Medical Writing: Getting Started and Getting Finished

Moving from an idea to a publishable article or chapter involves prewriting, collecting and organizing data, finding time to write a first draft, and then undertaking several revisions, each making the writing a little better. The quest is for a factual work that has style and clarity. This chapter tells about remedies when you get stuck, “red-flag” phrases, and how to work with a critical reader. In the end, the medical writer must overcome the tendency to perseverate and declare the work done.