Align-ju FEATURE
We can provide you with detailed guidance on how to present your references, but when drafting your article you may find it useful to add the author ' s name and year beside each citation number, so if you change the order in which your references appear later on, you can easily renumber them correctly.
Step 3: Time to write
Now comes the fun bit! Don ' t overthink it, just start writing. You can begin with bullet points, a mind map or an outline with headings. Some writers like to start with the introduction to set the tone; others jump straight into the main content. Whatever works for you is fine. Get your ideas down before worrying about perfect phrasing and word count; you can polish it later.
When you ' re writing, use evidence to support your points but also include your own professional experience and make it clear when it ' s your opinion.
Adding tables, figures or images makes your article more engaging. If you ' re submitting your own images, please make sure they ' re submitted at the highest resolution( the biggest size you can send) and you have any necessary consents – we can advise you on this.
If you want to reproduce an image from a source article, you may need to obtain consent for its use( again, we can advise you on this), and you should always credit / cite the source of the figure or image, as you would do for any other reference.
When you add a table, write its number, title and any reference numbers above the table( as well as citing the reference numbers, where appropriate, in the table itself). When you add any figures or images, make sure to provide a caption for each one and include any relevant reference numbers.
Step 4: Edit and refine
When you ' ve finished your first draft, take a short break from it – a day or two is ideal. Then read it again with fresh eyes.
Ask yourself whether what you ' ve written is clear, concise and in a logical order. Double-check important facts such as medication names and doses, patient test results and key events.
If you are writing a clinical article, make sure your writing style is formal, with no‘ I’ or‘ you’, and no contractions( for example, write‘ cannot’ rather than‘ can ' t’). For reflective or experience-based pieces, a more conversational tone is fine, and case studies often mix both styles. VNJ uses British spelling, so double-check for Americanisms. For example, write‘ anaemia’ rather than‘ anemia’, and‘ organisation’ rather than‘ organization’.
Read your article out loud to yourself; this will help you catch awkward phrasing or missing words. Finally, ask a colleague, friend or family member to read it. They won ' t know what was in your mind when you wrote the article, only what you put on the page; this fresh perspective makes it easier for them to spot typos and parts where you haven ' t clearly explained your thinking.
Step 5: Prepare for submission
Before submitting your article, make sure you ' ve followed the VNJ guidelines for layout, figures and references. We accept articles as Word documents, with tables included in the document, and figures and images ideally submitted separately in JPG, PNG or PDF format. You ' ll also need to provide a short author biography of around 70 words and a head-and-shoulders photo of yourself.
Step 6: The publication process
Once your article has been received by the VNJ team, you will receive some initial feedback, which may include comments on the content or suggestions for the structure, and an indication of whether it might be accepted for publication. When your article has been allocated an issue date, it will be peer reviewed. This is a double-blind process, so the( anonymous) reviewers won ' t know who you are. Their experience and feedback will ensure your article is as clinically robust as possible.
Following this, the VNJ production team will edit, format and proofread your article before sending you a final version to approve. Don ' t be discouraged by any of the suggested changes or edits; every article evolves slightly during the editorial process.
On publication of your article, you ' ll receive:
• A PDF copy of your article
• A printed copy of the issue of VNJ in which it appears
• Payment( depending on the article type)
• CPD hours recognising your hard work.
The VNJ team is here to support you throughout the process, from your first idea to your published article. You ' ve got valuable experience, so why not share it? Go on, give it a go, you can absolutely do this, and I can ' t wait to read your article!
Get started now...
Visit https:// bvna. org. uk / writing-for-the-vnj / or scan the QR code for details and to download the full submission guidelines for authors.
Volume 41( 2) • April 2026
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