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Interlude: Competition vs Complement, Writing "Rules," and Lab Websites
Lately, I've heard a lot of comments about the mindset of other people in our field being our "competition." I've heard researchers share that they are rushing to publish something quickly in fear of being "scooped." I've also heard freelancers describe other freelancers as their rivals.
Although the mindset of competition may make sense in team sports, I think this mindset is flawed in "team science." We all have something unique to offer, whether it's a different approach, perspective, experience, or foundation of knowledge.
So rather than thinking of others in your field as your competition, I encourage you to think of them as your complement. You each bring unique qualities that can collectively make something better to advance science.
Not convinced? Many Nobel Prizes are shared awards. Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun share a 2024 Nobel Prize for discovering microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna share a 2020 Nobel Prize for discovering CRISPR. And Shinya Yamanaka and Sir John B. Gurdon share a 2012 Nobel Prize for discovering that mature cells can be reprogrammed into immature cells that can develop into other tissues of the body.
These scientists complemented each other's work to advance their field. And like scientists with unique expertise and experience, freelance writers and editors also complement each other—and researchers—with unique expertise and experience.
So as you navigate your careers, I encourage you to think of others in your field as your complement, not your competition.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
👓 Reading
Is scientific writing getting better or worse?
In this article, Stephen Heard shares his thoughts on changes in scientific writing over the past 30 years and how they are improving or degrading our writing. He believes that the return to active voice and publishing online are improving our writing, and that an obsession with reproducibility and the use of acronyms are degrading our writing. He also shares that online supplements and artificial intelligence are both degrading and improving our writing.
Why is academic writing so hard to read?
"When ideas and research results are difficult to understand, it hurts all of humanity. It creates barriers rather than breaking them down. It prevents us from working together efficiently to tackle the hard problems of our age. . .I think that academic writing is so hard to do well partly because young [and seasoned] academics erroneously think they have to conform to countless random "rules"--many of which only serve to make their writing harder to understand."
Why a good lab website matters
This article describes great recommendations for building a lab website that maximizes the impact of your work, profiles your lab members and their accomplishments, describes your lab culture and values, shares available opportunities, and so much more.
WriteCME Roadmap
I was fortunate to receive a preview copy of this book written by Alex Howson, PhD. She has crafted a book full of insightful and practical guidance for medical writers who aspire to (or already) work in continuing medical education. And her caring, encouraging words will make you feel like you have a mentor every step of the way. The book was released yesterday, and you can order a copy and RSVP for the launch party.
🖥️ Watching
Beware of nominalizations (AKA zombie nouns) - Helen Sword
Yesterday was Halloween, so I thought I'd share my favorite video about nominalizations (or abstract nouns). I really like the creativity of the story and design.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Conferences, Presentations, and Networking
This week's intro will be short and sweet (like a mini cupcake).
I'm currently connecting with other word nerds, wordsmith wizards, and communication gurus at a conference hosted by the American Medical Writers Association. If you're attending the conference, and you see me out in the wild (or you attend one of my sessions), come on over to say hello.
This week, I've curated some of my favorite resources related to presentations and networking. Let's get to the good stuff...
💌 Round-up
💻 From My Desk
10 Things to Avoid Saying in Your Research Presentation
While preparing for my sessions at the conference, I reviewed my list of phrases to avoid saying in a presentation. The word that I still trip over from time to time is "um." What words or phrases do you tend to trip over in your presentations?
How to Network at a Conference as an Introvert
As an introvert, I've often struggled to network in a large room full of people. But over the years, I've collected a few strategies that work well for me. If you face similar challenges with networking, you might find these strategies helpful for connecting with people at conferences and other events.
👓 Reading
6 places to find images for your medical writing article [or presentations]
Looking for free images to include in your articles and presentations? This post includes links to six websites with images that you can download for free (note that some images require attribution).
🖥️ Watching
How to Create a Great Opening for Your Presentation or Pitch
Do you struggle with how to start a presentation? In this video, Tamsen Webster, a TEDx strategist, describes three great ways to open your talk: cold open, warm open, and hot open.
How to Interact With an Audience During a Presentation
When giving a talk, a great way to engage the audience is to make the presentation interactive. In this video, Chad Littlefield shares two ways that you interact with an audience: the popcorn and ping-pong methods.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Feedback, Context, and Hijacked Journals
I was recently talking to an author about some feedback they got from a reviewer (yes, it was Reviewer #2). While we were discussing the feedback, the author said that the reviewer "just didn't understand the point I was making."
But the problem was not that the reviewer didn't understand the information. The problem was that the author didn't give the right context for the reviewer to understand the information.
As authors, our responsibility is to give readers the context they need to easily understand the information we want to communicate to them.
That's because context promotes clear communication.
How do you know what context to give?
First, you need to know your audience and meet them where they are so you can anticipate their needs when they read your writing.
Second, you need to be aware of the curse of knowledge so you don't unknowingly and unintentionally assume that readers know what you know.
And third, you need to fill gaps and simplify complex language so you can ensure the context is easy for readers to comprehend.
To help you identify when you need to give more (or less) context, I recommend three strategies.
Get some distance from the writing by building in extra time to step away from the text and come back with fresh eyes.
Ask for feedback from non-specialists who don't have the same expertise—and curse of knowledge—as you.
Partner with a professional editor who can bring a trained pair of eyes to your writing.
What strategies do you have for ensuring readers get the context they need?
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
📆 Upcoming
What to Do When You Have Enough Clients: Career Progression as a Freelancer – AMWA Conference
On October 24, 2024, I'm joining three skilled freelancers for a panel-style discussion on navigating the best career path for you, scaling your business, and evaluating your options to expand your services.
👓 Reading
Hijacked journals are still a threat — here’s what publishers can do about them
"How can researchers, publishers and editors avoid journal hijacking? The first step, says Abalkina, is for journal publishers and editors to take the time to build a strong and secure website. . . smaller journals could register different domain names that redirect to a single URL, to make it more difficult for hijackers to register a convincing fake URL…”
Prevalence of plagiarism in hijacked journals: A text similarity analysis
"…papers from hijacked journals exhibit a significant prevalence of plagiarism. . . hijacked journals compromising data in bibliographic databases (e.g., Scopus) and their lower incidence of compared to other hijacked journals was confirmed. . . papers authored by one or two coauthors exhibit a higher incidence of plagiarism than papers written by three coauthors or more. . . the absence of stringent publication requirements, peer review and plagiarism checks in hijacked journals allows authors to publish texts with a significant amount of plagiarism.”
