Interlude: Yearly Reviews, Writing Groups, and Good Writing Advice

Near the end of each year, I like to do a ​past-year review​ (courtesy of Tim Ferriss). This process has helped me identify what drains me and what motivates me so that I can focus on what I am most passionate about—helping you to be the best writer you can be.

For this process, I mostly follow Tim's advice, but I will personalize it in some way based on overall themes or challenges I've noticed from the past year. This year, I'm taking the process a bit deeper by adding a few (modified) questions I learned from ​Brian Johnson​:

• What did you love doing so much that you’d pay to do it?

• When did you feel most in flow, fully engaged, and joyful?

• What activities made you feel alive and leave you energized rather than drained?

• What pursuits would you continue to do even if there were no external rewards?

I'm really looking forward to the insights I'll gain through this process.

Do you do yearly reviews? If so, what is your process? Hit reply and let me know.

Now onto this week's round-up...

💌 Round-up

💻 From My Desk

​7 Great Reasons to Start a Writing Group​
Writing is often a solitary practice. But continually connecting with other writers can be immensely helpful for your writing and writing process. If you are not already part of a writing group, here are 7 reasons to join (or start) one in the new year.

👓 Reading

​What does good writing advice look like?​
What distinguishes good writing advice from bad writing advice? In this article, the author shares how good writing advice presents options, is evidence-based, knows one size doesn't fit all, neither ignores nor obsesses over rules, recognizes the human, and recognizes that writers vary.

​“The Best Home for This Paper”: A Qualitative Study of How Authors Select Where to Submit Manuscripts​
"In medical education, our findings reinforce previously identified factors such as fit with the scope of the journal, journal quality and reputation, journal audience, and technical factors (e.g., turnaround time). However, there are also deviations. Notably, our findings emphasize the role of social factors, relationships and personal experiences in ​journal selection​. Additionally, we observed increased consideration of OA [open access] and a shift away from an emphasis on journal prestige…”

​HHS Finalizes Rule on Research Misconduct to Foster Research Integrity​
"…the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office of Research Integrity (ORI), finalized the 2024 Public Health Service (PHS) Policies on Research Misconduct. This rule updates the 2005 regulation and clarifies requirements for addressing research misconduct in PHS-funded research.” Read the full article to get highlights on the updates.

💬 Quote

"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending." – C.S. Lewis

Thank you so much for reading.

Warmly,

Crystal

Interlude: Editing Time, Boring Writing, and the Human-AI Handshake

Thank you to everyone who shared their writing challenges with me over the past few weeks. I received a lot of great responses.

The biggest trend was that you want to learn ways to write/edit faster and easier. So I'll be thinking a lot about what resources I can create for you to help with that.

And for what you've likely been waiting for: the winners of a free 1:1 coaching session with me are (drumroll, please)...

Alessandra N., Kathy G., and Peter S. 🎉 Congratulations! I'll reach out to you directly to set up some time to meet. I can't wait to dig into your writing challenges.

Now onto this week's round-up...

💌 Round-up

💻 From My Desk

​Why Editing Takes So Much Time and Effort​
I am often asked why ​professional editors​ take so much time to review documents—and why editing services can cost as much as they do. A professional editor will devote a lot of time and energy into refining writing by asking themselves many important questions as they read each sentence of a draft. This effort is an investment not only in the writing, but also in the authors and readers.

👓 Reading

​Does academic writing have to be boring?​
"Academia as a culture promotes some bad habits of thought and being. Too many people in academia think it’s more important to show that you’re smart than it is to communicate with somebody. In fact, a writer, fearing being called “not smart,” is going to construct all kinds of defenses that inhibit understanding and communication. It tells their reader, 'If you work like a sled dog, you might be able to understand it; unless you can’t, in which case, well, that’s your problem.'

I think too many academic readers have had the experience of pushing through academic writing that behaves that way. We’re not taught often enough that writing clearly and crisply is more apt to be seen as smart, more apt to gain respect — and also more likely to communicate learning."

