Generally If I had only one word, I’d personally use “pinball” to explain my transition from academic surgery being an Associate Professor at Dartmouth to what I do now, combining locum tenens general surgery with being a thought leader in physician engagement and optimizing physician-hospital collaboration. Yet, writing appears to be more common thread at my iterative life journey. I learned that the text “author” and “authority” possess a common root, auctor, (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/authority) meaning writer, progenitor, accepted cause of information, power, and mastery.

I had a fortunate break that aided me write my first book, Better Communication for Better Care. In 2003, the head in the California Hospital Association who heard me present results of a consulting project, remarked, “This is the foremost are employed in any California community hospital, bar none,” and told the President in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) to inquire about me to teach a seminar there. As a consequence in the seminar, the acquisition editor of Health Administration Press, the publishing arm of the ACHE, informed me that she had a selection of 80-page Executive Essentials books and talked about if my seminar material would fit.

Once I said yes, she said, “Just because you have published over 40 articles, don’t think of this project for being an extended article. Writing a novel differs.” What I learned from the process is that:

Writing a book with a publisher requires others’ assistance: those who cannot adhere to others advising them re: title, cover design, length, and word-smithing are more well off self-publishing The main objective is on the needs in the target market: unlike a review article, that is a scholarly product, a book published by Health Administration Press must reflect the unmet needs of senior healthcare leaders, guiding them on the strategies and tactics work with physicians, not telling them how ignorant they’re given that they didn’t attend school of medicine After the book is published, the author’s job begins: at Health Administration Press, an advertising and marketing department of two oversees the launch of approximately 100 books within the catalog; it becomes the author’s responsibility to consider a vigorous role in marketing the book if s/he wants to publish another book within the future So, how can you market your book?

The Internet is a fantastic equalizer: you possibly can build buzz for the book even before it really is published through blogging; I personally use WordPress since it combines seamlessly with my website (http://healthcarecollaboration.com/blog/) LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/kencohn) is a great technique to get connected to fellow healthcare professionals; furthermore , it can provide links in your latest blog articles I maintain a Facebook page each of my books, (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Better-Communication-for-Better-Care/98165231327), (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Collaborate-for-Success/114669573209) I customize my email signature; my Hotmail account, which has my widest distribution, displays: Author of Better Communication for Better Care: Mastering Physician-Administrator Collaboration (2005) and Collaborate for Success! Breakthrough Strategies for Engaging Physicians, Nurses, and Hospital Executives (2006) http://healthcarecollaboration.com/books My mentor Sam Horn, educated me in, “Ink it whenever you think it.” I keep a pad of paper and a pen in my pocket, as well as on my bedroom nightstand for all those moments each time a thought comes to me. Others use the record button of their smart phones to capture ideas. For me, writing has been a wonderful journey which includes expanded my knowledge base and circle of colleagues and friends and which includes generated speaking and consulting invitations in 40 states, England, Sweden, Italy, and China.

I really hope that your writing journey is equally rewarding so you can keep me posted on your progress by writing me at ken.cohn@healthcarecollaboration.com

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