🎧 Listening
Trevor Noah on the importance of context – ReThinking podcast
During the first 15 minutes of this episode, Trevor Noah and Adam Grant discuss the importance of context: "And so I think context is everything. Without context, we are not actually communicating."
💬 Quotes
“The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think.” – Edwin Schlossberg
"Context is to data what water is to a dolphin." – Dan Simmons
✅ Action
The next time you are refining the text in a document, ask yourself if you are giving readers the context they need to understand the information.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Complicity, Disability, and Teaching with AI
I recently listened to a podcast conversation between Tim Ferriss and Elizabeth Gilbert. During the conversation, Tim highlighted a question that struck me:
"How are you complicit in creating the conditions you say you don’t want?"
In other words, what benefit do you get from allowing conditions you say you don't want?
For example, are you prioritizing easy tasks instead of tackling the manuscript you need to write? (Benefit: accomplishing quick wins.)
Or are you moving dedicated writing time on your calendar to accommodate a non-urgent meeting? (Benefit: helping/pleasing others.)
Or are you volunteering for more committees than your schedule allows? (Benefit: giving back.)
I've been thinking a lot about this question. I think it is a powerful framing for us to examine the challenges we have with our writing habits and to take responsibility for our choices and behaviors that contribute to them.
How about you? How are you complicit in creating the conditions you say you don’t want? Hit reply and let me know.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
📆 Upcoming
Ask Me Anything
On October 15, 2024, at 11 am Pacific Time, I'm hosting a live session during which you can ask me anything about writing, productivity, tools, a career as a wordsmith—whatever is on your mind. All are welcome to attend. Register
👓 Reading
I Quit Teaching Because of ChatGPT
"...writing is a process closely tied to thinking. In graduate school, I spent months trying to fit pieces of my dissertation together in my mind and eventually found I could solve the puzzle only through writing. Writing is hard work. It is sometimes frightening. With the easy temptation of AI, many—possibly most—of my students were no longer willing to push through discomfort.
"...students [must] be willing to sit with the temporary discomfort of not knowing. Students must learn to move forward with faith in their own cognitive abilities as they write and revise their way into clarity. With few exceptions, my students were not willing to enter those uncomfortable spaces or remain there long enough to discover the revelatory power of writing."
Inclusive Language Playbook: Writing About Disability
Communicate Health “…developed this playbook to help health communicators write about disability in a way that makes people feel seen, included, and respected. Discover tips to help you navigate tricky questions about disability and language, learn from your audiences, and create materials that reflect their needs and lived experiences.”
…Oh, and if you’re interested in learning more about inclusive language, you can enroll in my Inclusive Language Course—for free!
🖥️ Watching
Are you that person
In this reel, Vinh Quang Giang, a communications skills coach, highlights how using complex words to try to sound smart is rooted in insecurity. He then shares that "great communication is when you can use simple words to get a complex point across."
💬 Quote
"If you are unable to understand the cause of a problem, it is impossible to solve it." – Naoto Kan
💭 Thoughts
The effort needed to think parallels the effort needed to write.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Anniversaries, Budgets, and Work-Life Integration
Today is a very special day...
Redwood Ink is celebrating its 7-year anniversary!
The past 7 years has been an incredible journey. And it's all because of YOU!
Thank you so much for your support.
As a thank you, and to celebrate this special day for Redwood Ink, I want to share 7 free resources that we offer—one of which is just to celebrate this special occasion!
On October 15, 2024, at 11 am, I'm hosting a live session during which you can ask me anything. All are welcome to attend.
Register for the Ask Me Anything session
I hope to see you there!
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
🎉 Featured
Save Money by Investing in Expert Help
I was delighted when The Mighty Marketer interviewed me to learn my recommendations for how freelancers can save time and money by investing in expert help to build and sustain a successful business. Even if you are not a freelancer, this article gives great advice on how investing in experts—and really yourself—is one the best investments you can make.
📆 Upcoming
Enlighten Clinical Experts with the Power of Plain Language – October 9, 2024
I'm so excited to facilitate a workshop for the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation program at Vanderbilt University. We'll be discussing my favorite topic: the value of using simple language to enlighten expert readers.
...Oh, and if you're interested in sponsoring a seminar or workshop for your group, just reply to this email. I'd be delighted to exchange ideas!
👓 Reading
Budget cuts hit world’s largest cancer-research funder: what it means for scientists
“For the first time in nearly a decade, the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) is grappling with a budget cut. . .The agency will prioritize studies that could lead to new therapies over research intended to improve access to existing therapies. It will also favour research projects initiated by grant applicants, rather than grants that target specific subjects chosen by NCI officials.”
🖥️ Watching
The RIGHT Way to Do Work-Life Balance
In this short clip, Simon Sinek shares his perspective on looking at the relationship between work and life not as a balance but as an integration. He also suggests taking a number of "Duvet Days" each year when you just don't feel like going to work.
✅ Action
Give yourself permission to take a "Duvet Day" before the end of the year.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Word Limits, Retractions, and -Ough Words
If you've been around here for a while, you know that I love a good word-count challenge. So when this post came across my feed, I had to share it with you.
If you find word limits challenging, I recommend checking out my Resources page. You'll find tons of articles (and cheat sheets!) to help you write more concisely.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
💻 From My Desk
Passive Voice Primer
The Passive Voice Primer settles the long-held debate on when to use passive and active voice in scientific and medical writing. In this course, you will learn why passive voice was the traditional norm, what has led to the new focus on active voice, and when to use passive voice to strengthen your writing.
The introductory price is going up on October 1. Get access now for only $20.
📆 Upcoming
The Future of Editing: Cultural Awareness, Technology Tools, and Mentoring – AMWA Conference
On October 25, 2024, I'm joining two amazing editors for a panel-style discussion on mentoring scientific and medical communicators, encouraging use of inclusive language, navigating cultural differences among diverse clients and colleagues, and adopting helpful technology tools to make your work faster and easier.
