhetorical problem (not just
size but addressing the journal's readership, as manifested
in reviewer critiques), but I found it challenging and
worthwhile. And Jay, knowing how you like writing, I
suspect you did too.
I hope this helps provide a more positive spin on the experience.
In any case, all the best for the holiday, folks.
Peter Smagorinsky smagor who-is-at aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu