From school to print
You revel in the “A” you received for your latest school paper. Is the next step to publish your article? It might…
The Writing Mind
Promotion—the last step in writing for publication
You smile as you sign off on the final version of your article slated to be published in a well-respected journal. Your…
Is your topic suitable for your target journal? Three questions to ask
As editorial director for American Nurse Journal, it’s my job to field what we call “queries”—emails from nurses asking if a topic…
Writing challenge: Narrow the topic
One of the greatest challenges in writing is narrowing the topic. Beginning and experienced writers alike frequently want to tackle topics that…
Follow the four Cs for effective writing
Developing writing skills relies on the ability to effectively use the tools of written communication. In nursing school, you learned that proteins…
Why the reference list matters
References are the lifeblood of an article. They support your message and enable readers to seek out additional information. But authors too…
Letters to the editor: Make your voice heard
Journal articles aren’t the only way you can disseminate information. Letters to the editors—if done correctly—can be a powerful way to make…
Sharing your story
“Once upon a time…” Those three simple words probably conjure childhood memories of listening to your parents tell a tale of wonder…
We need young writers
April 10 is National Encourage a Young Writer Day. While it might not generate the excitement of National Chocolate Day (October 28,…
Self-editing: Challenging but essential
As you finish typing those last few words of your manuscript, it’s tempting to breathe a sigh of relief, shut down the…
The power of parallelism
Writers might not have superpowers like Superman, Wonder Woman, and others in the DC Universe, but we can use powers (tools) to…
Ask before you write: Crafting the query
Beginning authors may not realize that before submitting a manuscript, it’s a good idea to send a query—an email to the editor…