👓 Reading
Why are retraction rates rising?
"An analysis recently published in Scientometrics and discussed in Nature news uncovered a quadrupling of retraction rates since 2000 among biomedical science articles with corresponding authors based at European institutions, from about 11 per 100,000 articles to almost 45 per 100,000 in 2020. . . Research misconduct was the most prevalent factor…"
Unraveling retraction dynamics in COVID-19 research: Patterns, reasons, and implications
"An analysis of the reasons for retractions indicates that a quarter of retractions were attributed to multiple causes, predominantly associated with publications in Q2 journals, while another quarter were linked to data issues, primarily observed in Q1 publications. Elsevier retracted 31% of papers, with the majority published as Q1, followed by Springer (11.5%), predominantly as Q2."
🖥️ Watching
The Meeting to Decide -Ough Words
I enjoy watching these meeting skits by @stage_door_johnny. They remind me of the challenges of learning the English language, which I (admittedly) can take for granted. In this funny skit, he portrays the inconsistencies in pronouncing words ending in -ough.
💬 Quote
"Communication is about what is received, not what is intended. If there is a gap between what you are saying and what they are hearing, you have to find a new way to say it.” –James Clear
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Explore-Exploit Tradeoff, Discussion Sections, and Open Access Publishing
Have you heard of the explore-exploit tradeoff?
(This tradeoff is also known as the exploration-exploitation tradeoff, but I prefer to avoid the nominalizations ).
We all face the explore-exploit tradeoff every day when we need to choose between options. If we choose to exploit, then we pick the option based on what we know or expect. If we choose to explore, then we pick the option based on what will help us learn or experience something new.
Both choices have a place and purpose. But the exploit option has an important nuance to consider.
In some cases, we may choose to exploit because we feel confident in what we know or expect. But in other cases, we may choose to exploit because we want to feel comfortable in what is familiar.
We choose to write a manuscript inefficiently because we've successfully published that way before. Or we choose to ask a long-time collaborator for feedback on our grant because our newest team member isn't as familiar with our research topic. Or we choose not to invest in a writing course because it would mean feeling the discomfort of putting more constraints on our time or finances.
But choosing the comfortable option limits our growth and opportunities. And choosing the uncomfortable option can support our transformation.
So I encourage you to choose to explore and feel uncomfortable more often. Test a new system for writing a manuscript. Ask your new team member for feedback on your grant. Take a writing course that will help you advance your skills.
Grow beyond your comfort zone.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
🎉 Featured
The Essential Elements of the Discussion Section of a Research Manuscript
The Discussion is the most difficult section of a research manuscript to write, largely because of its flexible structure and open-ended nature. With my latest publication, you can build confidence in writing this section by ensuring that you include all the essential elements that showcase the study and highlight its impact to the field.
📆 Upcoming
Scientific Writing Simplified
Today is the last day to enroll in my signature course and take your scientific and medical writing to the next level. This course will give you a systematic guide to crafting compelling writing that engages, informs, and persuades readers.
👓 Reading
Open access scientific publications get more diverse citations
"...large-scale study of bibliographic data found that open-access research publications—those freely available on the internet—receive more diverse citations compared to paywalled publications, which require a subscription or payment to access. Authors who cite open-access publications (i.e., refer to them in their own scientific work) tend to come from a broader range of institutions, countries, geographic regions, and research fields.”
The predatory publishing trap: dangers and solutions in the age of open access
"…predatory journals have come a long way since librarian Jeffrey Beall coined the term in 2008. Modern predators may:
use names that look like those of established journals
list reputable scientists as colleagues (without their knowledge)
use counterfeit indexing in recognised databases
be linked to paper mills
‘hijack’ legitimate journals via URL fraud.”
🎧 Listening
Matthew Dicks: How to Tell a Story so That Everyone Listens [The Knowledge Project Ep. #202]
In this podcast episode, Matthew Dicks shares "what makes a story truly resonate with an audience, how to identify and highlight the pivotal moments that create emotional impact, the architecture of compelling stories, how to structure narratives for maximum engagement and how to use techniques like suspense, stakes, and humor to keep audiences on the edge of their seats."
💬 Quote
“Growth begins at the edge of our comfort zone, where challenges become catalysts for transformation.” – Aloo Denish Obiero
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Reading for Writing, Grant Season, and AI Ethics
I'm often asked how someone can improve their writing. There are the more obvious ways, such as enrolling in courses, partnering with an editor, or working with a writing coach.
But there is another way you can improve your writing: reading.
And not just reading passively to consume information. Reading actively to dissect the writing.
What do you like and dislike about the writing? Do you like the word choice? Do the sentences have an interesting rhythm? What inspires you about the story? Do you disagree with the use of punctuation?
I also recommend that you read more than just scientific and medical writing. Read a variety of genres. Non-fiction and fiction, magazines and newspapers, blogs and social media posts. Read all types of writing.
Reading actively to dissect writing—all types of writing—will help you explore other ways of writing and experiment with your own writing.
To do this, you don't have to spend hours every day. In just 5 minutes, you can read something that may expand your writing skills.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
🎉 Featured
What Does Medical Communication Mean to You?
During my interview with the American Medical Writers Association last year, I was asked what medical communication means to me. Check out the snippet to hear what I had to say.
💻 From My Desk
How to Draft Your Specific Aims Page
It's grant season. At least that's what I refer to this time of year. The month before an NIH R01 due date can be pretty busy. If you're submitting an NIH grant, this guide can help you craft a specific aims page that will win over your reviewers.
📆 Upcoming
Scientific Writing Simplified
Want to take your scientific and medical writing to the next level? Scientific Writing Simplified will give you a systematic guide to crafting compelling writing that engages, informs, and persuades readers. Space is limited. Doors close on September 20, 2024, or when the class is full.
👓 Reading
Artificial intelligence in scientific medical writing: Legitimate and deceptive uses and ethical concerns
"While AI can undoubtedly expedite the process of manuscript creation and correction, it raises several criticisms. The crossover between AI and health sciences is relatively recent, but the use of AI tools among physicians and other scientists who work in the life sciences is growing very fast. Within this whirlwind, it is becoming essential to realize where we are heading and what the limits are, including an ethical perspective.”
