Is it time...
...to change your routine?
Moments of Reflection
Now that September is here, the rhythm of life falls into a regular cadence. Are you taking a moment for yourself to stop and record what’s happening around you? Inside you?
Journal and jot. Inspect and celebrate. Use the new schedule to your advantage to write on a regular basis.
Put your experiences into words. Express. Influence. Inspire.
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I’m happy to help you with your writing project. Get in touch and we’ll make it happen.
Check out the newsletter for all the ways you can get support for your writing goals.
In This Issue
Feedback Focused
Community Rally
Retreat into Autumn
Sub Plot
Prime Mover
Getting Acquainted
Core Value
Feedback Focused
You’ve spoken. I’ve listened.
"I liked that this was a small group for more intimate feedback."
"The piece de resistance was the feedback portion."
"I especially appreciated the feedback for my essay - it helped give me direction in how to finally finish it."
"I liked the direct feedback."
"I really enjoyed reading everyone's writing."
"I got encouragement to keep writing."
"Honesty and kinship."
"I actually liked it was a forum just for doctors, although I'm sure other healthcare providers would benefit as well."
After three rounds of writing conferences for doctors, it’s clear your favorite part is the feedback and discussion component. With your direction in that regard, I’m retiring the conference structure and introducing a new virtual offering with a new focus: The Doctors Writing Workshop, Sunday, Dec. 7 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Eastern.
Submit 1,500 words in any style or genre, about any subject. Write what’s on your mind! I’ll lead the feedback and we’ll discuss each submission as a group. Maximum enrollment is six, so reserve your spot as soon as possible.
Learn more here: https://www.ironedwordsproductions.com/doctors-writing-workshop
Community Rally
DocWriteRx™ is going strong as a forum for exchanging our thoughts and experiences as doctors.
In the September issue of DocWriteRx™, read the words of urologist Dr. Diana Londoño about her take on doctors and social media. It will come to your inbox on September 9th.
Subscribe for full access to all issues — current and past.
Retreat into Autumn
Come nurture your writing craft at the Ironed Words Writing Retreat, nestled in the charming town of Washington, Pennsylvania!
Escape the distractions of daily life and immerse yourself in a truly productive writing experience. Our retreat offers:
Uninterrupted writing time: Dedicate yourself to your manuscript in a peaceful and inspiring environment.
Dynamic group meetings: Connect with fellow writers, share your progress, and receive constructive support.
Exclusive author meet-and-greets: Network with talented local authors from Pittsburgh, sharing their journeys and tips for success.
Conveniently located in Washington, Pennsylvania, our hotel setting provides the perfect blend of productivity and comfort. You'll be just a stone's throw away from fantastic shopping outlets and a lively casino, offering opportunities for relaxation and entertainment during your downtime. Plus, our prime location makes us easily drivable from many major cities around Pittsburgh, ensuring a hassle-free journey.
Don't miss this opportunity to ignite your creativity and propel your writing forward!
Saturday, November 1 to Monday, November 3, 2025
Click the link to learn more: https://www.ironedwordsproductions.com/fall-2025-ironed-words-writing-retreat-by-iwp
Sub Plot
Get your words in an upcoming issue of DocWriteRx™!
Please write 100 to 500 words on one of these topics…
How do you engage with patients who are addicted to drugs or alcohol?
Who are your role models and what did they teach you?
What do you wear to work and why?
Feel free to get creative. You may write an essay, a sonnet, a speech. Stretch your imagination.
Upon publication, the author will receive a free premium subscription of Healing Ink™ for one year, an $80 value. That includes all paywalled material and future bonuses in that year.
Click on the button below to submit.
Prime Mover
This month in the primer, more on narrative medicine with Part IV: Challenges and the Future.
Subscribe for full access to Writing & Storytelling in Healthcare: the Primer.
Getting Acquainted
My favorite rotation in medical school at the University of Pittsburgh was neurology.
I liked that it was a medical specialty, not a surgical one. I liked the emphasis on physical exam and the more reasonable hours than general internal medicine.
My neurology rotation came early in my third year. Much to my delight, I was assigned to a private neurology group with a brand new office building just around the corner from my apartment in Shadyside.
I bonded with the four doctors in the group. They fit my vision of what I wanted to be someday as a practicing physician. They seemed to like me, too, and agreed to write my recommendation letters.
Later in the year, I was thrilled to receive an invitation to their grand opening party to celebrate their new office and building. Lots of important doctors came to partake of the festivities with a lavish spread and flowing champagne. It struck me as quite posh. I felt privy to something exclusive.
To my surprise, at the end of the evening, one of the attendings, as hosts do, gave me a cordial kiss on the cheek as I said goodnight. My heart soared. Not in a romantic way, but in a proud way. From my observation, this gesture, this social convention, was reserved for grown-ups. In that moment, I felt like I had arrived at adulthood.
With modern mores, that parting may not be well-received today. Even though culture and customs change, it’s a stand-still moment I won’t forget, and a moment that shaped my self-perception as a young adult.
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What experience or gesture made you feel all grown up? What moment for you demarcated youth from adulthood?
Core Value
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
See you next month for the next dose of Healing Ink™.
Check out our sister publication on Substack, Hot Off the Iron.
— Maria Simbra, MD, MA, MPH, Director and Principal of Ironed Words Productions, LLC