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Abstract
The aim of this paper is to document and discuss two divergent routes toward the doctoral degree: an article-based thesis and a monograph. Two stories are told about the struggles and challenge candidates face during their dissertation writing in these divergent formats. Methodologically, these stories are presented as vignettes from two doctoral candidates, describing and reflecting on their experiences, which are analyzed and discussed in relation to the conceptions of academic genres, Vygotskian notions of learning, and writing as identity formation. Dissimilarities between the monograph and the article-based theses are discussed in regard to time, maturation, focus, and feedback influences, as well how variances within these formats contribute to different writing experiences. Based on these discussions, the paper reflects on the need to develop greater awareness of genre demands and formation dimensions in dissertation writing.