Read in order to write

I am in the middle of my second read of The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver. Despite the mixed reviews of this book, from "literary masterpiece" to "disappointing," it is one of my favorites, and it seems to me that no one can dispute this writer’s skill at turning out beautiful phrases. One of my favorite lines, which is repeated throughout the book is this: “The most important part of the story is the part you don’t know.”

Wheel-thrown pot by Gail M. Pfeifer
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer

Why bring up reading in a blog on writing for nurses? Because writing well grows out of reading great writers. Think about the books you’ve read that have held your interest. What were their characteristics? Were they page-turners, were they written about a topic you are passionate about, or were they simply new information you really needed to know about? Try to remember, and perhaps reread those books, because that’s the kind of writing you can emulate as you begin to tell your nursing stories. And the most important part of your story is the part we don’t know. So tell us.

Stories are everywhere

We visited our son, Patrick, in New York City recently, and strolled around the Village on our way back to his apartment. I happened to notice a Bowery building that was gated and covered with graffiti, but with striking architecture. “How sad that someone doesn’t do something with that building,” I said. With that, Pat’s girlfriend turned and said, “Someone lives there, they won’t sell it, and the inside is amazing.” I thought she might be pulling my leg until she sent me an article from New York Magazine, with slides of the interior. An artist and his family live inside the 72-room former Germania Bank, built in 1898—and it’s true—they won’t sell. The inside story is worth a read.

The smoke room at Monticello
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer

So what’s the point for nurses? There is a story inside everything, particularly inside your work: What presents as an obvious diagnosis in one person can be something else entirely in another—and you have ferreted that out at times. What the physician prescribes today might not be best for your patient in the long run, based on your clinical observations and your knowledge of how much—or how little—family support the patient gets. What your colleagues view as a family that is “a pain in the neck” to the nursing staff, you see as close-knit kin under extreme stress—a treatable diagnosis. There is more, as you know. These inside stories are worth a read, and you should write them.  

Networking with other writers

Conch shell, Stone Harbor, NJ
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer

Writing is a solitary activity; it helps to network with other writers, whether RNs or or local community members. Check out local writing groups at your local bookstore, community college, or vocational technical venue. Online sites, such as Linkedin, Writer’s Digest, etc, also have a selection of groups to peruse. And, of course, you can start one of your own. The tips and ideas you garner will be invaluable.

How to weather rejection

Sketch & photo by Gail Molnar Pfeifer

As you begin to submit your work for publication, you will receive acceptance and rejection letters from editors. 


If your proposal for an article is accepted, that’s great, but be prepared for rejection as well. And guard against taking any rejection letter personally—sometimes your idea just doesn’t match what the editors are looking for.

If you’re lucky, an editor might be kind enough—and have the time—to explain why your idea is not being accepted right now. If so, pay attention to the suggestions the editor gives you, and try again if you’ve been encouraged to do so.

Always have a second publication venue in mind for your ideas. If the rejection is in a form letter style, with no hint of interest from the first editor, immediately mail out the same query to your next targeted journal, newspaper, or other periodical. Keep this process going until you’ve hit the right publication and landed an acceptance. (Of course don’t forget to do your homework; read my October blog entries on the basics of querying an editor.)

Keep generating ideas and developing query letters over a period of a few months.

Once you have an idea accepted, be sure to read the author guidelines, and follow them carefully.