Writing for professional development and for the profession: the RIM field needs its professionals to write and contribute to the field's knowledge, but many do not do so because they are not aware of many basic, helpful tools available to them.

• Author: Cox, Richard J.
• Position: CAREER PATH

Records and information management (RIM) practitioners often strenuously argue for the need for good, practical publications to aid their work. Although the major RIM professional associations all feature energetic publication programs, there is a lack of researchers and writers to contribute to them. This is a professional dilemma; without a strong body of knowledge, regularly refreshed, the RIM community has no claim as a profession.

Many factors limit RIM practitioners from contributing to the professional literature. For example, many argue that they do not have time to engage in such activities, which they often consider extracurricular. Many also lack training in basic research methods. In addition, RIM professionals may be reluctant to discuss their own work or records issues related to their organizations due to proprietary and other restrictive issues.

However, the greatest barrier preventing RIM professionals from contributing to the professional literature may be a lack of comfort in writing for publication. Writing well is a skill acquired through hard work, trial and error, and practice. Learning to write also requires a thick skin, developed through criticism, rejection, and experienced mentoring.

Read to Write

Reading is essential to developing a well-rounded personal and professional life. Because nearly every successful writer attributes part of his or her success to reading, working professionals must recognize that good reading leads to good writing. There are many practical guides that will help working professionals determine how to write for a professional or scholarly journal. (See sidebar, page 43.)

There is another great way to learn about writing: reading about the experiences of well known, accomplished fiction and nonfiction writers. (See sidebar, page 44.) Fiction and creative writers are generally most useful for comments on style, creativity, the task of writing, working with agents, getting published, and other aspects of the writing life. Writers who have prepared memoirs about their work also can be a big help.

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Anne Lamott has written one of the best writing guides. Drawing from her personal experience, Lamott's Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life is the classic, inspirational guide for those writing. In a witty and lively fashion, the author discusses all facets of writing, from planning a project to dealing with multiple rejections of finished pieces. As she strongly asserts, writing is not a magical process, but it is hard work, marked by trial and error, discouragement, and often, unexpected results.

Tell a Story

Storytelling is a critical aspect of writing. Every writer is telling a story. Stories of great interest may emerge from even the most mundane events or activities. One aspect of professional writing that is often forgotten or minimized is its...