TOP 10 SECRET TIPS:
7. WRITE WITH A PURPOSE AND OUTCOME IN MIND. Like DUHHH! Everyone is bombarded with material to read in every form coming from every direction. Why are you writing? Why should anybody read what you write, even the niche you identified in Tip 8?
Answer these questions:
What can you contribute that’s new? (Or, tell me something I don’t know.)
What can you contribute with a different spin from anyone else?
What problem can you solve?
How can you help someone?
Who will benefit or gain?
Who cares?
How can you make a colleague a better researcher, teacher, or clinician?
How can you make someone’s life
• easier?
• healthier?
• safer?
• more meaningful?
• more productive?
• more efficient?
• more influential?
• more satisfying?
In other words, “Your writing is all about your readers; it’s not about you. It’s what you can do for them that counts” (Berk’s Law, 2010). Match your expertise to your readers’ needs.
These questions have to be answered whether you’re writing a blog, report, research article, or book. If the outcome isn’t a significant contribution to your discipline or to your readership, they won’t read your blog or article or buy your book. Your writing must be salable to your readers.
(Up Close & Personal: You’re probably thinking: “Where are the jokes you promised?” They’re sprinkled here and there, hither and yon, ying and yang. What you really wanted to ask was: “Why am I writing another piece on ‘writing’ in an already overcrowded field?” Great question. I thought I answered it previously, but maybe you were busy checking out my French derivation of niche. Wasn’t that a pip?
Although writing [but not necessarily publishing] is expected of all academicians, I don’t think most search for sources on how to write [or publish], no matter how much they may struggle. I thought my blog series could not only suggest a few new pointers, but also provide an easily accessible, anonymous, high security, secretive, covert, and free platform for a concise Berk’sNotes® resource. No one will ever know you peeked. Go ahead. Peek. I know you want to.)
My next blog will take you to Tip 6: how to pick topics about which you are passionate. We’re back to the heart of writing agaaain!
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
WHY WRITING?
I receive occasional requests from junior faculty and students, usually on my LinkedIn professional network, for tips on writing and publishing. It seems everybody has to write, especially professsionals in all fields. No one can escape. Writing-wise, it’s kinda like “No Professional Left Behind!.” People are talking less and texting and typing on social media networks more than at any time previously. They’re writing more, but not necessarily at a high level of quality.
Just about everybody (meaning, colleagues) I talk to about writing has problems writing. Most are not satisfied with the quality and/or quantity of what they write. They feel they can produce more and always do it better. But it’s tough to do.
There are buckets of books, online writing groups (academic and nonacademic), workshops, and other resources that can help you in your writing quest. So why do I need to throw my blog into the writing ring? Because I know you love my metaphors and I might be able to contribute some new tidbit of advice that might shoot your writing to levels beyond your wildest imagination, or maybe not. I thought I’d give it a whirl, plus, my blogs are free and occasionally funny. The other options are neither.
WHAT THIS BLOG DOES NOT COVER
If you’re interested in publishing pointers, fawgettaboutit. Two previous blog series dealt with writing and publishing for professional journals (4/22—5/9/10) and books (9/18—10/5/09). This blog is also not about grammar and mechanics. Spelchek and copy editors do a great job with that.
WHAT THIS BLOG COVERS
It’s about strategies to improve the quality and quantity of what you write professionally, but also personally. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a research, theoretical model, lit review, historical, commentary, or even murder mystery piece, OR a blog, e-mail, social media comment, article, chapter, or book. These are generic suggestions that work, I think.
TOP 10 SECRET TIPS PREVIEW
Here’s the list that will be addressed in the next few blogs:
10. WRITE EVERYDAY
9. WRITE EVERYWHERE YOU CAN
8. WRITE FOR A NICHE
7. WRITE WITH A PURPOSE AND OUTCOME IN MIND
6. WRITE ON TOPICS ABOUT WHICH YOU ARE PASSIONATE
5. ADOPT A MENTOR OR COACH TO REVIEW DRAFTS
4. THINK DRAFT
3. PROOFREAD THOROUGHLY
2. MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS AND INTERRUPTIONS
1. FIND AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER OR WRITING GROUP
Read any, all, or none of the upcoming blogs on these tips. If you just get 1 or 2 ideas from this series, it will have been a total waste of my time. I’m shooting for 3. Let me know my hit rate and any comments or suggestions, as usual. My next blog will examine how to WRITE EVERYDAY.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
HOW DO YOU RESPOND?
Professionally, we get smacked and whacked all the time from end-of course student ratings, peer evaluations, annual reviews, promotion and tenure reviews, journal article and book rejections, and grant rejections, to name just a few. Some of these can be difficult to swallow on a regular basis and you may scratch your hairy or bald heads for answers; others can be devastating to your career path. We encounter all types of disappointments and failures on our academic journey. (See September 6, 2009 blog on “Rejection and Failure in Academe.”)
As noted in a previous blog, the issue is not whether we will fail, because we will; it’s how we respond to failure that our bosses, colleagues, family, and friends will be watching. It’s our response that counts.
ARE YOU A RISK-TAKER?
The athletes we watched for 16 days are risk-takers, baring it all mentally and physically for us to observe. They push the largest envelope you can imagine on the slopes, rinks, and halfpipes. When they cross the finish line, most wear their emotions on their tights.
What about you? Do you consider yourself a risk-taker or do you usually play it safe and operate within your comfort zone? Those of us who teach, write, and conduct research on the edge will take more hits than the rest of you.
A FEW LESSONS ON LOSING:
So what can we learn about “losing” from observing Olympian winners and losers? Although we’re not wearing their skates or ski boots, their messages are loud and clear:
1. A bad loser is always ugly.
2. Take risks, but be willing to take the hits.
3. Put 200% effort into anything of significance worth doing.
4. See beyond your failures. Don’t dwell on your failure; look toward your next event.
5. Learn lessons from your failures. Make adjustments before your next attempt.
6. Don’t let your failure define you. Failing is just a single event; you’re not a failure. Even a long string of failures does not define who you are.
7. After you fail, “KEEP MOVING FORWARD.” Persevere in spite of any setbacks—large or small.
BOTTOM LINE: Maybe this blog said nothing new to you. Sorry about that. Perhaps, at minimum, it’s just a reminder that if you’re a player in the academic game or any other game, you should play because you love it. It’s not just another job, like greeter at Walmart; it’s more of a calling. The operative word is “passion” for teaching, writing, research, clinical practice, or service. The sacrifices are too great and the journey is too hard if you’re only in it for the awards. There are so many winning gold medal professors, but so few awards that recognize them.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
