As surgeons, we have led remarkable lives and experienced things that very few have the privilege of witnessing. Experiences that stretch across the entire spectrum of emotions from elation to devastation.
In my podcast with SurgeonMasters, we discussed an important aspect of a physician’s life—Creativity!. Exploring your creative side can be an essential aspect of your physical and mental health. Whether it’s woodworking, painting, writing, or some other right-brain activity, I encourage my colleagues to dive deep into this divinely inspired aspect of our being.
Because I often hear from fellow surgeons that they would love to write, I want to follow up on the podcast with some practical tips for this path to creativity. Whether it’s non-fiction or a fictional story that simmers in your brain, how in the world do you know where to start?
Start Telling Your Story
Now for the disclaimer…my true claim to fame is that I flunked second grade. I couldn’t (or wouldn’t) read. Later on, I barely passed high school English, and to this day, can’t spell for the life of me. When my first book, Maya Hope, was published, my parents were shocked!
How do you go from a second grade failure who can’t spell to a USA Today best-selling author? You don’t do it alone. Unlike the independent spirit and self-reliant talent that many of us rely on in our day-to-day practice of medicine, you need a community of helpers and encouragers. For me, it came ten years ago with a sweet high schooler who was working as the check-out person in a bookstore. We began chatting, and I nonchalantly mentioned an idea for a book, and she told me, “I think you have a story to tell.”
She offered to read the first few chapters once they were finished. So, I started…and this is the first and most crucial tip…start! Let go of perfectionism and the worry of making a mistake (hard for us surgeons) and begin to let words drip onto the keyboard. I use this metaphor on purpose. When I first started to write, I was only able to get one paragraph done, and now I write up to 3,000 words a day.
The second tip from the book, Bird by Bird. Write a shitty first draft. Believe me, there are going to be plenty of revisions. One of my editors once told me, “You know Tim, you’re going to have to stop making up your own sentence structure!”
The third tip is, don’t do it alone. There are a ton of resources out there and a whole community of people to guide, encourage, and help you if you ask. I am one of them. Please feel free to reach out to me: authortimothybrowne@gmail.com.
You have a story to tell!
Other ways to connect:
About the Author – Timothy Browne, MD
Timothy Browne, MD draws from life and work experience when writing. For many years, he has worked as an orthopaedic surgeon and medical missionary for Operation Blessing, Mercy Ships, and Hope Force International. His work has taken him to Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Brazil, Ukraine, Borneo, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, North Korea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Haiti and Sierra Leone. He now resides in Western Montana with his wife, Julie, who along with their three sons, served with him.