How to Write for a Nursing Journal

Nursing always has a topic of interest to be written about

Nursing journals provide a wide range of information for those in the nursing and medical fields and are read by millions of people. Writing for a nursing journal requires a fair amount of specialized knowledge, as it is a trade publication and not intended for a general audience. Therefore, being a nurse or working somewhere in the medical field is a major advantage because your field of knowledge matches the publication.

Instructions

1. Research your publications. The No. 1 thing most experienced writers will tell you is you need to learn your publication inside and out. Targeting one magazine limits your potential. Try three or four that you would like to write for and read them thoroughly. The library is a great place to do research because the magazines are free to read and back issues are available.

2. Find the writer guidelines or contact the magazine to find out the best way to submit articles. Many magazines have detailed descriptions for how to write for their publication. Avoid looking lazy or careless by adhering to every last detail in the guidelines. Many editors will tell you the reason many article ideas are rejected is that, while the actual article may have been a good idea, the writer was sloppy or careless in his or her submission technique.

3. Write the query letter. This introduces the editor to your idea and is what sells him or her on it. These letters rarely go over one page; therefore, every paragraph, sentence and word needs to be scrutinized for maximum effect. This is often your one chance to impress the magazines.

4. Keep the audience in mind at all times. Nursing is a very narrow category, and the article needs to be designed for nurses only, not hockey players or cooks. Read everything there is about the nursing world to inspire ideas.

5. Start small and work your way up. Don't expect to write a cover story on your very first attempt. Virtually every magazine has department stories and feature stories. Features are often assigned to established writers who have a previous history with the magazine. Break in with smaller, department-type stories. They pay less but will provide the necessary experience to move forward.

6. Keep at it. Very few magazine proposal get accepted; most are rejected. It's a matter of perseverance and putting in the time and effort to break into your nursing journal of choice.

References

• The Writers Journal