Publishing and Your Professional Development Anne Katz, PhD, RN, FAAN Editor, Oncology Nursing Forum Lisa Kennedy Sheldon, PhD, ANP-BC, AOCNP® Editor, Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing Leslie McGee, MA Managing Editor, Oncology Nursing Society

From Novice to Editor Anne’s path: I LOVE writing. First published during baccalaureate program Peer reviewer Editorial Advisory Board Lisa’s path: Writing is a great way to communicate. First publication was a book. From there, moved to article publication and chapters Peer review and Editorial Board participation

Who Is Guiding You? Mentors can help you reach your goals. Mentoring can be formal or informal. Informal mentors: colleagues, coworkers, friends Mentors can be in your field—or not. Strong writers/readers can provide feedback and suggestions, even if they don’t know oncology nursing. Mentorship programs: pair novice writers with seasoned authors The Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing offers a formal program with dyads working to produce a full-length article over six months (

Who Is Guiding You? The journal editors can assist. Journal editors Letters of inquiry Ask before you write. Use constructive feedback to guide current and future articles. Associate editors Columns offer lower word counts than full-length articles. Column associate editors can provide guidance in content development.

Coauthor(s) Seek additional participation. Consider collaborating with a coauthor (or coauthors). Determine responsibilities before writing. Set expectations and establish roles. Define the order of authors on the byline Duties of primary versus secondary authors Author versus acknowledgment Authorship expectation without participation

Who Am I Writing for? Know your readers’ needs and write accordingly. Where do you reach your intended readers? Keep your readers in mind when developing ideas and content. What are the implications of your content on your readers? How can they apply it to their practice or setting?

What Should I Write About? What topics are you passionate about? What message do you want to share? Do you have new information and/or perspectives to offer? Unique case studies New measures, instruments, or tools Stories of patients and families Journal editors Letters of inquiry

Authorship Opportunities Start smaller, building to full-length articles. Newsletters Consumer publications Peer-reviewed publications Letters to the editor Response to published content Commentary Case studies Focused on a singular topic Clinical reviews and updates State-of-the-science papers Literature reviews Integrative or systematic reviews Research articles Qualitative or quantitative studies

Career Progression Build on your authorship experiences From co-authored articles to single or first authorship Book projects and chapters Single book authorship and editor roles Speaking engagements and speakers bureaus Academic progression and tenure Volunteer activities with publications Peer review boards Mentorship programs Editorial board participation

Word of Caution Investigate potential publishers before committing. So-called “predatory publishers” have increased significantly in recent years. Charge high author fees for minimal return. Use same or similar titles as established publications. See Beall’s list of predatory publishers for information. Look for the credibility clues. Typos, grammar oddities Contact information Rapid publication Listen to your instincts.

Resources Seek assistance. Your credibility is your most valuable commodity. Colleagues Editors and journal staff Author guidelines Industry-related publications Nurse Author and Editor: Newsletters from organizations, hospitals, and healthcare boards of nursing

Overview of the ONS Journals Offer double-blind peer-review process. Author guidelines Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing: Part of the journal’s mission is to mentor new nurse authors Oncology Nursing Forum: Currently has the #2 impact factor among nursing journals No author fees Indexed in CINAHL ®, MEDLINE ®, PsycINFO ®, and the British Nursing Index

Thank You for Your Time Questions? Anne Katz Lisa Kennedy Sheldon Leslie McGee