Getting published isn’t just for academics

“Publish or perish” is a well-known rule within the academic community. Most research-focused institutions require faculty to publish scholarly research and articles in peer-reviewed journals as part of their journeys to the treasured Land of Tenure and beyond. Publishing can show talent and solidify academics as thought leaders within their disciplines. The result can be professional growth and funding for their research interests and universities. An academic’s survival might depend on it.

As professional anti-fraud practitioners we should take a page out of academics’ playbooks and get published too. You don’t have to publish in academic scholarly journals. You can share your ideas in many trade and practitioner journals, magazines or newsletters, including Fraud Magazine. (Visit the Get Published page.) Though this magazine just covers anti-fraud topics, other publications that accept some anti-fraud manuscripts include Journal of Accountancy, Internal Auditing, Accounting Today and Security Management, among others.

Here I’ll address the reasons why you should consider publishing and provide some tips on how to get started.

Who’ll remember you in 100 years?

Your commitment to fighting fraud is noble, but your commitment isn’t enough. We all have practical experiences that are transferrable to others. We must share our lessons to better serve our profession, clients and the fraud victims.

I think of the many fraud fighters who came before us. Dr. Edwin Sutherland defined the concept of white-collar crime. Dr. Donald Cressey, an early brain trust of the ACFE, introduced the Fraud Triangle. Dr. Gilbert Geis, who helped build the ACFE, was a renowned scholar, criminologist and white-collar crime thought leader. Their legacies profoundly constructed the profession. They did us all a favor by sharing and not hoarding their lessons.

Leaving a legacy isn’t reserved solely for anti-fraud luminaries. We all have something of unique value to share. By contributing your thoughts and experiences in a public medium, you’re inviting the audience to enhance their knowledge and development.

You might experience a euphoric feeling in seeing your thoughts, ideas and experiences in print because it provides evidence that you’re vested in your profession. Of course, 100 years from now no one will be alive who personally knew you. However, you can leave a legacy for generations.

Professional brand

Donn LeVie Jr., a frequent contributor to this column in Fraud Magazine, provides great advice on creating your professional brand in the May/June 2012 issue, Develop your ‘professional brand’ to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

He states that writing articles for journals is a great way to develop “associative models” around name branding.

Practitioners should publish to advance their credibility and establish themselves as experts. Most jurisdictions require a court to assess an expert’s qualifications before allowing them to testify. According to the textbook, “Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination” (Hopwood, Leiner, and Young, McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2nd Edition), many factors go into assessing an expert’s qualifications including:

• Education, including degrees, training, and professional certifications (i.e. CFE).
• Experience working in the subject to which they’re testifying.
• Publications of books, papers, or articles (my italics for emphasis).
• Special awards and/or recognition in their fields.
• Presentations or professional speaking engagements.

Publishing might be just what you need to gain a competitive edge in job searches, career advancement or winning a request for a proposal on an engagement.

How to get published

Many people don’t jump the publishing hurdle because they think they have nothing of value to share. Hooey! Everyone has a worthy unique perspective. Here are some pointers to get you started.

Keep it simple stupid (KISS)

The best articles are simple. Ideally, you need a meaningful topic that will be beneficial to your peers. Take this column: It’s about publishing articles. It doesn’t get any simpler than that!

You don’t necessarily need to be a guru in the area about which you write. Case in point: I’m not a writing sage or have any real expertise in media or journalism. But when it comes to getting published, a strong desire to share an experience for the benefit and encouragement of others is most important.

A simple way to identify topics is to inventory and evaluate experiences you have had over the past year.

Have you given a recent anti-fraud presentation? Perhaps you can turn that into an article.

Have you worked an interesting fraud examination that entailed some unexpected twists and turns? Perhaps your experiences from that would provide practical pointers and transferrable lessons to others.

Have you recently made a career move? Perhaps sharing your process for evaluating that change and sharing obstacles you had to overcome would help others.

When developing a topic, remember KISS. An audience will be better positioned to digest simple concepts in which they can personally identify with and put into practice immediately.

‘We read to know we’re not alone’ — William Nicholson

I’m probably preaching to the choir, but to be published you need to read diversely and widely, which includes the appropriate publications to showcase your material. Editors can immediately tell if you’ve studied their publications.

For example, Fraud Magazine is a bi-monthly publication that’s a benefit to ACFE members. It has a diverse circulation population including CFEs, auditors, accountants, law enforcement, loss prevention personnel and bank compliance officers, among many others. Obviously, each job category has specific needs, but all want practical, anti-fraud principles and practices they can use today.

You must know a publication’s audience. No one, of course, would try to publish an article about sewing in the Journal of Accountancy.

A simple internet search will help you identify publications relevant to the profession. Thoroughly read several recent issues to familiarize yourself with a publication’s content, objectives, themes and writing style.

Most trade publications will contain two types of copy: feature articles and columns. Feature articles tend to be longer in length and provide information about unique topics that could apply to most readers and which the publisher might use to market that issue. Columns — shorter in length — provide information on specific subjects that are written by standing or rotating authors. (Personally, I’m an advocate of first-time column submissions to test the waters.)

Once you develop and identify a topic you then reach out to the publication’s editorial staff. I’ve found that most publication websites provide great information on manuscript submissions. Information will include whether you should first send a “query” (a pitch in outline or prose form describing the theme or content) and/or full submissions.

Be sure to follow simple contributors’ guidelines such as manuscript formatting, inclusion of case histories, avoiding commercialism etc. Most editors only review original manuscripts that you’re not simultaneously submitting to other publications.

Suppress your insecurity

Many are frightened about placing their thoughts, ideas and experiences in a public medium. (Alternatively, I wish more social media posters would have more fear!) You have to believe in the product you’re trying to write about. Some of the worst salesmen fail because they don’t really believe in the product they’re trying to sell.

Take solace in knowing that many trade publications rely on industry practitioners to provide unpaid content. (That’s right — most publications will pay you in complimentary copies and a bit of prestige!) Despite looming deadlines and skeleton crews, most editors will listen to your pitches. They need your copy, and they will edit it (and even rewrite it) if you have what they need.

Of course, not every publication will accept your submission. I’ve been turned down more times than I care to count. However, you have to be willing to take that initial step. (Fraud Magazine accepted this column!)

The pen is mightier than the sword

With a bit of forethought and sweat equity you can make a significant contribution to your profession. Leave a lasting legacy and begin positioning yourself as a thought leader and expert; consider writing an article for a potential publication. Cheers to great ideas fit for print!

L. Christopher Knight, CFE, CPA, is a forensic accountant in Indianapolis, Indiana, and an adjunct faculty member at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in Bloomington and Indiana University-East in Richmond. His email address is: lchristopherknight@yahoo.com.