On the State of Your Writing Space

I’m often asked how I can work at home and be productive. Many tell me they would never get any work done that way and need to be in an office environment with colleagues so they’re not lured away from work by other things, like shopping online or catching up on Facebook, Twitter, etc. But I get at least twice as much work done at home as I ever did in an office. I’ll tell you why.

My home office is relatively neat and organized for how I work best, with a desk calendar (yes, it’s paper), a file rack for things I often need at hand or that need to be taken care of within the work week, and a “sticky note” on my computer desktop that outlines my main goals for my clients for the week, including any deadlines, meetings, etc. I work at the time of day when I’m most motivated (usually in the mornings, but also at other times of the day when inspiration strikes), when my family is otherwise occupied (at the beach, playing golf, or doing their own projects), and with only the sounds of the birds and the breeze through my windows (no TV, radio, or iTunes). I’m seldom interrupted at home, which is one of the things that irritated me most when I worked in an office and can irritate me still when it happens here.

Dinner plate hibiscus
Photograph by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA

Notwithstanding a recent New York Times op-ed piece touting the virtues of a messy office space (by Kathleen D. Vohs titled, “It’s not ‘mess.’ It’s creativity”) I work best in an orderly environment, and, dare I say, I am more creative in it. In fact, one year, although I was the executive editor of two medical journals, I shared an office with a freelancer who worked there when I worked at home. (I insisted that, when I went back to fulltime work, all job offers would enable me to work at home at least two days a week and found little, if any resistance.) Initially, I would return to that shared space finding a ravaged mess, with the desktop full of open journals, reference texts, and loose papers, and still open file drawers. One day I needed to be in the office the same day as that freelancer, who I politely asked to start leaving my office the way she found it. In response, she called me something with the adjective “anal” in it. I paused. Then, looking around the office at the state it was in, I said, “Where’s the virtue in this?” She was at a loss for words.

And when I am in a messy office, it’s me who is at a loss for words. My writing dries up, my thoughts don’t cohere, I can’t lay hands on what I need when I need it, and I produce less in a given timeframe. I’m not saying that everyone will find that to be true or that it’s best for everyone, including my office mate. But it is important for you to designate a workspace that amplifies your ability to write and produce good work. Don’t be cowed into working in a messy space or a neat space, an office environment or a home one; find what’s best for you and make it happen.

The Hazards of Over Researching

In some earlier posts on conducting interviews, particularly the one on Developing Interview Questions, I stressed the importance of doing your homework beforehand. Every writer has to be knowledgeable about a topic to begin writing, and often this requires some research. Occasionally I see the opposite problem, however; some writers let their enthusiasm for a topic lead them to research too much. Any topic can spark further ideas that point to more information, but unless your project is going to be book length, stay focused on the main points you want to articulate.

Glacial ice, Canada
Photograph by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA

Some dangers of over researching include asking interviewees too many off-topic questions, amassing so much information that you lose your article’s focus, or creating a lot of editing work for your editor. In these cases I’ve found myself cutting the writer’s word count, refocusing the article, or, worse, rejecting it. You can also alienate professionals who have little time to give to interviews. So gather enough information to write an informed and intelligent article but beware of drowning yourself, or your readers, in it. Clarity is everything. 

Your Favorite Posts of 2012

I just looked back on the stats from this year and found that three blog entries got the most hits from readers. What do these posts have in common? They all address the ABCs of starting to write. Gathering Story Ideas encourages nurses to keep a file of nursing care events they can write about, How to Be a Good Freelancer lists some simple Dos and Don’ts for the independent writer, and Letting Go briefly discusses editing your own work but then realizing when it’s time to, well, let it go.

Framed view along Grand View Point Trail, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA

I’m encouraged by the hits here, because the popularity of these posts means my blog readers really do want to write. I don’t have profiles of who is doing the reading, but I can assume most are nurses, based on the title of my blog. Please continue to read, and let me know what other topics might help to nudge you along the writing path in 2013. And Happy New Year!