Artificial intelligence at the pen’s edge: Exploring the ethical quagmires in using artificial intelligence models like ChatGPT for assisted writing in biomedical research
"Currently, all the AI models like ChatGPT are in the infancy stage; there is a risk of inaccuracy of the generated content, lack of contextual understanding, dynamic knowledge gaps, limited discernment, lack of responsibility and accountability, issues of privacy, data security, transparency, and bias, lack of nuance, and originality. Other issues such as authorship, unintentional plagiarism, falsified and fabricated content, and the threat of being red-flagged as AI-generated content highlight the need for regulatory compliance, transparency, and disclosure. If the legitimate issues are proactively considered and addressed, the potential applications of AI models as writing assistance could be rewarding.”
🧰 Tools
Google Books Ngram Viewer
Do you wonder how word use has evolved over time? By entering words and phrases into the Google Books Ngram Viewer, you can see how those phrases appeared in a collection of books over a range of years. You can also play around with the advanced usage features to get even more insight.
✅ Action
The next time you start reading something, take just 5 minutes to actively read the writing. What do you notice that you might want to use or avoid in your own writing?
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Writing Intentions, Publishing Behaviors, and Professional Development Support
I recently talked with someone about how to deal with reviewers' comments. We had an interesting conversation about "Reviewer #2" and what to do when we disagree with a reviewer's suggestion.
Sometimes we know that we can actually improve the paper by incorporating a reviewer's suggestion. Other times, we disagree with the reviewer, and we can explain our case for not incorporating their suggestion. (Yes, you don't have to make all the changes they suggest.)
But one thing we want to avoid is thinking that a reviewer "just didn't understand our project" or "just didn't get it." As the author, our responsibility is to ensure that reviewers—and all readers—can easily understand our message.
To do this, we need to think beyond the message that we intend to send and consider how the reader will receive that message. This is where good writing comes into play.
Good writing is about what the reader receives, not what the author intends.
So the next time you sit down to write, think about the message you want to send and how you can craft that message to ensure readers will receive it in the same way you intend.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
🎉 Featured
How Expert Help Will Fuel Your Freelance Success
I was delighted when The Mighty Marketer interviewed me to learn my recommendations for how freelancers can find experts to help them build and sustain a successful business. Even if you are not a freelancer, this article gives great tips for finding experts to help you accomplish your goals.
💻 From My Desk
How to Request Funds for Professional Development Programs
Although your institution may not offer professional development programs in scientific and medical writing, they may support you by sponsoring your participation. After all, these programs benefit you and the organization. If you want to request resources to participate in a professional development program, such as the Scientific Writing Simplified course, you can follow this easy four-step process.
📆 Upcoming
Scientific Writing Simplified
Want to take your scientific and medical writing to the next level? Scientific Writing Simplified will give you a systematic guide to crafting compelling writing that engages, informs, and persuades readers. Space is limited. Doors close on September 20, 2024, or when the class is full.
👓 Reading
Taylor & Francis AI Deal Sets ‘Worrying Precedent’ for Academic Publishing
"...Informa, the parent company of academic publisher Taylor & Francis, has signed a $10 million data-access agreement with Microsoft. The AI partnership agreement gives Microsoft 'nonexclusive access to Advanced Learning Content' across Taylor & Francis’s nearly 3,000 academic journals. After the initial access fee of $10 million, Informa said it would receive recurring payments for the next three years."
Evolving patterns of extreme publishing behavior across science
"Extreme publishing behavior may reflect a combination of some authors with genuinely high publication output and of other people who have their names listed too frequently in publications because of consortium agreements, gift authorship or other spurious practices. . . Extreme publishing behavior has become worryingly common across scientific fields with rapidly increasing rates in some countries and settings and may herald a rapid depreciation of authorship standards."
🎧 Listening
The Science of Communicating Clearly – Listen Up podcast
In this episode, a panel of communication experts share how people may think we are trying to deceive them when we use complex language, why we can’t rely on the media to be the translators of science, why we need to know our audience beyond just “the general public,” how stories are a powerful way to share information, and what important principles to consider in health communication.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Evolving Writing, Conference Networking, and Building Confidence
I've recently had an opportunity to reconnect with an old friend after more than 25 years. It's been pretty incredible to see how much has changed for both of us in that time.
It's also made me think about how much our writing changes over time. Have you ever gone back to read some of your first manuscripts and grants?
I actually use parts of my graduate publication as examples of what not to do in my courses. And my thesis? I haven't cracked that book open in many years for fear that I would cringe at the writing.
But I've been reminded of the value of going back to read our early writings (like going back to revisit our former selves). These opportunities can help us appreciate how much our writing has improved and inspire us to keep improving it.
So I'll be cracking open my thesis and reading all the nominalizations, passive voice, and long sentences that fill the pages so that I can appreciate how my writing has improved over time.
What were some of the writing challenges that you've overcome? And what do you still strive to improve?
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
🎉 Featured
Interview by the American Medical Writers Association (Snippet)
Last year, the American Medical Writers Association interviewed me to learn how the organization has helped me in my career. Check out this snippet of what I (and other members) had to say about the benefits of joining the organization.
💻 From My Desk
How to Network at a Conference as an Introvert
I'm gearing up to attend the American Medical Writers Association conference in New Orleans this fall, and I'm already thinking about networking at the event. If you're an introvert like me, you might find these strategies helpful for networking at conferences and other events.
👓 Reading
Effective hands-on teaching strategy on participants’ confidence in medical writing and publishing: A before-after study
"The workshop had a positive impact on enhancing participants’ confidence in writing skills, including using active verbs, crafting short sentences, summarizing main findings, and adhering to checklists like CONSORT. Hands-on medical writing workshops can boost participants’ confidence in writing medical articles and using optimal English language."
🧰 Tools
Get the Freelance Clients You Deserve (online course)
I know that some of you are freelancers who aim to build a successful writing or editing business. In this online course with The Mighty Marketer, you can learn some of the best marketing tools for freelancers. The fall session starts September 16.
