By Rebecca Segal
In every job we serve, we learn. Whether you’re journaling to sort through your thoughts or crafting an article to share best practices, writing is an important part of the growth process. At FTGN, we focus on sharing those reflections.
If you’ve wanted to learn how to craft an article or help somebody else to do so, Military Review and The Harding Project teamed up to bring you answers. This week, Military Review published a series on military writing, capturing everything from its history to its ‘how-to’. The authors come from across the Army writing enterprise, bringing a diverse set of experiences, and there are forwards written by both the Chief of Staff of the Army and Sergeant Major of the Army, underscoring the importance of writing to the army profession. There are articles on topics ranging from how professional writing can save lives to how to write a dissenting opinion successfully to how to write a speech.
Not sure where to start? Check out:
- “How to Write an Article” CPT Theo Lipsky.
Not convinced on the impact of professional writing or want a history of its value?
- “John Wayne at His Writing Desk: The Origins of Professional Journals” by Dr. JP Clarke.
- “Renewing Professional Writing” by LTC Zachary Griffiths.
- “Muddy Boots and Powerful Pages: Why We Write” by SFC Leyton Summerlin.
Trying to build a community of writers or get yourself involved?
- “Building and Running an Online Forum” by LTC Erik Davis and LTC Nicholas Frazier.
- “Catalyst Papers: A Practical Writing Style for Army Leaders to Share Ideas” by LTC Max Ferguson.
- “Building a Community: How to Create a Professional Writing Network” by LTC Nate Finney.
- “Writing is a Team Sport: How to Find and Write with a Coauthor” by MAJ Brennan Deveraux and CPT Leah Foodman.
- “How to Develop and Run a Unit Writing Program” by MAJ Ryan Van Wie and LTC Jay Ireland.
Want to work on improving the article so that you can submit it for publication?
- “A Writer’s Guide to Giving and Receiving Feedback” by CPT Rebecca Segal.
- “Rewriting: The Secret to Writing Well” by Dr. Trent Lythgoe.
- “Your Draft is Done, Now What? Working with an Editor” by Mr. John Amble.
- “Punctuation Mark: Article Selection by Professional Publications” by COL Todd Schmidt and COL(R) William Darley
Trying to dive more into a special topic?
- “With All Due Respect: How to Foster Dissent in the U.S. Army” by LTC Matt Jamison.
- “From PME to Publication” by MAJ Richmond Gordon and MAJ Brennan Deveraux.
- “How to Write a Book Review” by LTC Zachary Griffiths.
- “Speech: It’s a Technique” by MAJ George Fust.
The articles will be accessible online at Military Review or in the print issues distributed to every installation. I encourage you to read this Special Issue of Military Review when it is published—and then submit your piece to a publication like From the Green Notebook!
Rebecca Segal grew up in Massachusetts, graduated from Amherst College, and is a field artillery officer. She edits for The Harding Project and From the Green Notebook.
