How to write an article for a professional journal

1. Be confident: you can do it.

Almost any idea about a new, innovative, or successful practice, if well written and organized, can make a contribution to the professional literature. What often seems obvious to you in your daily workplace may not be that apparent to others. Believe that you have the ability to write! That aside, basic writing techniques can be developed and should be part of your professional repertoire.

2. Be aware of current trends.

Keep up with the current literature in your field and the general literature, so that you’re aware of current trends, innovations, and what is being written about in the literature. Read as many articles as you can, and also peruse tables of contents. Often your general reading will stimulate your thinking and suggest several possible topics. Your workplace provides a wealth of professional information that could provide the basis for interesting articles and ‘stories’.

3. Share your idea with colleagues.

Discuss issues with your friends and colleagues. This interchange will help you think through all of the aspects of a possible topic and help you to anticipate potential objections to your ideas. You might like to consider collaborating with a colleague in the actual writing of the article. Although this does not always make the writing any easier, the professional fellowship itself can be rewarding.

4. Set your targets.

Target a specific journal. As you regularly read a wide variety of journals you will become aware that each has a distinctive style, viewpoint, audience, and range of topics published. Selecting a journal for your article requires that you match your article’s content and style with those of a specific journal. Keep these points in mind:

• Start with local or regional journals if you’re a beginner. Many professional associations have state or regional affiliates which publish a journal. These journals often do not have as large a number of articles submitted and, therefore, are less strict in their review criteria. Publishing in these can be a useful beginning experience as well as help develop your writing skills. You can always graduate to national and international journals later.

• Read several issues of the specific journal to which you are considering sending your article. In this way you become familiar with its typical content and style. Every journal has guidelines for submitting articles. These are often published in the journal

itself or can be obtained from the editor. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in rejection.

• Target your audience. What you write depends a lot on whom you expect to read your article. Are you writing for employees, the profession generally, researchers, or the public?

• Target your writing style. Tailor your style to fit your anticipated reader. For example, with practitioners, emphasize the practical. Write as if you were talking directly to them, describing something they can put into practice, to replicate your success.

5. Prepare your article.

Consider these points: Plan, draft, write, polish. Assemble your ideas, thoughts, and information into a logical structure before attempting to clothe your ideas in words. Begin your first draft – it’s important to get words down at this stage. Focus on what’s being said, not on how it’s being said. Don’t be critical at this stage. Then tighten and polish your draft. Leave it for several days before revising it. Revisiting the material ‘cold’ will help you see it from a reader’s perspective.

Use a clear writing style. Avoid useless jargon and unnecessarily complex sentences. Develop your theme logically.

Use a word processor. That’s a given these days – but make sure you use a software program recommended by the editor of the target journal.

Resist the tendency to write too lengthy an article. Usually the guidelines for the journal will indicate editorial preferences regarding length.

Choose a catchy title. The title of your article is often the bait that attracts a reader’s attention. A good title should be catchy but not gimmicky. Likewise, introductory paragraphs are important to capture and retain reader interest.

Do a final check before submitting. Make sure that the style, spelling, punctuation, grammar, and flow of the writing are as perfect as possible. Proofread it diligently. You might ask a colleague to review the article just before submitting it. Someone who is not as familiar with the article as you will be able to see obvious mistakes.

6. Submit your article.

Having prepared your polished article, it is time to

dispatch it:

Submit the article according to the journal’s guidelines. If posted, include a covering letter and a large stamped, self-addressed envelope. If emailed, send your article as an attached file to your covering email. The editor’s first impression is important.

Remember to enclose your full details.

Professional ethics demand that you submit your article to only one journal at a time. However, have several other potential sources ready, just in case you receive a rejection from your first choice.

7. Don’t give up.

Reasons for rejection are numerous and include poor content and style, content which is not suitable to the purpose of the journal, content which is similar to an article already published by the journal, or a backlog of articles already accepted. If rejected, don’t get upset. Immediately revise the article and send it off to another journal. Don’t let it sit on your desk more than a few days! Perseverance will pay off.

Successful writing comes with practice. The more you write, the better writer you will be – and the more likely that you, too, might enter the ranks of published professionals.