💬 Quote
“Extraordinary results come from doing ordinary things exceptionally well for a long time. Take writing, for instance. Anyone can sit down and write a few paragraphs. There's nothing extraordinary about putting words on a page. But if you commit to honing your craft, day after day, year after year, you can achieve something remarkable.” –Shane Parrish
✅ Action
Open an old document that you wrote several years ago, and as you read the text, notice how your writing has improved since then.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Writing Voice, Latin Abbreviations, and Retraction Reporting
A common mantra among editors is to "maintain the author's voice."
I've been thinking about this mantra a lot and what it really means.
When we think of an author's voice, we often think about an author's personal style in writing, or how their personality comes through on the page.
Some people even refer to an author's voice as their natural voice.
But I would argue that this voice is the author's habitual voice.
This habitual voice is created as an author picks up a series of writing habits based on the writing they've read or been inspired by.
So if you were inspired by good writing, you picked up good writing habits. And if you were inspired by poor writing, you likely picked up poor writing habits.
So if you happened to read a lot of articles that had inspiring science but were written poorly (which is all too common in the literature), then there is a good chance you picked up poor writing habits.
The good news is that this means that your writing voice isn't a reflection of your personality or personal style. And it isn't permanent. Like any behavior, it can be changed.
So as an editor, I think that the mantra of "maintain the author's voice" needs updating. Maybe instead, we need to "enrich the author's voice."
What do you think?
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
🎉 Featured
An idea to explore: Student-centered scientific and medical writing project and workshop for undergraduate students
I was delighted to learn that my website was highlighted in this article about a scientific writing project for undergraduate students to learn to write for lay and expert audiences.
💻 From My Desk
How to Use Common Latin Abbreviations in Scientific Writing
Latin abbreviations are a great way to condense your text. But some scientific and medical authors interchange them or use them incorrectly. With this list, you can ensure you use the correct Latin abbreviations in your writing.
👓 Reading
Using GPT-4 to write a scientific review article: a pilot evaluation study
“In this study, we evaluated the capabilities of the language model GPT-4 within ChatGPT for composing a biomedical review article. We focused on four key areas: (1) summarizing insights from reference papers; (2) generating text content based on these insights; (3) suggesting avenues for future research; and (4) creating tables and graphs. GPT-4 exhibited commendable performance in the first three tasks but was unable to fulfill the fourth.”
NISO Publishes Recommended Practice for the Communication of Retractions, Removals, and Expressions of Concern (CREC)
“The NISO Recommended Practice establishes best practices for the creation, transfer, and display of retraction-related metadata, ensuring that participants (publishers, aggregators, full-text hosts, libraries, and researchers) can communicate retraction information quickly and enabling readers who discover a publication to readily identify its status.”
✅ Action
Take a moment to think about your writing voice. Do you want to change it in some way? If so, write down what you'd like to do differently on a sticky note, and place the note where you will see it while you are writing.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Speaking, Only, and Evolving Words
For the past few months, I've had the honor of being a writing coach for speakers for the upcoming TEDxNewEngland (formerly TEDxCambridge) event. It's been a tremendous opportunity and a lot of fun to help researchers transform their exciting research into compelling stories and "ideas worth spreading."
Throughout the process, I've been reminded of a few common themes between writing and speaking:
Whether you're writing or speaking, you are telling a story and taking your audience on a journey from where they are to where you want them to go. This means that you need to consider how you want your audience to think, feel, and act at every step of the story.
Writing and speaking are both forms of teaching. You are sharing information with your audience and walking them through concepts in a logical, engaging, and persuasive way.
The words you choose in a particular context affect not only the meaning but also the tone and formality of your message. Choose your words intentionally.
What common themes do you notice between writing and speaking? Hit reply and let me know.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
💻 From My Desk
How to Use “Only” Accurately in Your Scientific Writing
The word “only” is commonly used in scientific and medical writing. And where you place this modifier in a sentence can change the meaning of that sentence.
👓 Reading
AI is complicating plagiarism. How should scientists respond?
"But such tools complicate an already fraught debate around the improper use of others’ work. LLMs [large language models] are trained to generate text by digesting vast amounts of previously published writing. As a result, their use could result in something akin to plagiarism — if a researcher passes off the work of a machine as their own, for instance, or if a machine generates text that is very close to a person’s work without attributing the source."
🎧 Listening
Decoding Gen-Z slang and grammar pet peeves with linguist Anne Curzan
As a "wordie," I love learning about the origins of words and how they have evolved. In this podcast episode, Anne Curzan, the author of Says Who?, shares why "island" has a silent "s" and how the definition of "unique" has evolved. She also shares her thoughts on the evolution of "impactful," the impending death of "whom," and the use of the singular "data" and "they." I highly recommend listening to this episode.
🖥️ Watching
Me, Myself, and I
Do you often wonder whether to use "and me" or "and I"? In this Reel, @englishenjoyed shares a helpful strategy to know when to use which word. (And if you listen to the podcast episode with Anne, you'll also learn her thoughts on the future of this debate.)
✅ Action
The next time you work on a writing project, add the question "How do I want my reader to think, feel, and act?" in the Header. Then you will see this question at the top of every page as a reminder to consider your reader as you write.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Morning Routines, Formatting, and Culturally Adapted Materials
I've always been a morning person. For as long as I can remember, I've started my day before sunrise. I love the peacefulness in the quiet morning. And I use this peaceful time for my morning routine.
My morning routine begins with a glass of water so that I can start my day hydrated. Then I write my morning pages, which is a great way to empty circulating thoughts and brainstorm ideas. Then I make breakfast, take my dog for a walk, and get my body moving by trail running, cycling, or a combination of pilates and yoga.
That might seem like a full morning, and it is. But I've found that this routine ensures that I prioritize my health and helps me set the tone for the day to maximize my writing productivity.
What is your morning routine? How does it help you maximize your writing productivity? Hit reply and let me know.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
💻 From My Desk
3 Formatting Styles to Stop Using in Scientific Writing
Over time, we've learned that the way we format documents contributes to the clarity and readability of the writing. To make your writing clearer and more readable, stop using these three formatting styles in your scientific and medical writing.
