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Getting Published
tive, and others focus on researchbased
articles.
“While journals are one choice,
the opportunity to present at a national
society meeting or publish a scientific
poster presentation is an ideal option
for some potential authors. The first
step is to decide what you have to
communicate and to what audience
and explore the options,” she adds.
Some publishers and organizations
field inquiries about possible future topics
and often publish on their websites
or in their journals a “call for abstracts.”
It is not out of place for a prospective
author to contact a journal, publisher, or
organization and express interest in
developing material on specific content.
If the publisher thinks the material
might be suitable, the author is advised
to develop the idea more formally.
“Preparation, submission, and presentation
of an abstract are important
steps in the research process that can
benefit the investigator/author. The
abstract typically describes a study and
its results, but the first step in writing
an abstract includes reading the
instructions or guidelines given from
the journal, society, or organization.
First-time authors might find it helpful
to read through published abstracts
from the most recent annual meeting
to help illustrate the concepts discussed
in that article, poster, or presentation
and develop a feel for what a good and
accepted abstract looks like,” says
Moore.
Even scholarly publishers and
meeting planners have to “market”
their materials, so they are looking for
content that is timely, of great interest
to the target audience, and—ideally—
not presented as well or as thoroughly
in other places. Identifying the channels
and their respective target audiences
is an easy but often overlooked
step by new authors.
Most publications have authors’
guidelines, which specify how they wish
to receive materials. Conventions and
society meetings may have regulations—and
deadlines—as to what sort
of materials to submit. Adherence to
these guidelines and their deadlines
greatly enhances the chance that the
material will be published. Publishers—
no matter how interested in a specific
topic—may not be able to work with
material that is submitted past deadline
or not in the proper format.
One general rule in publishing: it
never hurts to ask. Provided queries are
brief and on-point, most publishers
prefer getting them to full-blown
materials that may not be exactly what
they seek. But once an author and a
publisher have established that they
want to work together, a very different
phase of the project commences.
It is not out of
place for a
prospective author
to contact a
journal, publisher,
or organization
and express
interest in
developing
material on
specific content.
PREPARING YOUR MATERIALS
Developing the material can be the
most exciting—or the most bothersome—part
of the project.
“I don’t recommend spending
serious time developing the final manuscript
until it has found a potential
‘home,’” added Moore. “It is wise to
work with the editor to define the
material and be sure there is interest
and a need for the content. Even before
the first word of an article is written, a
good editor is already helping to shape
the final product.”
In terms of writing, most writer’s
guidelines help define the format and
scope of the article. For physicians
comfortable with organizing their
thoughts on paper, writing can go
quickly. Others may rely on assistants,
support staff, or even freelance writers
to produce the material.
“When you write a manuscript or
even construct a presentation, there are
really three phases involved,” Moore
explained. “The first is writing, the act
of getting the thoughts down on paper
or typed in the computer. The second
phase is gathering resources or
researching your topic, including
obtaining references. Unless your manuscript
is historical in nature, references
that are over 10 years old should be
scrutinized to account for new information
that may have been published.
The third phase is editing, which
means going through that material
meticulously to make sure it has good
structure, inherent logic, and clarity.
Rarely is anybody good at both writing
and editing, so don’t be afraid to go
to a peer or professional for his or her
opinion prior to submission.Try not to
be afraid of criticism or suggestions
that might enhance your manuscript.
Most of us—even professionals in publishing—tend
to be either more in the
writing camp or more in the editing
camp. Find out which strength is yours
and get help with the other part.”
For some physician-authors, this
may mean submitting data, notes, and
ideas to a ghostwriter to get the first
draft put together. For other physicianauthors,
it may mean contracting with
a freelance editor to review the article
and suggest ways to improve it. Most
journals offer editorial support as well,
but the more finalized material is when
it arrives at the journal, the better the
chance it will get printed. “It can be
very competitive out there,” Moore
remarked. “Journals are extending the
amount of review time for manuscripts,
and editors are more inclined to
favor finalized material over manuscripts
that they have to help organize
or create. Use spell-check, follow the
instructions or guidelines for authors,
and organize your thoughts within the
manuscript.”
Illustrations can be a crucial component
in creating a powerful publication,
but few dermatologists have the
skills necessary to produce professional-level
art work.
“Most publishers know this and
have access to artists who can develop
charts, graphs, diagrams, and drawings.
There are also agencies or freelance
designers or artists who can help doctors
develop animations for presentations,”
Moore stated.“When a publish-
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