🎧 Listening

​Is the Human-AI Handshake the Future of CE? With Stephanie Preuss – Write Medicine Podcast​
In this episode, Stephanie Preuss, Director of Content Innovation at Springer Nature, shares her thoughts on how ​AI​ can help with the publishing process. Although I disagree with her perspective that professional books and scientific articles only need to share information (I believe that storytelling is important here, too), I appreciated her perspective on how AI tools will help authors in the publication process.

🖥️ Watching

​To Be or Not to Be: A Shakespearean Comedy Sketch​
In this 2-minute comedy sketch, you hear several actors stress different words in the well-known quote, "To be, or not to be? That is the question." I think this sketch is a great representation of how readers could each interpret our writing differently.

🧰 Tools

​Kit​
This very newsletter is brought to you via Kit (formerly known as Convertkit). I've tested many email marketing tools over the years, and I appreciate Kit's simplicity, user-friendliness, and excellent support resources.

Thank you so much for reading.

Warmly,

Crystal

Interlude: Special Holiday Edition

Welcome to a special holiday edition of the Interlude!

It's officially the holiday season, so I thought I'd share a short round-up of some of my favorite things that you might want to add to your gift list. I regularly use all these products. (These recommendations are not sponsored.)

I hope they inspire you to find the perfect gift for someone special (or yourself 😉).

💌 Round-up

⏰ A Gift of Time

​TextExpander​
The greatest gift we can give is time, and one of my favorite time-saving tools is TextExpander. This tool has saved me many hours of time since I started using it a couple of years ago. I highly recommend this tool to anyone who finds that they are writing the same text over and over again in emails, comments, documents, and more. This tool works across all programs on your computer.

☕️ A Gift of Warmth

​Corkcicle Mug​
On cold days, I like to enjoy a warm cup of tea while I work. To keep my tea warm for hours (yes, hours) I've been using one of these mugs. And the lid prevents major spills when I accidentally knock the mug over (which has happened a time or two 😜). And if you like iced tea, this mug will also keep iced beverages cold on a hot day.

🎧 A Gift of Safety

​Aftershokz Aeropex Headphones​
I run several days a week, so to stay safe of the trails (and road), I use these headphones. I can hear the wildlife and cars while also listening to a podcast, audiobook, or music while out and about. They have great sound quality, a battery that lasts for 8 hours, and are completely waterproof. The microphone also works well for walking meetings.

🎉 A Gift of Fun

​Scrabble​
What better game for a word nerd than Scrabble! I love a good games night (and potluck!) with friends. I have the classic version of Scrabble, but I have my eye on the deluxe version. If you like word games, I also recommend ​Bananagrams​, ​Boggle​, and ​Scattergories​. And I plan to add ​Stet! Dreyer's English​ to my collection soon.

📔 A Gift of Mindfulness

​The Five Minute Journal​
I have been using this journal for many years now. I love how in only five minutes in the morning and evening, you can cultivate gratitude and mindfulness with just a few simple prompts. The only thing I'd change is to add a hyphen to correct the name to "The Five-Minute Journal." 😉

🖊️ Gifts for Writers

​​Your 2023 Guide to Holiday Gifts for Writers​
I came across this post last year and saved it to share again this holiday season. If you're you looking for a holiday gift for a writer (or yourself), check out this incredible list of gifts for word nerds.

Happy Holidays!

Warmly,

Crystal

Interlude: Comparisons, Junk Science, and Reference Management

I've been reading your survey responses about your writing struggles. So far, many of you have highlighted that your biggest struggle is writing faster and easier. And I'm getting some great questions at the end of the survey.

If you already completed the survey, THANK YOU!

If you haven't, I'd love to hear from you and would be so grateful for your time in completing the short survey.

Complete the survey

Be sure to answer the last question so that you can enter the contest for a one-on-one, 30-minute coaching call with me.

(By the way, I removed the disclaimer that the winners' coaching sessions may be shared publicly. I won't do that. I want to be sure that you feel comfortable sharing whatever is on your mind so that you can get the most out of the session.)

To participate, all you need to do is complete the survey by 11:59 pm PT on November 30, 2024.

