“Revival of the Soul
Through Creative Writing”

Brad Burke, MD, FRCPC
CMDS National Conference
White Rock, BC
2009

Directions: Copy and paste the information below into your Word or Wordperfect document. If you have any problems, please contact me by clicking on the link to the right “Contact Brad Burke” and I will email you the attachment.

CME Objectives:

• Guide you through the difficult processes involved in publishing.

• Demonstrate how to use creativity as a means of reducing stress in your life as a busy professional.

• Show how the effective telling of your story can bring healing to others.

• Help you leave a written legacy for those who follow, as they re-live our journey through our words

A) How to get published:

1) Pick a topic you’re passionate about
a) What really stirs your soul to write?

2) Is it publishable?
a) Is it something new?
b) Is it something old, repackaged?

3) Where will it be published?
a) magazine, book, internet?
b) tailor article for the specific publication

4) Query letters and book proposals
a) “10 Steps to a Magazine Query”

http://www.ezinearticles.com/?10-Steps-to-a-Magazine-Query&id=34491

b) How to write a book proposal:
http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/Downloads/WritingABookProposal.pdf

5) Beating the “Slush pile”
a) Attending writing conferences is a good place to meet agents and editors
b) The largest Christian Writing organization, The Word Guild, has helped
many authors get published. http://www.thewordguild.com

6) Platform: basically anything that puts you in the limelight to sell more books
a)It’s not impossible for a new author to get published these days.
Just more difficult than 10 or 20 years ago.

7) Bonus: Writing as a business:
a)Conferences, lodging, book purchases, software, computers, desks, and living space
use as an office can usually be a tax deductions for authors.

B) Using Creativity to Reduce Stress in One’s Life

Longer-term benefits of expressive writing

Health outcomes
• Fewer stress-related visits to the doctor
• Improved immune system functioning
• Reduced blood pressure
• Improved lung function
• Improved liver function
• Fewer days in hospital
• Improved mood/affect
• Feeling of greater psychological well-being
• Reduced depressive symptoms before examinations
• Fewer post-traumatic intrusion and avoidance
Symptoms

Social and behavioural outcomes
• Reduced absenteeism from work
• Quicker re-employment after job loss
• Improved working memory
• Improved sporting performance
• Higher students’ grade point average
• Altered social and linguistic behaviour

From Baikie, K., Wilhem, K., (2005) “Emotional and Physical Healthy benefits of Expressive Writing,” Advances in Psychiartric Treatment (2005) 11, 338-346

Meta Analysis of health benefits

• Meta-analysis 13 studies
• Expressive writing in healthy participants
• Significant benefit P< .0001 in objective or self reported physical health, psychological & general functioning
• Effects of expressive writing similar to effects of other more time-consuming and expensive psychological interventions

(Smyth, J.M. (1998) “Written emotional expression. Efect sizes, outcome types and moderating variables.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 174-184 )

“Writing about important personal experiences in an emotional way for as little as 15 minutes over the course of three days brings about improvements in mental and physical health. This finding has been replicated across age, gender, culture, social class, and personality type.”

(Pennebaker, J., Seagal, J, “Forming a Story: The Health Benefits of Narrative,” Journal of Clinical Psychology, 55(10) (1999), 1243-1254.)

Text Aloud (Text to Speech software) plus ATT natural voices (check out www.nextuptech.com)

C) Show how the effective telling of one’s story can bring healing to others

Below is a letter received from a reader:

Dear Dr. Burke

Thank you so very much for sharing your life stories and experiences in the format of writing. Today I read your article in “Hot Apple Cider”. It was an incredible direct miraculous answer to my prayers.

Only yesterday I had prayed and asked God to speak to me during this Christmas season as I have been very discouraged and frustrated. I am not doing “what I think” I am supposed to be doing in life and it is has been very difficult for me to keep believing that God’s plans and ways are better than mine.

