by Mike Everett
Army senior leaders want to hear what you have to say. You don’t have to take my word for it–General Randy George, the Army Chief of Staff, has been very clear about his call for Army leaders to put pen to paper. The Harding Project is the most recent tool, which uses multiple strategies to incentivize writing for publication. The Army needs you to be all you can be, including as a writer. But you’re not a writer… You’re not sure where to start… This call is for someone else, right?
Wrong. I want to address some of your questions and concerns regarding writing for publication (AKA for the betterment of the Force). Below are some questions or misconceptions you may have when writing for an audience.
“I’m not a writer.”
I am willing to bet you believe you are a good leader. You do the job, set the example, and stay out front. While this is undoubtedly true, you only affect the performance, character, and experience of the small group of people you lead daily. Your sphere of influence is small. Your wisdom may seem trivial in the vacuum of your past positions, but there is an opportunity to share your knowledge with the rest of the Army. The Army isn’t looking for the next Dickens or Hemmingway–if we were, you wouldn’t be reading this! We need tested leaders to share their thoughts in a relatable way. If you believe you are the leader you claim to be, dare to send your knowledge into the world through written mediums.
“But I’ve never written anything that school or the Army didn’t require.”
Neither had anyone else… until they did. You are an average person who reads a normal amount of material online and in print. The audience is just like you! How refreshing would it be to read an article that was short, to the point, and written in plain English? That is all your future readers are looking for. The myth is that being “published” means you are an academic in an ivory tower writing from behind a stack of accomplishments. Academic jargon and complex terminology are occasionally appropriate, but many military practitioners are not interested in receiving information this way. Your ideas should be presented in a way that speaks to your intended audience, not necessarily an academic article like those we were assigned in school. The audience for your work is just like you, and they are thrilled when someone shares a relatable idea or argument. The Army is interested in your ideas, experiences, and innovation, regardless of your choice of verbs and adjectives.
“I’ve read a few articles here and there. They seem to be written by people with more experience and writing skills than me.”
You are reading the final product of a long and extensive editing process. There is no requirement to submit a written piece ready to be published tomorrow. The articles you read sound like they do because of this iterative editing process. No publishing outlet worth its salt will release an article on its platform that doesn’t represent itself well. There are entire editing teams assembled at all the major military publishing outlets online and in print that spend hours and weeks polishing your piece. So, do not be intimidated by the final product; know that eventually, your work can read like the ones you’ve read.
“What would I write about, and who would care about what I have to say?”
The thousands of leaders and Soldiers doing the job you are in or the job you just left care about seeing your experiences in print. How many future Platoon Leaders or Platoon Sergeants scoured the internet for reading material and resources to prepare? It would have been refreshing to stumble into written accounts from leaders who have already held those positions. Few resources are more helpful heading into a new position than the written work of those who have been doing it for months or years before you. Doctrine sets a foundation, but your experience is irreplaceable. Just as reading can prevent mistakes, writing can prevent others from making your mistakes. The decision to share your hard-earned wisdom could save lives or, at the very least, help new leaders excel faster.
“Do I need to use big words and complex concepts for people to take me seriously as an author?”
Every piece will require a different tone and style. Before you start typing, think about the audience for this specific article. Engrain that image in your brain and write like you are talking to this person throughout your piece. Sophisticated verbiage and complex terminology have their place, but they rarely speak to the masses or the audience you intend to reach. Often, better answers need not be buried in esoteric or academic terms. Being a genuine and approachable author allows your message to reach more audiences in various fields.
The bottom line is: be you. Do not try to write like you are someone else. There is likely a better time to show the world how smart you are and how many hundred-dollar words you know. This is the time to share your own thoughts, ideas, and contributions to the profession with the broadest audience possible. Alienating people will only prevent your work from reaching your intended audience. Check your academic ego at the door and keep it simple.
“Okay, I’m in. Where do I start?”