👓 Reading
Creating Culturally Adapted Multilingual Materials for Research
"Patients who speak languages other than English are frequently excluded from research. This exclusion exacerbates inequities, biases results, and may violate federal regulations and research ethics. . . To promote language justice in research, we propose a method to translate and culturally-adapt multifaceted research materials into multiple languages simultaneously. . . Key themes across the project included (1) tailor scope to timeline, budget, and resources, (2) thoughtfully design English source materials, (3) identify and apply guiding principles throughout the translation and editing process, and (4) carefully review content and formatting to account for nuances across multiple languages."
Journal requirement for data sharing statements in clinical trials: a cross-sectional study
"The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) require clinical trials to publish data sharing statements. . . Despite ICMJE recommendations, more than 27% of biomedical journals do not require clinical trials to include data sharing statements, highlighting room for improved transparency."
🖥️ Watching
Font Matters
If you've been around here for a while, you know that I have a thing about fonts and readability. But fonts can also influence your emotions. If you're not convinced, check out this Instagram post.
✅ Action
Take a moment to think about your morning routine. How is that routine working for you? Is there anything you can do to make that routine better? If so, take one step toward improving your morning routine.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Mindset, Authorship, and Responsibility
Words are powerful. And one little three-letter word has the power to immediately shift your mindset and give you control in accomplishing any goal you set.
And that little word is yet.
How can this simple word be so powerful?
When you have a limiting belief, tack the word yet onto the end.
"I can't write well...yet."
"I haven't published the paper...yet."
"My proposal hasn't been funded...yet."
Adding the word yet transforms the limiting belief into a motivational affirmation.
Just because you haven't reached the goal doesn't mean that it's not going to happen. If you keep working toward that goal, then it just hasn't happened yet.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
💻 From My Desk
How to Cultivate a Growth-Mindset in Your Writing
People with a fixed mindset believe their qualities are carved in stone. But people with a growth mindset believe their qualities can be cultivated through effort, strategy, and support. Fortunately, you have the power to turn a fixed mindset into a growth mindset to support your success with writing.
📆 Upcoming
Decoding Research Authorship: Guidelines, Strategies, and Practical Tools for Collaboration – August 12, 2024, 11 am Pacific Time
Authorship challenges are common in scientific and medical publishing. And they can be avoided with awareness, planning, and collaboration. During this free webinar, you'll learn what qualifies as authorship, what order to list authors, and what to do when a contributor does not qualify for authorship. You'll also walk away with a strategy and practical tool to support collaboration and prevent authorship conflicts among your team. A recording will be available for a limited time after the event.
Register now for free
👓 Reading
“Towards Responsible Publishing”: Findings from a global stakeholder consultation
This study surveyed thousands of researchers to learn their thoughts on the transformative changes to the scholarly communication system proposed in cOAlition. A few highlights that I found interesting include:
Researchers tend to prioritize reading papers based on the reputation of a journal, the reputation of the authors, and whether the journal is indexed.
Researchers believed that preprint posting improves accessibility and visibility, early access to new research, transparency, and faster dissemination and feedback.
Researchers viewed open peer review as a way to enhance transparency, but they preferred an anonymous reviewer report.
Practices and Barriers in Developing and Disseminating Plain-Language Resources Reporting Medical Research Information: A Scoping Review
“Our research provides a detailed overview of the preferences of patients and general public audiences when accessing medical research information. As anticipated, these audiences struggle with jargon, unstructured and text-heavy content, or lack of information in a language they are comfortable with. Their searches are often hindered by paywalled content or the variability in nomenclature and dissemination channels of PLRs [plain-language resources]. Audiences appear to trust independent sources such as websites of drug regulators and patient advocacy groups regarding medical information they find online.”
🖥️ Watching
I Before E
In this Instagram Reel, stage-door-johnny shares a clever skit that disproves the saying of "I before E except after C."
✅ Action
What is the most common limiting belief you have about your writing? On a sticky note, rephrase that belief into a positive affirmation. Then put that sticky note in a place you will see every time you sit down to write.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Hard Work, Research Talks, and Intentional Language
I recently read an article that discussed the value of being hands on to foster learning, accomplishment, perseverance, and connection. In the article, one sentence in particular stood out to me:
"In a world where efficiency is often prioritized above all else, it's important to remember the intrinsic value of doing some things the hard way."
This sentence made me think about our new era of using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
Many scientific and medical researchers dream of using AI tools to do the hard work of writing their manuscripts and grant proposals. Although these tools may generate a draft quickly (and are getting better at it), they take away from the intrinsic value of writing the hard way.
In the hard way, you foster learning how to communicate well, feeling a sense of accomplishment, persevering through a challenging task, and connecting with your writing and with readers.
And, more notably, you develop your thinking skills, formulate original ideas, and express what makes you authentically you.
I'm not recommending that you avoid AI tools. They can be helpful. But remember that the hard work of writing has intrinsic value to your thinking.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
👓 Reading
How to structure a talk about research
I've had the pleasure and honor of working with Tamsen Webster to help speakers craft talks for the upcoming TEDxNewEngland. In this article, she shares the Red Thread®, her six-step process for structuring a research talk to tell a powerful story.
How being intentional with your language can shift your thinking
"Because the issue with 'stakeholder' isn’t just that the term might 'offend people,' dear letter-writer: it’s that the use of this language brings along with it a particular way of thinking about all the people who are interested in or affected by a particular outcome. . . 'It is not enough to just say the right words. . . 'Using inclusive language consciously, intentionally, enables us to be the critical thinkers that we signed up to be.'”
...Oh, and if you're interested in learning more about inclusive language, enroll in my Inclusive Language Course—for free!
💬 Quote
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison
💭 Thoughts
Talented people make their work look easy.
Talented writers make their readers’ job easy.
✅ Action
On a sticky note, write down three ways that writing the hard way has been valuable for you. Place that sticky note in a place where you will see it every time you sit down to do the hard work of writing.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Outlines, AI Detectives, and Literature Alerts
Time and again, I meet researchers and other professional writers who do not use outlines in their writing process. They tell me that they sit at their computers and "just start writing."
Although this approach can be helpful when you need to do a brain dump or write a zero draft, it is not a helpful strategy in the long run.