Little acts of rebellion

A UK Nursing Times headline caught my eye today: “Nurses left to fill gaps in cleaning.” Just seeing it even now makes my blood boil and brings an early clinical nursing experience back to mind. After graduating, I worked the 3-11 shift as a GN and then as an RN, on the telemetry unit of a community hospital. Staffing was sparse, then as now, and we nurses cared for about 12 patients an evening, with the charge nurse doling out meds to all the patients on the floor. But not only nursing was short-staffed, so was housekeeping. And one of the duties I was told I had to do on my shift was empty the patient room garbage bins, because there was not enough housekeeping staff to do so on every floor.

Thus, only a few weeks into my new career, I launched my first rebellion: I told the nursing supervisor that I had not gone to college for a BS, RN, to empty garbage cans. That it was a waste of my education and talent. That she should put her foot down with administration and stand up for the nursing staff. That if they needed more housekeeping staff, then the hospital should hire more, but nurses should not be doing garbage detail on any shift; we should be taking care of patients.

My colleagues were surprised, if not shocked, by my audacity in bucking the system. And keep in mind that baccalaureate education was not, in the early 1970s, viewed as particularly valuable regarding “real-life” nursing experience; the diploma RNs had much more in-depth clinical experience than we did at the time. But to their credit, those other nurses did see my point, they knew I was right, and they didn’t like emptying the garbage much either.

Also to her credit, the nursing supervisor agreed as well. It took several weeks—of leaving those garbage pails out in the halls for the morning housekeeping staff—for our point to be heard, and several weeks of the nursing supervisor saying to administration, “What can I do? They won’t empty the garbage!” The hospital simply couldn’t afford to fire all of us.

Chicago skyline from Michigan City, IN
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA

So to my colleagues in the UK, I say: Doesn’t this make your blood boil? State your case calmly but firmly and put a stop to this nonsense. Rescuing other departments from their responsibilities does no one any good in the long run. 

Gathering story ideas

When I tell nurses they have stories to tell, I can practically see these cartoon text bubbles over their heads. Yet ideas are everywhere in your practice. Just saying this evokes stories from my CNS and ER days: a patient with spina bifida who figured out how to keep coming back to the hospital because it was her only means of socialization; the 19-year-old MVA we could not save in ICU; the father who did not make his 8-year-old daughter wear a helmet when he took her out for a ride on his motorcycle; the man buried in a construction accident…you get the idea.

One way to keep track of these stories is to keep a file, whether on your computer, smart device, or on paper. When you think, “This would make a great article,” write it down somewhere and file it. Then dedicate time in your week or month to review those ideas and start writing.

Writing With Political Purpose

Nurses have a well of political power that, for some reason, we rarely tap as a group. That’s partly because of our lack of a unified professional voice. (Think of the splintered representation we have via the American Nurses Association, National Nurses United, and the myriad other unions nurses have elected to participate in.) But if you are a writer (and even if you are not) you do have a political voice, and there's really no excuse not to be heard in the United States. Here’s a small personal example:

University of Virginia library
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA

The law in the state of New Jersey does not permit me to purchase a health savings account (one of the less expensive forms of health care insurance) because I am the sole proprietor of my own business. So when Assembly Bill No. 2171—the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act—was due for consideration by Governor Christie, I let him know I wanted him to support it. He did not, but to his credit, he sent me a letter explaining why. I did not buy all of his arguments, however, and I wrote back to tell him so.

Will this particular dialogue with my governor, which I expect may be ongoing, have any effect on my ability to purchase an affordable health care plan? Perhaps not, but imagine if every RN in New Jersey spoke out about this issue or about other issues in health care? And what if nurses all over the country participated in letting their state and national representatives know what they thought about health care reform in general and the importance of nurses and nursing to patient care, community health, and disease prevention in particular?

If you feel uninformed about ways to communicate your views, teach yourself about the political process. If you want to know what is going on in your state regarding health care (or any other issue that concerns you), use the National Conference of State Legislatures website to find out. If you don’t know who your state Congressmen are, you can learn on the US House of Representatives and the US Senate websites.  Then write to them and let them know what you think.

Even a single nursing voice, when gathered with others, can create a powerful chorus. Start singing with your pen! 

Move writing to the top of your to-do list

Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, WA
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA 

Writing is something very important to me, yet it often falls to the bottom of my list. Sound familiar?

