If a session at a national meeting is too intimidating, give a paper at a regional meeting.

If the thought of giving a paper paralyzes you, sign up for a poster session [or a panel].

Follow up on the suggestions of those who attended your session and discussed your ideas.

As soon as you return from the conference, begin to rework your paper for publication.

Try a book review in your field.

Look for opportunities to collaborate with other faculty members in research and writing.

Encourage promising students to follow their research into publication, and offer to co-author when they are hesitant.

Write an article that critically reviews the literature in the field.

Consider a book of readings that gathers together the critical articles on a topic of controversy.

Write an article for a trade journal.

Write a textbook.

Write the best article you can, but don't write forever. The sixth draft will do.

Hire a writer to edit your article before sending it off.

Treat journal editors as people.

Keep your transmittal letter brief. You may even suggest a few reviewers for your article, stating why you think they would be good judges of quality.

Do not submit articles simultaneously to different journals.

Deal positively with rejection.

Be willing to fail, and to try again.

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Presented as a handout for participants at the "Scholarly and Professional Writing Workshop," sponsored by ORD, Ypsilanti, September, 1994. Reprinted by permission of Robert Lucas.