Read on to learn more about Writer’s Camp, who we are and what we are doing. We are glad you are here!
Writer’s Camp is an innovative online community committed to excellence in writing, editing, and publishing with a nursolology emphasis. Our primary goal is that by active participation in Writer’s Camp, you will ignite (or re-ignite) your passion for writing as a craft. Anytime and anywhere. We are here to help.
We hope that Writer’s Camp will make you think of summer camp–a place of fun, friendship, and learning. Our goal is to recreate that joyful, supportive atmosphere in a virtual space where nurse writers can connect, grow, and thrive.
Please look around our camp and explore the menu of options available for your reading and writing pleasure. What do we offer here at Writer’s Camp?
- Regular, focused articles on writing, editing, and publishing tailored especially for nurse authors and editors. Our core articles will post on Thursdays, and our commitment to you is that these articles will never be behind a paywall or require a subscription or fee to read.
- Special series such as Manuscript Success or Writer’s Camp Care Packages that will republish classic works.
- The Writer’s Camp Bugle our informal newsletter that will be posted any time we have news and announcements to share.
- The Writer’s Camp Journal an open access resource for anyone interested in lifelong learning that will represent our core articles. There are no fees to publish in The Writer’s Camp Journal, nor are there any subscription fees.
- Writer’s CAMPOREES, educational offerings offered live via Zoom on topics related to writing, editing, and publishing. CAMPOREES will be recorded and made available for those unable to attend the session or who would like a refresher. NPD Credit for the CAMPOREES are available for a $20 fee. Contact hours are awarded by the New Jersey State Nurses Association.
- The Editor Roster, a listing of individuals and businesses who are available to provide editing services to authors and learners.
- The Directory of Nursing Journals, a vetted, comprehensive list of 250+ journals in nursing with complete info on editor, mission, publisher, and information for authors.
- Postings of conferences, calls for abstracts, special issue journals, and other events in the greater nursing community.
Who is behind this camping adventure?
- Leslie H. Nicoll is the Camp Director. With more than 30 years experience as a journal editor and 50 years as a nurse and researcher, Leslie has the experience and knowledge to help you succeed. Leslie loves to write and you will see her byline on many of the articles posted here at Writer’s Camp.
- Peggy L. Chinn, Jenny Chicca, and Anjie Raber are Senior Counselors, offering leadership experience, advice, and sage wisdom, as well as writing regularly for the site.
- More than 35 Counselors who will be writing for The Writer’s Camp Journal and serving as mentors, supporting our campers as they learn, share stories, and grow in their camp experiences.
How can you be involved? Easy!
- Bookmark the site and visit often. New content is added several times per week.
- Subscribe to the site–it’s free!–to receive regular notifications that will take you back to the basecamp in one simple click. There is a subscription box below this list.
- Comment on posts that interest you. Discussion is welcome. Just remember to keep it focused and kind.
- Contribute to the site through your own writing. The detailed Information for Authors has everything you need to get started. Not sure about an idea? Use our Camp Postcard to pitch an idea.
We hope your interest in Writer’s Camp is sparked. Adventure awaits!
Want to know more about our Camp Director? Read on…
Leslie H. Nicoll, PhD, MBA, RN, FAAN
Leslie H. Nicoll, PhD, MBA, RN, FAAN is Founder and Director of Writer’s Camp and President of Maine Desk, LLC, a professional editorial, consulting, and research firm established in 2001. Through Writer’s Camp, she leads a vibrant online community supporting nurses and others interested in writing, editing, and publishing in the professional literature.
Dr. Nicoll has served as Editor-in-Chief of three peer-reviewed journals: CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing (1995–2025), Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing (2001–2009), and Nurse Author & Editor (2014–2023). She currently serves as Editor of Visions: Science of Rogerian Nursing Scholarship and is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Writer’s Camp Journal.
With more than 50 years of experience in nursing, Dr. Nicoll’s career spans clinical practice, research, academia, public health, and editorial leadership. She worked in public health for more than two decades and has held academic appointments at multiple institutions, including the University of Southern Maine, University of New Hampshire, and University of Massachusetts Boston. Her work has focused on advancing nursing scholarship, strengthening editorial practices, and supporting authors and editors in scholarly publishing.
Dr. Nicoll is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and an active member of INANE (International Academy of Nursing Editors), where she has contributed extensively to discussions and scholarship related to peer review, editorial leadership, and scholarly communication. She is the recipient of the Margaret Comerford Freda Award for Editorial Leadership in Nursing Publication from INANE (2014), and has also been recognized with the Women of Influence Award from Russell Sage College (2013) and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Illinois (2023).
She is the author or co-author of more than 150 scholarly publications spanning more than four decades, with a particular focus on scholarly publishing, editorial systems, bibliometrics, and research integrity. She is co-author of three editions of The Editor’s Handbook and Writing in the Digital Age and has contributed chapters to multiple books on writing and publishing in nursing and healthcare. She is also the creator of the Working Guide to Editorial Systems (WGES), an evolving resource designed to support editors, reviewers, and authors in navigating the practical realities of scholarly publishing.
Dr. Nicoll founded Writer’s Camp to provide practical, thoughtful support for authors, editors, and reviewers. Through articles, workshops, and community engagement, Writer’s Camp promotes ethical, effective, and sustainable approaches to scholarly writing and publishing.
If you have questions about Writer’s Camp or Maine Desk LLC, please use the Contact Postcard on this site to reach Leslie directly. If you would like to support Writer’s Camp, please consider a donation or sponsorship. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.