Medical Content Creation: What's Your "Why"?

When we embark on the journey of content creation, regardless of the field of interest or expression, we need to determine why we are doing it. There are many different reasons for creating medical content. But, determining your specific “why” will fuel your efforts and give you a purpose for doing what you are doing.

For the most part, creating content fills a need for expression and desire for impact. This expression and impact may be for self, others, or both. Aside from whom it is done for, the expression or impact may be for the purpose of:

• Influence
• Financial gain
• Fame
• Research
• Academia
• Education/teaching
• Artistic expression
• Advocacy
• Social, political, or health policy
• Entertainment
• Career advancement
• Business publicity
• Many other reasons

If one has trouble identifying a “why” for their content creation, one can ask themselves a series of questions to reflect and clarify a purpose for their content. Some of these questions may include:

• What is at stake, regarding your content?
• What awareness do others have about your content?
• How are you feeling about your content?
• How important is your content to you?
• What is most important to you in your content?
• What is the risk/what happens if your content is not created?
• What are you learning about yourself by creating the content?
• What will be different when you create your content?
• How did you decide this content was a priority?
• What would successful content creation look like to you?
• How would you know you have been successful in creating content?
• If you could cast a magic spell, what two things would you want to change with the content you are creating or how you create content?

There are no wrong answers to any of these questions. Also, as long as the creation of the content is not aimed at producing misinformation or disinformation, the “why” is a justifiable reason for the creation of the content. Whatever the reason and for whomever the content is created for, one needs to connect with it and own it. The content that you create should represent you and your own personal motivation.

Connecting with your “why” gives a genuine purpose to creation of content and encourages the dedication to the time and energy required to flourish in content creation. Without dedicating time and energy, one’s content creation will seem hollow, lack focus, and not be consistent. Having genuine, focused, and consistent material is the foundation to content that you can feel proud of and others will find useful and valuable. At the end of the day, creating content that has value and impact to you or others is the ultimate goal.

This section is just touching the surface of understanding the importance of finding your “why”. While my discussion is focused on content creation with medical content in particular, it is applicable to other areas of interest as well. Many books have been written on the topic and may be worth reading, if you want more of an in-depth discussion about the importance of establishing your “why” for anything. I just wanted to emphasize that determining why you are embarking on the journey of medical content creation is so important and should be established at the beginning of your journey. However, as you evolve as a content creator, your “why” may shift as you learn more and delve deeper into your area of interest or your area of interest shifts. There can be fluidity in your “why”, but a “why” always needs to be present.

The next discussion will focus on the “how” of medical content creation, but the many posts to follow will center around the “what” of medical content creation because my interest is to help others in the medical community understand the vast variety of content that can be created from many different sources.

Do you have a story that led to your “why”? Please feel free to share in the comments!