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.

Mindfulness and writing

Sanderling on beach, Stone Harbor, NJ
Photo by Gail M. Pfeifer

I recently relearned the importance of mindfulness after carelessly slamming the car door—
on my thumb. While I wait for that injury to heal, I keep thinking about how important paying attention is to just about everything, including writing. I’ve even read a few good books on the topic. Here they are:

Zen in the Art of Writing, by Ray Bradbury (Available free online)

Wild Mind, by Natalie Goldberg

If You Want to Write, by Brenda Ueland

Enjoy reading them—and pay attention!

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.