An article in the New York Times reveals the popularity of books written by doctors.
Why do doctors often make good writers? Literature professor Kathryn Montgomery points out: "Doctors are storytellers. They spend all day long listening to stories and telling stories."
And, of course, the stories they tell interest us because someday they could be about us--about illness, courage, fear, and--if we're lucky--recovery. It doesn't get much more dramatic than that. That's also why so many TV shows are set in the world of medicine.
Some of the medical-themed books referenced in the Times articles look below the surface and expose the fallibility of doctors--a view we tend not to get on TV. Scary stuff, but fascinating, too.
If you happen to work in the medical field, this could be a great time to get writing. However, you don't necessarily need to be a doctor yourself to write about this field in either fiction or non-fiction. Research, interviews, and a dedication to accuracy as well as a sense of drama could also allow you to exploit our interest in this arena. (How to use your specialized background--or ability to research--is something I cover in my new book, YOUR WRITING COACH, now available in the US as well as the UK.)
