Professional Writing for the Human Services

Writing is an essential skill for all professionals. For the academic, the connection of writing skills to career success is clear: To be considered productive, one must be published in peer-reviewed journals and books. The practitioner, even if he or she chooses not to seek publication, also needs strong writing skills. Case records; reports; testimony—for local boards and committees, state legislatures, or Congress; letters; and other forms of written communication are a part of the daily work of the practitioner. However, most holders of advanced degrees still need help with writing skills.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has a tradition of helping authors. Beatrice Saunders, who directed the publishing program from its start in 1955 to 1980, delivered hundreds of writing workshops during her tenure and advised countless authors on how they might improve their skills. While Bea was director, NASW's program grew from one journal, a handful of books, and a yearbook to a major program with five journals and an encyclopedia. Twelve years after her retirement, she continues her work, serving as editor-in-residence at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service and traveling to give workshops and individual consultations.

Jacqueline Atkins, who directed the program from 1981 to 1987, continued the tradition of writing workshops and devoted considerable energy and skill to building the book program. After establishing royalty payments for books, Jacquie set out to attract authors who would build a reputation for NASW books.

I have attempted to follow my predecessors in providing services to authors. When NASW formally established the NASW Press in 1990, one of our major purposes was to offer more prestigious opportunities to prospective authors than we could with a publishing department. Publishing with the NASW Press, we believed, would enhance an author's reputation, whether they published in NASW's well-regarded journals or the book program.

All three directors have carried out their work in support of the NASW members to whom the press belongs. Hundreds of members have volunteered their time, energy, and skills to building the professional literature and helping their peers improve what they have written so that it can contribute to the knowledge base of the profession. Each new journal editor, each new book committee chair, each new editorial board has brought a fresh perspective and new ideas that advance publishing in social work and beyond.

The idea for Professional Writing for the Human Services emerged in a Book Committee meeting during which members reviewed a dozen proposals that could not be accepted. Concerned about the lack of skills they were seeing, members noted the need for a new reference work that would help authors improve their writing and understand the publishing process. In November 1990, the Book Committee formally requested that staff develop a reference work that would include contributions from members and staff.

As we considered the contents and structure of the book, we tried to offer materials that would help authors who wish to be published, as well as professionals who need help in improving their general writing and research skills. Consequently, we hope that parts I and III will be useful to readers, regardless of whether they want to be published. Parts I and III address writing techniques, research, graphic presentation, and the mechanics of spelling, punctuation, statistics, and so forth. The mechanics, which are taken from the NASW Press's internal style guide, were assembled to provide a reference for the problems we see most frequently. Part II and most of the appendixes look specifically at publication in professional books and journals. These chapters focus on peer review, submission for books and journals, and actual production procedures.

Throughout the book, although we often use NASW Press journals and books as examples, contributors have tried to provide information that applies to professional publications in many disciplines. (The details on submissions for NASW Press books and journals can be found in appendixes E and F.)

I believe that Professional Writing for the Human Services is an unusual book, both in the collaboration between staff and members and in its focus on the author. We did not want to have editors talk to each other about the esoterical aspects of peer review or publishing professionals describe new production techniques to each other, for example. Instead, we have attempted to give authors practical information that will help them write and publish. All of us who worked on the book hope that readers will find it useful.

Linda Beebe