While I have learned that lists keep me organized and help me get things done, sometimes I let them overwhelm me. When that happens, I often refer back to a book I read some years ago: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey. For me, the most useful thing Covey does in this book is to distinguish between what’s important—those things that contribute to one’s long-term goals (the big rocks in the jar, he calls them)—and what is urgent—matters that seem to require immediate action but end up being mere distractions (those pebbles that could really fit in anywhere). At times these two categories converge, but as he points out, most often urgent matters are not the same as important ones.

Think about this when you feel inundated with things to do, and you put aside your goal to write. Then make some decisions about what’s really important in your life. If writing is one of those things, it does not have to be urgent, but it does belong in that important category, which demands that you make some space for it. And it should go on your list first. After all, it's a big rock.

What have you found useful for moving writing to the top of your list? Do you have a tip to share?

Portions of this blog entry first appeared in my column, “Your Space—Taking Care of You,” in the June 2010 issue of AJN eNews.

The tattoo: a story all its own

Virtual body art via Photobooth
by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA

I recently completed a news piece on the issue of tattoos and piercings in health care professionals (HCPs). It seems that younger folks entering the health care professions tend to be more inclined to have tattoos than older folks, like Baby Boomers. As younger HCPs care for older patients (those Baby Boomers), what will the repercussions be? While researching the topic, I learned that the workplace issue is not specific to HCPs, but runs the gamut of professions, from chefs to casino employees. Several Web sites offer advice on the etiquette of tattoos, piercings, or both, in the workplace. (See one such site here.) As a nurse, what is your opinion on displaying body art? What should take priority, your freedom of expression or your patients’ feelings and preferences? What is your experience with management on this issue in your workplace? If you display body art, how do your patients react to it? Now there’s a story to tell.

A note to nurses worldwide

Arabian horse sketch by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA***

Although most of the page views for this blog come from the United States, I notice every time I check stats that there are also international viewers. I'd love to hear from nurses of other nations regarding what kind of writing tips you want. Please comment and ask questions, even if your English is not perfect. After all, this is a blog about improving your voice as a nurse, and if you do not use it, it will go silent. And remember, no one writes perfectly all the time.
***A note on the sketch: This is an old drawing I did in grade school, and I'm sure I owe credit to Keith Ward, Harold Eldridge, or one of the other wonderful illustrators of the Black Stallion series, written by Walter Farley. Those books were read and reread by me as a child, and the illustrations spoke to me as loudly as the stories.

Carving out the space to work

Seahorse Sketch
by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA

Tips on writing can take you so far; it takes some effort to turn off external distractions and actually sit down to write. In her essay, A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf talks about writing fiction and asks why, over the course of history (specifically Elizabethan times), so much great literature was written by men and so little by women. Her train of thought—distractions included—leads her to explore how women lived during that time period, and, as the picture unfolds for her, she concludes that women needed (and still needed, in Woolf’s own time,) “…rooms of our own…” and “…the habit of freedom and the courage to write exactly what we think….” But women, with their multiple tasks and lower salaries imposed by society, lacked the ability and funds to carve out the space and time to write.

Although society has progressed in many ways regarding the status of women, Woolf’s assessment that men write more than women do remains close to the mark today. And even if women have more opportunities to write now, their work is published less than men’s, according to the Web site VIDA. (Look at their 2010 Count, which  shows current information on the percentage of writing done by men and by women that year in various publications.) Woolf’s conclusion that women need a room of their own acknowledges that writing takes concentration, silence, and focus—circumstances rare in daily life. (And I speak of women writers, because, although men are entering nursing in increasing numbers, the nursing profession is still primarily composed of women.) Assuming that most of you reading this blog are nurses, you know the role of multitasking, not only in your jobs, but in your lives, and multitasking is the enemy of writing.

Writing also requires that one have power, the power to stop multitasking and to carve out a space and time to work. Consider that a memoir, for example, is about 35,000 to 40,000 words in length (go to any book on Amazon.com and look at “text stats”). If you wrote just 100 words every day, by the end of the year you would have a book…. “No time!” you may be saying, “for even 100 words a day, and no space to write in. You just don’t understand.” To that I would ask “Do you want to write, or not?” If so—and whether you are a man or a woman—use your power, your desire, and the resources at hand, and find the space and time to do it. 

