Table 3.

Tips for Incorporating Writing Into a Career

Tips for incorporating writing into an early career	Example
Talk about it	When you come across experiences that elicit an emotional or strong reaction, talk to someone you trust to commiserate, process, and articulate the problem you have encountered. This can be a nidus for a new manuscript.
Write at the beginning of the day	Authors K.C. and J.R. have a weekly, standing morning meeting to discuss and write on issues that are important to them. Early-morning writing is a time of freshness of approach and ideas. Some of the best ideas come early in the morning and spending this time writing together before the start of the workday sets the stage for a productive day and for a perspective for work that helps meet challenges head on.
Write immediately	Unlike writing a manuscript from a defined project, writing for wellness is a data dump, free flowing and spontaneous. All you need is a blank sheet of paper and to allow your thoughts to flow. When an idea comes, record it immediately. There will be opportunity later to edit and format the content for a peer reviewed submission.
Create writing groups	Writing groups provide opportunities to converse with others who may be dealing with similar challenges. Writing in groups creates accountability and allows for healing when members discuss issues that can be processed through writing.12,13
Ask for help	Conversations with senior leaders in academic medicine can help you process your emotions and capture your feelings on paper. They may have the experiences, perspective, and comfort to help process challenging experiences. Talk to senior authors at conferences, seek mentors, and ask how writing helps them.
Write for you	While the wellness of others is important and should be addressed, writing for wellness in the context of this paper is about writing for your wellness. Writing should be personally satisfying, bring a feeling or release and should be calming for your soul. This is a difficult career, and when you write you process issues. You can deal with strong emotions that are provoked by the injustices that all of us witness and experience in our jobs.