How to write a medical original article: Advice from an Editor

OBJECTIVES: To provide guidelines for potential authors on how to increase the chances of their manuscript being accepted, with a review focusing on writing an original medical article. METHODS: This review reflects the personal experience of the present author, who has extensive experience as an author, reviewer and editor. RESULTS: To write an original article successfully, there are three essential requirements, the ‘basic triad’ of an original article. These are subjects worth reporting, knowledge of the basic structure of an article, and knowledge of the essential mechanics of good writing. This review details each of the three items. CONCLUSIONS: Writing, like every other art, cannot be learned wholly from books or lectures, but can be learned largely by experience. The best training is to start the task and persevere. The act of writing, like surgical techniques, must be learned the hard way, by practice and perseverance. Anyone can start writing but only a good writer can finish the task.