Reflect. Record. Reflect again. Open a Word document and start typing. Start recording your gripes, leadership critiques, equipment woes, and any other idea that may have popped into your head over your years of school or service. Your internal dialogue has generated topics and ideas for years, waiting for you to write them down. Whether it is a legitimate idea or a senseless vendetta doesn’t matter. Your initial impression of your idea may need to be revised. The important thing is to record your raw thoughts and sort out the value later. Once you have your list of ideas, close your computer and reengage tomorrow.
Now, you have had time to refresh your mind as an eager writer (and not a cynic). Reapproach each idea and determine whether it is valid or not. Is there enough evidence and material to write a 750-1,500-word piece supporting this idea? If yes, create an outline, refine that outline with more information and sources as required, and write. Just write. Your first draft will be terrible. In fact, you may struggle to read it as you think, “What was I thinking when I wrote that?” Your initial draft is a far cry from your final product, but the framework of your idea or argument will survive.
That is what the editing process is for. You’re mistaken if you think an outlet, regardless of formality, will publish something that is not grammatically correct and stylistically sound. Many of the publication outlets online are willing to take your idea and help you craft it into a written piece that communicates precisely what you are trying to share. You are not expected to send in a complete, ready-to-publish work. Remember those teams of editors I mentioned? They genuinely enjoy working with you to craft the piece you envision. Spoiler… that is not the piece you submit. Write down your ideas in a format that you believe will get your point across. The editor will work with you to mold it into an article championing your concept.
But while editors are crucial to the process, perhaps the most important step is self-editing. The struggle of reading your own writing is normal, much like hearing your voice on a recording (I can’t be the only one). Once you have your initial draft, edit it. Then edit again. Send that not-so-final product to a couple of senior mentors, a friend, your mom, or whoever will read it and give you honest feedback. Diversify your reader audience to get a wide variety of perspectives–just be careful not to take this too far, causing analysis paralysis and endless drafts. Consolidate the suggested edits and make those that make sense. Then, submit to multiple outlets and wait.
“Where should I submit my article?”
There are numerous options across the internet and print journals to show your work. If you are writing in a similar tone to this article, consider online blog sites like From the Green Notebook, Center for Junior Officers, Company Grade Leader, or The Angry Staff Officer. If you decide to write with a more professional and academic tone, a branch-specific or general Army journal may be the way to go. Additionally, the length of your piece must conform to the length requirements of your chosen publication. Regardless of formality, every publishing outlet has submission guidelines on their websites. Don’t let the submission process discourage you from publication. Some journals can take 12 to 15 months to publish, while online blog sites can take as little as 24 hours. Be patient, shop around, and trust the editing process. At this point, you’re too close not to follow through.
“My article was published! Now what?”
Share it! Use whatever online or social media platform you have and share your work. Self-promotion may seem cringy, but it is entirely acceptable after all the hard work you have put in. The entire purpose of writing for publication is to share your experience and knowledge. Your example may give others the confidence to share something of their own. This is not the time to be humble and rely on the publication outlet or your friends and family to share your work. Push it into the feeds and homepages. You have something important to say and did not intend for that message to go unheard, or you would not have gone through all that work. Oh, and congratulate yourself for doing something hard.
Other things to consider…
- Do you intend to ruffle some feathers? Or do you want to play it safe? Tell your editor. They will help you use the right words and phrases to meet that intent.
- If you haven’t figured it out already, your article is yours, no one else’s. While an editor or outlet will help you dial in your thoughts and clean up your grammar, they will not prevent you from making a point or sharing your message, regardless of the level of controversy. Remember that your words are yours; publishing them will freeze that thought in time.
- Not everything you write will get the attention you had hoped. Some articles will strike a chord and are shared across multiple social media platforms. Some articles will contribute to the conversation but may resonate with a smaller audience. The important thing is that you wrote something.
- Your article will never be perfect. You will not capture every variable, every element, every aspect, or every solution. Do not wait for your article to be a masterpiece before you submit it. What’s the saying? Just do it!
- Still not convinced or want more information? Find me on Global and send me a note!
MAJ Michael Everett is attending the College of Naval Command and Staff for Intermediate Level Education. He has 30 months of company command experience and has served as an FSNCO, Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, S-1, and S-2. Despite being an average writer, Mike has published multiple articles with the Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin and numerous online military blog sites.
