Do you have an idea, experience, or knowledge that you feel other nurses can benefit from? Most nurses outside of academia or the policy arena don’t think about writing for publication as something that they should or must do.

But in AJN’s ongoing four-part series, “Writing for Publication: Step By Step,” author Karen Roush, PhD, RN, FNP, highlights the need to make nurses’ voices heard:

Think about all you know and all you do as a nurse. Think about the clinical expertise you bring to your practice, the insights you’ve gained through experience. Think about the problems you solve, improving patient care or creating systems that run more effectively and efficiently. And think about the times you’ve been present at life-defining moments, at moments of suffering and renewal, at beginnings and endings. You carry all of this with you—knowledge and skills, wisdom and insight. It’s time to share it.

In the series, Roush, former clinical managing editor of AJN and an assistant professor at both Lehman College, Bronx, New York, and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, shares her experience and inside knowledge in writing and publishing in practical, easy-to-digest articles that take nurses through the writing process, from start to finish.

The series helps nurses develop and sharpen their writing skills and learn the ins and outs of the publication process and how to submit an article for publication. It also provides resources and tips of the trade. The first article, “Becoming a Published Writer,” helps nurses create a “writing life” by offering advice on how to set aside time and space to write, and offers tools and resources to get started.

The second, “Writing your Manuscript: Structure and Style,” takes nurses through each section of a scholarly article, offers insight on how to organize and write a successful paper, and includes tips on what not to do. The third, “What Types of Articles to Write,” upcoming in AJN’s May issue, outlines the different types of articles journal editors are looking for. The final article, which will come out in June, covers the submission process, from the decision to submit to seeing the article in print.

We will be updating the series page as new articles are added, so check back in May and June for updates.