Blogging

Stone Harbor beach in winter
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA

Publishing your words is no longer for print only, but several venues offer you the opportunity to share your thoughts. Social media sites, like Facebook or Twitter, are popular, but think about blogging if you want to say something with any depth. Starting your own blog is one option, but there are many sites that allow you to say what you think about nursing issues or other topics. I recommend that, if you really want a career in publishing (or if you just want respect for your written word), take some time to construct a cogent comment to any posts. Although I tend to keep my blog posts here, I do occasionally blog on AJN’s Off the Charts. Take a look at the link for some of my samples, and comment to those or others that you will find in the "followed" blog list at the AJN site. If you want tips on starting your own blog or how to find blogs that might interest you, contact me here. I'll be happy to help. Oh, and Happy New Year! 

Barriers to writing

A friend once asked me how I was able to become an editor without having a degree in English literature, linguistics, or the like. How could I know correct punctuation, grammar, and usage without formal training, she wondered. She is a teacher turned elementary school principal, so despite my years as a medical editor, I felt momentarily insecure. Then I considered her question seriously, which lead me to thinking about formal versus informal training in writing.

Oregon Zoo, Portland Oregon
Photo by Ralph S. Pfeifer

My public school experience is really the only formal education I ever got in writing, and I don’t recall it being inspiring in any way. But I’ve always loved reading and writing to express myself, and I think that is by no means rare. Just look at a local or chain bookstore: Most have shelves filled with blank lined journals to write in. That leads me to think that most people love to tell their stories as much as I do.

The bottom line is that I became an editor by writing. And in all the fulltime positions I’ve held as an editor, I never once met anyone who targeted editing as a career, particularly medical editing. Most were avid readers and writers who loved science and could understand the material. But they came to a medical writing or editorial position through a door that opened to them serendipitously, not through one they aimed to open.

If you’re feeling blocked by a lack of education in medical writing, editing, or in just plain grammar and punctuation, know this: It may feel beyond you, but you are not trapped; you've acquired far more difficult knowledge in nursing school. Grammar and usage can be learned as well, and you are smart enough to learn it. Click on some of the links to the right and try a few other sites, like the Purdue Online Writing Lab (or OWL), for additional tips and answers to your grammar and usage questions.

Don’t let your nervousness about a lack of formal training stop you from writing. Writing well is not contingent on formal training, it’s contingent on honing your story to make it understandable and useful in some way to the reader. 

Letting go

The grounds at FDR National Historic Site, Hyde Park, NY
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer, RN, MA

It’s hard to let an article go. If you let your writing sit a bit (and I recommend that you do so), you’ll start to see errors that you didn’t notice while you were writing. This is normal and does not mean that you are a bad writer. Everyone makes mistakes during the process, and you will not be an exception. But correct those errors now, let the article sit a few days more, then read it again as if someone else had written it. Ask whether the point is clear, whether the topic grabs you, and tweak it further if you can improve on either of those domains. If not, let it go. It won’t be perfect, but if it’s the best you can do, let it go off to the editor of your targeted publication. If the topic is worthy, the editor will tell you what to do next.

Tips on pulling together your article

Once you’ve written a piece and think it’s ready to submit to an editor, set it aside for a day or two. Then go back to reading it and ask yourself a few questions:

• Does your headline set up your lead? The title of the article should grab the reader’s attention without being sensationalistic, guide the reader to the first paragraph (the lead).  
• Does your lead explain why the reader should care about this topic? That’s your angle to the story, and it’s essential for making the reader want to read on.
• Does each statement provoke a question on the part of the reader? This prompts your readers to want to know what happens next. (And of course you’ll answer that question every time.)
• Have you used subheads effectively? Editors will scan these for a sensible chronology and an organized story.
• Did you use sourced quotes for each section of the story? Quotes always strengthen the content. If the quote is from an interview, make sure you are comfortable that all the quotes are accurate. If you’re quoting a referenced document, make sure you have included a citation (according to the publications style manual) and that it is a primary reference (not a reference that your reference document cited; those are secondary references).
• Have you included examples and anecdotes? If so, your main points will have added clarity.
• Does your conclusion “play” on your lead? This helps to bring your topic full circle, and you’ll be able to see if you brought your reader smoothly from beginning to end.