An outline creates a roadmap for writing the first draft. A "writemap" if you will.
When you are cruising along in a car and reach an intersection, you can look at the map to see where you need to go next. Then you can make the turn and start cruising again.
When you are in the flow of writing and reach a new paragraph, you can look at the "writemap" to see where you need to go next. Then you can make the turn and get back in the flow of writing.
With a "writemap", your writing will have a better structure from the start, require less editing in later drafts, and save you time and energy in the overall writing process.
Do you use outlines before you start writing?
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
💻 From My Desk
How to Find Problems in Your Draft with a Reverse Outline
Have you already written a draft and it's too late to start with an outline? You can create a reverse outline to pinpoint problems with the structure, organization, and flow.
👓 Reading
The great detectives: humans versus AI detectors in catching large language model-generated medical writing
“Our study found that Originiality.ai and ZeroGPT accurately detected AI-generated texts, regardless of whether they were rephrased or not. Additionally, Turnitin did not misclassify human-written articles. While professorial reviewers were generally able to discern AI-rephrased articles from human-written ones, they might misinterpret some human-written articles as AI-generated due to incoherent content and varied vocabulary.”
Guidelines for academics aim to lessen ethical pitfalls in generative-AI use
"…they launched a ten-month project to develop guidelines for researchers and university ethics committees. . . the project has three main objectives: to address the lack of expertise in identifying privacy risks caused by using genAI in research; to address data-management requirements in UK research, many of which don’t account for the growing use of genAI; and to address the legal risks for institutions that are using genAI to analyse or process participant data.”
🧰 Tools
Pubcrawler
I've used PubCrawler since my days in graduate school (I'm not going to admit how long ago that was. ) This free service scans daily updates to the PubMed and GenBank databases and will send you email alerts based on the search terms you set up in the platform. It's a great way to stay current on recent literature in your field. Warning: the first query will pull a very long list of results, but the following queries will be much better.
💭 Thoughts
Using an outline to write is like using a roadmap to drive.
When driving with a roadmap, you can more easily navigate the journey from the start of your location to the finish of your destination.
When writing with an outline, you can more easily navigate the journey from the start of your idea to the finish of your first draft.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Passive Voice, Writing Inspiration, and Argument Dilution
What is the writing topic I get asked about most often?
When to use or avoid passive voice.
This topic has been debated among researchers in the sciences for a while. And with good reason. The guidelines and conventions have changed over the years.
To settle the debate, I created the Passive Voice Primer, a short course to help you learn how to use active and passive voice to strengthen your scientific and medical writing.
This course will help you:
🧐 Learn why passive voice has been a conventional practice in science.
❗️ Understand the real problem with passive voice in scientific and medical writing.
🧰 Use passive voice as a strategic writing tool that engages, informs, and persuades readers.
Learn more and enroll in the Passive Voice Primer
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
👓 Reading
Five Decisions That Are Better Than Waiting for Inspiration
In this article, Ben Riggs shares five things you can do when you lack inspiration in your writing: show up, embrace the hard work of the sentence, work from a plan, clear your throat, and hoist the sail. This article is worth the read not only for Ben's excellent advice, but also for his beautiful use of words.
Friday Forward - Argument Dilution (#432)
"When individuals are presented with a large amount of argumentative information, which inevitably includes a mixture of strong and weak arguments, the weaker arguments stand out most in the listener’s mind, diluting the overall strength of the case. This dilution means that adding more argumentative points will often damage an otherwise persuasive message unless the added statements are extremely compelling."
🧰 Tools
With Emoji Kitchen, you can combine two emojis into one. Although the website will not combine all emojis, you can still have some fun creating new combinations.
💬 Quote
“The passive voice invariably comes across as pontificating, patronizing, talking down. It sounds insincere, even dishonest, and it makes the reader uncomfortable, not trusting, though usually the reader cannot put her finger on why.” – Henriette Anne Klauser, author of Writing on Both Sides of the Brain
✅ Action
Settle the debate between active and passive voice by checking out the Passive Voice Primer. And share the link with a colleague or friend to help put their mind at ease as well.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Impact, Tortured Acronyms, and Formalized Curiosity
Hi Crystal,
Earlier this week, I had a conversation with one of my students about the difference between significance, relevance, and impact in research. Although significance and relevance might seem relatively straightforward, impact is less clear.
Significance is the importance of the research. Does (or will) the project address an important problem or crucial barrier to progress in the field?
Relevance is the state of being appropriate or suitable for a particular purpose. How is (or will) the project benefit or advance science or society?
Impact is the combination of significance and relevance. It is the likelihood that the project has (or will have) a powerful influence on the field. How does (or will) the project move the field forward?
These three elements are key features of a persuasive argument that will win over your reviewers and readers.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
💻 From My Desk
Inclusive Language Course
I was thrilled to get a couple of great reviews on my (free) inclusive language course this week. Here's what two recent students had to say:
"Fantastic, informative course"
"This was a concise, clearly presented overview of current best practices on using inclusive language. It provides links to some additional resources as well. It’s a great reminder to be compassionate and mindful of how you describe the people you are reporting on."
If you haven't already taken the course, I encourage you to check it out.
👓 Reading
Plagiarism in peer-review reports could be the ‘tip of the iceberg’
”The team published the results of its investigation in Scientometrics in February, examining dozens of cases of apparent plagiarism in peer-review reports, identifying the use of identical phrases across reports prepared for 19 journals. The team discovered exact quotes duplicated across 50 publications, saying that the findings are just 'the tip of the iceberg' when it comes to misconduct in the peer-review system.”
Software that detects ‘tortured acronyms’ in research papers could help root out misconduct
”The group behind the acronym detection…previously developed a range of automatic misconduct detectors on the publicly available Problematic Paper Screener (PPS). The system automatically scans the scientific literature weekly and flags papers that have tortured phrases—nonsensical paraphrases such as “glucose bigotry” instead of “glucose intolerance”—cell lines that do not exist, and other giveaways that signal potentially grave problems.
Now, the group has added tortured acronyms to its list of red flags and is offering free software for publishers to screen for previously unidentified tortured acronyms in paper submissions…"
💬 Quote
"Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose." – Zora Neale Hurston
💭 Thoughts
Learning to write well is like learning to drive a car.
