Introduction

Writing well is not the result of luck or innate talent. Writing is a skill you can learn, just as you learned nursing skills such as venipuncture and suctioning.

However, nurses often find it challenging to write. After all, as Margaret McClure says in Words of Wisdom From Pivotal Nurse Leaders, “One of nursing’s biggest handicaps is that we are in a field where your basic practice requires that you never write in complete sentences” (Houser & Player, 2008, p. 70). Anatomy of Writing for Publication for Nurses, Fourth Edition, is designed to help you bridge the gap between incomplete sentences and a published manuscript. The book’s contributors include the best and the brightest from publishing today. Many of the contributors have experience as editors of nursing journals, where their role is to decide which articles to accept for publication. These decision-makers share important insights that will enhance the likelihood your manuscript is accepted for publication.

You also can draw a wealth of knowledge from the many years of writing experience that the contributors bring to this book. These authors have a long history of success in having their work published; the important tips they share will set you on track to seeing your work in print or online.

This book is divided into three parts, all of which have been updated for this new edition.

Part 1, “A Primer on Writing and Publishing,” describes the basics of publishing, from generating a great idea and writing the article to revising your manuscript and sharing your work. This section is packed with information on how to bolster the chance that your manuscript will be accepted for publication.

Topics include how to query a journal; writing and submitting the manuscript; legal and ethical issues; and effective use of tables, figures, graphs, illustrations, and photos. If English is your second language, don’t miss the chapter for global authors. Part 1 also includes a chapter on peer review, a great way to improve your own writing skills. Even if you don’t plan to be a peer reviewer, understanding the reviewer’s perspective will help you anticipate what comments reviewers might have about your manuscript.

Part 1 contains a new chapter on how to improve your writing, which you can use to hone your skills. Part 1 also has been revised to reflect current publishing trends. For example, the section on collaborative writing has been expanded as interprofessional writing becomes increasingly common. Team writing can be rewarding but also frustrating if not well managed. You’ll find practical strategies you can use to facilitate the process.

The section on the troubling trend of predatory journals also has been updated. You’ll want to read how to protect yourself from publishers who don’t have your best interests at heart. Visual abstracts, which are beginning to make inroads in nursing, are covered, and the general information about abstracts has been expanded.

Other new or expanded sections in Part 1 include cover letters, preprints, effective titles, citation styles, and promoting your work via social media.

By the time you complete Part 1, you’ll have a solid understanding of the entire publishing process.

Part 2, “Tips for Writing Different Types of Articles,” is where you can apply what you learned in Part 1. Each chapter takes you through writing a particular type of paper or article, including clinical articles, research reports, review articles, books, personal narratives, continuing education, and materials for consumers. You can dip into the relevant chapter in Part 2 depending on your writing goals.

Part 2 features a new chapter on writing the review article, including systematic, scoping, and integrative reviews. The chapter on writing the research report focuses on qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies. Between these two chapters, you’ll find what you need to craft an effective article about your study.

The chapter on turning your student project or dissertation into a publication has been revised to provide additional advice, and you’ll find more information about how to create a poster in the writing for presentations chapter.

In the back of the book, you’ll discover a wealth of resources. The appendices have been updated and, in some cases, expanded.

I’ve given a snapshot of some of the changes from the previous edition, but you should also know that each chapter has been revised by the authors (including updating references and providing new examples) to ensure it conveys the best possible information.

The contributors and I have forgone the traditional textbook style of writing for something that we hope is livelier and more approachable. This doesn’t mean we don’t take writing seriously. We do. Writing is a core nursing responsibility, right up there with being a patient advocate.

Our goal is to show you that even though writing effectively takes work, it is within every nurse’s reach to do so—and you can have some fun while doing it.

In each chapter of Anatomy of Writing for Publication for Nurses, Fourth Edition, you’ll find these features:

• Opening quotes: Quotes at the start of each chapter provide pithy words of wisdom related to the craft of writing.

• What You’ll Learn in This Chapter: This provides an overview of what’s to come.

• Q&A sidebars: Here you’ll find answers to some common questions related to the chapter’s topic.

• Confidence Booster: Lack of confidence can hold nurses back from sharing their wealth of knowledge. These special sections are designed to inspire you and to encourage you to break down that barrier.

• Write Now!: These exercises at the end of each chapter help you apply what you have learned.

Remember: The best way to become a better writer is to write! Like any other skill, practice is a key component to success. I hope this book inspires you to take on writing as a lifetime practice.

I also hope you use Anatomy of Writing for Publication for Nurses, Fourth Edition, as a guide to getting your work published. We have an obligation to share our knowledge with other nurses, other healthcare professionals, and the public; in essence, we have a duty to disseminate.

Reference