If you're happy with the answers to these questions, your article is as finished as it can be (more on that in a future post).

Hooded falcon*
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer
*The hood protects the bird from distractions during a falconer demonstration.

How to be a good freelancer

The main goal when you freelance is to make life easier for the editor who has hired you. Here are some Dos and Don’ts:

Do:

• Follow the guidelines the editor sends to you; if you don’t have them, ask for them. (See the related post on author guidelines here.)
• Read the publication you are writing for and glean the typical style; you won’t get everything right, but you will please the in-house copy editors who do the final style edit.
• Suggest a change in story angle if you uncover new information that warrants the change, but be ready to back that up with a solid rationale.

Sunset Over Great Sound No.2, Stone Harbor, NJ
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer

Don’t:

• Miss a deadline; you won’t be hired again, no matter how good a writer you are.
• Give frequent updates on the roadblocks you have encountered while writing; your editor wants your article, not your excuses.
• Share the obstacles you have overcome (I did the interview on the lunch hour during my day job; I skipped my planned vacation this weekend to get you this article, etc).

Using outlines

Train tracks en route to Banff from Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer

I tend to avoid outlines when I write (I like to plunge right in and fix it later; see my October 22, 2010 post on that approach), but some people love them. Here are a few tips that I’ve gleaned over the years, mostly from my notes listening to Alan Richman and Robert Santelli (see my post of February 13, 2011), both of whom are writers who taught community education courses I attended at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ, in the 1990s.

Tips: To begin an outline, start with the title or purpose, move to the lead, provide examples that amplify the lead, answer the question “What happens next?” then wrap it up with a conclusion that reconnects with your lead.

As you proceed through each step, remember to begin each subsequent paragraph with a “mini-lead.” And don’t forget to include transitions that help your reader move smoothly from one idea to the next; you may know a topic inside and out, but your reader needs to be lead by the hand to end up understanding the topic the way you do, from experience.

Call it a Train of Thought outline if you will: The snowplow, or lead, hits you first; the locomotive pulls you on track through each idea; the train cars, or mini-leads, support your theme; and the caboose wraps it up!

Jumpstart your creativity

Watercolor vase
Watercolor sketch & photo by Gail Molnar Pfeifer

Along the lines of my previous post on July 19th, Taking a break, you can use other art forms to boost your creative juices during a writing hiatus: 

• Go outside and sketch; you don’t have to be an artist to enjoy it
• Play with watercolors; remember how much fun you had with those as a kid
• Take photographs of people, places, and things you love; sketch from the photos if you can’t get outside

 You might be surprised at what trying another art form can do for your writing!

Taking a break

Sunset over Great Sound, Stone Harbor, NJ
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer

Some writers call it a "block" when their writing lies fallow; I call it “taking a break.” It’s summer in the Eastern US, and I live near the coast, so life, and work, slow down a bit. Instead of berating myself for not writing more, like I used to do, I consider this a time to read, spend time with friends and family, and mull ideas. And I am always writing something in my head. I hope you are too. Happy Summer!

Don't be afraid of criticism

Chicken on the road, St. George, Bermuda
Photograph by Gail M. Pfeifer

Feedback on your writing will help you sharpen your skills; don't be a chicken. One way to get started is to begin with colleagues who are interested in writing for publication, too. Seek them out through your unit, HR department, or area bulletin board. Meet before or after your shift or plan a breakfast or lunch meeting where everyone brings a short piece of work to share. Or do some timed writing exercises (see Natalie Goldberg’s ideas in Writing Down the Bones and read my April 9 post for other ideas).

Distractions

Tobacco Bay, Bermuda
Photograph by Gail M. Pfeifer

It’s pretty easy to think of something else to do besides writing, even when you are a writer. Making the ideas you have in your head clear enough on the paper so that a reader can understand your point of view is the big challenge. One of the things that helps me jumpstart my writing is to collect great essays and poems. I keep them in a file and, when I read them—for distraction, of course—they inspire me to start writing again. 

Try it for yourself. Here is one suggestion: Billy Collins, our former US poet laureate (2001-2003) reads his poem “The Lanyard.” It’s terrific in print, but his inflection puts the sense of wistful humor in the work.