At first, you really need to pay attention to how you are controlling the vehicle or the writing.
With practice, the skills become more natural and instinctive.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Note-Taking, Excessive Words, and Practicing Reasoning
Do you take notes while reading books?
I like to take notes while reading. The process of writing things down by hand helps me remember facts and synthesize ideas.
For the past few years, I've used a note-taking method that I learned from Tim Ferriss. I've found his approach helpful for indexing details that stood out to me in a book.
But I recently learned another approach: The Blank Sheet Method. This method involves the following steps:
Before reading anything: On a blank sheet of paper, write down what you already know about the subject.
After each reading session: Use a different-color pen to add new information you learned to the sheet.
Before the next reading session: Review the sheet.
After finishing reading: Store the completed sheet in a binder for periodic review.
I think this method is a great strategy to capture the big ideas that stand out to you in the book.
But I like to be more intentional about my note-taking. I like to refer back to the text and spend time thinking about and synthesizing the ideas. So I'm going to try a more detailed approach that uses parts of both methods:
Before reading anything: On a blank sheet of paper, write down the main subject and 3–5 key things you already know about the subject.
After each reading session: Use a different-color pen to add new information you learned to the sheet. Add page numbers where relevant. On the back of the sheet, note any new ideas or ways of thinking that come to mind
Before the next reading session: Review the sheet and add any additional ideas on the back of the sheet.
After finishing reading: Scan the sheet for electronic storage and store the completed sheet in the cover of the book. Add an event to your calendar to review the sheet in 6 months.
What's your note-taking method while reading? Hit reply and let me know.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
👓 Reading
Excessive use of words like ‘commendable’ and ‘meticulous’ suggests ChatGPT has been used in thousands of scientific studies
"He analyzed five million scientific studies published last year and detected a sudden rise in the use of certain words, such as meticulously (up 137%), intricate (117%), commendable (83%) and meticulous (59%). The librarian from the University College London can only find one explanation for this rise: tens of thousands of researchers are using ChatGPT — or other similar Large Language Model tools with artificial intelligence — to write their studies or at least “polish” them.”
AI Chatbots Have Thoroughly Infiltrated Scientific Publishing
"The findings suggest something has changed in the lexicon of scientific writing—a development that might be caused by the writing tics of increasingly present chatbots. 'There’s some evidence of some words changing steadily over time” as language normally evolves, Gray says. “But there’s this question of how much of this is long-term natural change of language and how much is something different.' "
🖥️ Watching
High fashion......typography?
In this reel, artist Wisdom Kaye uses his eye for creative fashion to style different fonts. I appreciate the artistic take he has on font styles.
💬 Quote
“While we naturally understand that writing is a good way to share ideas with others, we under-appreciate just how much good writing helps us think about an idea ourselves. Writing is not only a means of communication, it enables us to practice reasoning.” –Shane Parrish
✅ Action
The next time you read a book, try a note-taking method to track and synthesize ideas. Then add a reminder to your calendar to review your notes in 6 months.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
Interlude: Study Questions, Manuscript Templates, and Promotional Language
Hi Crystal,
Yesterday, I was out for my usual trail run. I was enjoying the cool morning air and a beautiful view of the mountains. And then it happened.
I stumbled to the ground in what seemed like slow motion but was probably a mere 2 seconds. (Don't worry, I'm okay.)
Any number of variables could have contributed to my fall. I've run the route many times and know it well. But I happened to be wearing a new pair of shoes I wasn't used to. Or maybe a loose rock "jumped out in front of me." Or maybe I was still just a little off my game from not sleeping well the night before.
Sometimes we don't know why things happen. But we can still learn from them.
My fall was a good reminder of an important life lesson. Sometimes you get knocked down and don't know why. But you get back up, dust yourself off, and then try again.
I think this is a great lesson for when our manuscripts and grants don't go as planned. Sometimes you get rejected and don't know why. But you get back up, dust yourself off, and then try again.
Now onto this week's round-up...
💌 Round-up
🎉 Featured
Five Pitfalls to Avoid When Crafting the Study Question for a Research Manuscript
I'm delighted to share my latest publication in the AMWA Journal. In the article, I share 5 pitfalls to avoid when crafting the study question for a research manuscript: focusing on the objectives of the study, only stating what was done in the study, reversing the order of the formula in the study question, focusing on the hypothesis of the study, and summarizing the key findings of the study.
💻 From My Desk
Research Manuscript Template
Are you tired of wrangling the format of your research manuscripts? You're in luck! I created a general template that you can use for most original research manuscripts (some journals have other requirements). The template has built-in styles that you can customize as you wish, as well as guidance and links to resources to help you draft each section. And you can have it for free!
👓 Reading
Promotional language and the adoption of innovative ideas in science
"Our analyses showed that across diverse datasets, the percentage of promotional language in a grant is a key predictor of a grant’s funding decision, innovativeness, and productivity and citation impact after controlling for PI and grant characteristics. Our raw data indicate that on average a grant contains one promotional word in every 100 words or about one promotional word every fourth sentence."
*This article is interesting to think about. But be careful not to overinflate your writing with promotional language. If you do, you risk making overstatements or exaggerations that can damage the credibility of the work. Remember that it’s not only about what words you use, but also how you use them.
💬 Quote
“Our investment in reading changes the book because the book has changed us. ... If books are merely a means of transferring information, then perhaps, yes, a book is a waste of time. If a summary of its thesis and key points could be presented in a brief article or Substack post, why not just save the hours and read the Substack post? All the more if the information is outdated or questionable for one reason or another. But that mistakes what a book is for. A book is a tool. It’s a machine for thinking. And “all machines,” as Thoreau once said, “have their friction.” The time it takes to engage with ideas—whether factual or fictional, emotional or intellectual, accurate or inaccurate, efficient or inefficient—might strike some as a drag. But the time given to working through those ideas, adopting and adapting, developing or discarding, changes our minds, changes us. It’s not about the wisdom we glean. It’s about what wisdom we grow.” – Joel Miller
💭 Thoughts
The best way to describe complexity is, paradoxically, with simplicity.
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal