Have you ever thought of writing an article for journal publication? Writing and publishing social work is personally and professionally rewarding. The first time might be hard but like everything else writing is a craft that can be learned. You might not realise it but you have already started your author training. All social workers have spent years writing academic assignments. Those hours spent getting your referencing style just right, researching, reading and paraphrasing the literature, developing an argument and finding the exact phrase to capture your point, have not gone to waste. These are the basic skills on which you can build. The more you write, the easier it becomes.
There are some great books and on-line resources on writing generally and professional writing for publication. Newsletters, blogs, on-line and local newspapers and letters to editors are some ways to start writing about social work and build confidence. Find a class on the techniques of academic writing. If you tweet and use social media you are already doing writing exercises.
There are many different types of academic publications – research or original articles, commentaries, theoretical papers, practice reflections and reports. Some journals encourage practitioner and student submissions and may be more receptive to new authors.
Rule #1 – Face your fear. You have nothing to lose. Everyone, even academics, get papers rejected. Good feedback that helps you rework a paper usually comes with rejections. So don’t get disheartened.
Rule #2 – Do your homework. Success can be related to journal selection. Ask who reads the journal and whether your paper is a good fit. Remember you have several audiences – the editor, the reviewers and the readers of the journal. Read and cite relevant papers published in the journal, so you understand what the journal is about. Research the literature well.
Rule #3 – Pay attention to detail. Read the author instructions carefully. Get the structure of the paper and referencing style right. Stay in the word limit and follow all instructions.
Rule #4 – It does take time and many edits and re-edits. Leave time between edits – you will see new things in your writing each time. It helps to have a critical person read and give feedback. Get a mentor who has published or would co-author with you.
Rule #5 – Just write that first word. Dot points are fine to start. You can waste months avoiding that first step. Nothing will explode – I promise!
