On psychs and writing

In my early years as a psychologist I was able to publish a fair number of research papers in professional journals. I was doing what had been drilled into me as a graduate student at Penn. Psychology (at least empirical psychology) was a scientific discipline and we are obliged to expand our science by publishing controlled, meaningful research in respectable, refereed journals. After several years of doing just that, most often in the area of mental retardation and habilitation of handicapped persopns, I had an epiphany. It wasn't the research that motivated me. Most of my studies were not that important or influential. It was the writing that drove me on--a visible validation of who I am and what I do. Compulsively I maintained by curriculum vitae and even saved copies of each paper in folders for my children, who would one day be grateful for the opportiunity to learn what their father did. They never did read those admittedly boring papers and I have have long since since discarded them. However, I continued to write in a more creative style outside the realm of psychology. I was less than successful. Of my 12 published books, only one was an attempt to reach a more general audience. Notes and Blots was a collection of short, autobiographical and annecdotal pieces. It was piublished, never marketed, and sold 43 copies. However it is still available on Amazon.com and occcasionally I buy a few used copies for friends.

There have been a few well known psychologists who were successful as popular writers. Hiam Ginot's Between Parent and Child, B. F. Skinner's Walden Two, and Robert Lindner's Fifty Minute Hour and Rebel Without a Cause are some notable examples.

My efforts to publish my first novel, Shrink, are on-going and somewhat painful.
I have learned that the actual writing is the least important part of the process. Finding a publisher, editing to specifications, and marketing are the most time consuming and least satisfying tasks. Presently I am having problems communicating with a review manager and have a bad premonmition that this odyssey may not end well for me. Time will tell. If successful, I will undoubtedly continue my feeble efforts at becoming a popular psychology writer. If not, I'm not sure that my
motivation will sustain itself.