The years have been going by and no doors have opened for the dreams God has placed in my heart. It seems like my years of training, learning and experience are such a waste. Many Christians do not understand what it is like for someone to seemingly sit on the shelf while others around them are excitedly living out the dreams God has given them.

Your article breathed the very reassurance of God into the deepest part of my soul. He does know what he is doing and his plans are better than mine. I am not alone in this experience and he chose to show me that through your article.

A day after my prayer, God gave me the Christmas gift I asked for in the form of your article. He gave me the reassurance that he does know what he is doing and that I am where I am supposed to be at in life. How I needed to be reminded that he knows what he is doing especially since I cannot see the big picture.

Thank you so very much for sharing your life. You truly are a blessing. I hope this note will somehow create in you the knowing that God uses you to bless others in ways you cannot see through your writing. Your writing time was and is not wasted. You are appreciated by the people who read your articles.

I pray God will richly bless you and your family!!

Esther

D) Leaving a Written legacy through writing

1) Luke Author of the Gospel of Luke and Acts
2) David Livingstone, MD
3) Paul Brand, MD
4) Margarat Brand, MD
5) Richard Swenson, MD
6) Jean Chamberlain Froese, MD

You could write a magazine article, someone could take it with them to Tailand, or Australia, or Zambia, or you could write an article that was published on the internet and someone could instantly download it or send it to all their friends, who would send it to their friends, and tens or hundreds of thousands of people could read the article you wrote. You have no idea where your writing will turn up, or how God will use it once it is published.

As important as it is the be used as an instrument of God’s grace and mercy in healing those who are physically sick, we must remember Christ’s words, “What profit a man if he gain the whole world but lose his own soul?” What profit a man if he has the very best physical health, but his spiritual sickness sends him to hell, eternally separated from God. Writing is one means whereby we can offer treatment for the spiritual sickness in our world, leaving a legacy for those who follow. The written word really does have the power to create vision, the power to influence change, and the ability to inspire.

By way of the internet and other marvels of technology, we have to potential to reach more people, in more cultures, in more locations, in more eras than we could have ever imagined. “Revival of the soul (your soul, your patient’s soul, the soul of lost humanity) through creative writing.” It’s a reality. Are you up for the challenge?

Brad Burke, MD, FRCPC
© 2009

References:

1. Baikie, K., Wilhem, K., (2005) “Emotional and Physical Healthy benefits of Expressive Writing,” Advances in Psychiartric Treatment (2005) 11, 338-346
2. Greenhalgh, T. (1999). “Writing as therapy. Effects on immune mediated illness need substantiation in independent studies.” British Medical Journal, Jul 31; 319(7205):270-1.
3. Pennebaker, J. W. & Seagall, J. D. (1999). “Forming a Story: The Health Benefits of Narrative.” Journal of Clinical Psychology, 55(10), 1243–1254.
4. Pennebaker, J. W. (2000). “Telling stories: the health benefits of narrative.” Literature and Medicine, 19(1), 3-18.
5. Smyth, J.M. (1998) “Written emotional expression. Efect sizes, outcome types and moderating variables.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 174-184
6. Smyth, J. M., Stone, A. A., Hurewitz, A., & Kaell, A. (1999). “Effects of writing about stressful experiences on symptom reduction in patients with asthma or rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized trial.” Journal of the American Medical Association, 281(14), 1304-9.

Book Recommendations:

1) “How to Get Happily Published,” by Judith Appelbaum

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Collins; 5 Sub edition (April 8, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062735098
• ISBN-13: 978-0062735096
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches

2) “Christian Writers Market Guide 2009″ by Sally Stuart

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press; Pap/Cdr edition (January 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307446433
• ISBN-13: 978-0307446435
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.3 inches

In case you’re wondering….

While Brad did complete a year of surgical training to become a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation specialist, he is not a “surgeon” as described on the back covers of some of the books. This unfortunate error will be corrected in subsequent printings.