I'll announce the three lucky winners in the newsletter on Friday, December 6, 2024.

I look forward to your response!

Now onto this week's round-up...

💌 Round-up

💻 From My Desk

​The Right Words to Describe Comparisons​
One of my students recently asked me what I thought about the phrase "compare with." I think authors could use a clearer and more concise alternative.

👓 Reading

​The state of artificial intelligence in medical research: A survey of corresponding authors from top medical journals​ “To understand the scientific community’s understanding and perspective on the role of ​Artificial Intelligence​ (AI) in research and ​authorship​, a survey was designed for ​corresponding authors​ in top medical journals. . . Most of the researchers (40.6%) reported having moderate familiarity with artificial intelligence, while a minority (4.4%) had no associated knowledge. Furthermore, the vast majority (79.0%) believe that artificial intelligence will play a major role in the future of research. . . Despite lacking formal AI training, many scholars publishing in high-impact journals have started integrating such technologies into their projects, including rephrasing, translation, and proofreading tasks. Efforts should focus on providing training for their effective use, establishing guidelines by journal editors, and creating software applications that bundle multiple integrated tools into a single platform.”

​AI-Generated Junk Science Is Flooding Google Scholar, Study Claims​ “…AI tools like ChatGPT being used to produce fake scientific papers that are infiltrating Google Scholar, one of the most widely used academic search engines. . .These AI-generated studies, often indistinguishable from legitimate research, are spreading across academic databases and repositories, raising concerns about the integrity of online scientific literature.”

🧰 Tools

​Zotero​
I've recently worked on a few projects with authors who didn't use reference management software. (If this sounds like you, you can save so much time and energy by using a reference manager). I've used the free version of Zotero for years and highly recommend it.

💬 Quote

“I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say.” – Flannery O'Connor

Thank you so much for reading.

Warmly,

Crystal

Interlude: Community, Word Choice, and the Periodic Table

I've been thinking a lot about how I can create more resources for you. But to know the best direction to go, I really want to hear from you.

Will you help me understand your biggest writing challenges? All you need to do is complete a short survey. This survey is for everyone, whether your a client, a student, an Interlude enthusiast, or new to the Redwood Ink community.

I'd be so grateful for your time in completing this short survey. So as a token of my appreciation, I've included a question at the end to better understand exactly how I can help you with your current writing challenges.

I will read every response and personally select my three favorite responses. If your response is among them, I will invite you to join me for a one-on-one, 30-minute coaching call.

To participate, simply complete the survey by 11:59 pm PT on November 30, 2024, and be sure to answer the final question.

I'll announce the lucky winners in the newsletter on Friday, December 6, 2024.

I can't wait for your response!

Now for this week's round-up...

💌 Round-up

👓 Reading

​For the love of all that is holy, stop writing “utilize”​
"A word doesn’t mean what a writer thinks it means; it means what readers think it means. And readers don’t, it seems, agree on what distinction there is between use and ​utilize​, or whether there’s any distinction at all. . .I think the real reason we use utilize is because it sound[s] science-y (and the simpler use doesn’t)."

​Suspicious phrases in peer reviews point to referees gaming the system​
"Hundreds of scientific papers bear signs of reviewers using templates to quickly churn out reports for personal gain. . . It’s an unusually detailed analysis of a little-noticed scheme that may be allowing some researchers to reap undeserved benefits for boilerplate or downright manipulative reviews. The practice may also be compromising the integrity of the scientific literature."

​“Insert witty catchphrase here!”: do title elements influence engagement and citation?— examining highly-cited research articles in media, communication, and related disciplines​
"…research articles whose ​titles​ contain catchphrases receive fewer usage count (i.e., engagement). Articles that mention specific geographic locations in their titles have lower usage count and ​citation​. Meanwhile, including at least one colon in the title may increase publication metrics. Title length, mentioning the methods, and question, on the other hand, did not have significant impacts. Other article- and presentation-related factors (e.g., the numbers of references), as well as journal-related factors (e.g., being published in special issues), significantly predict communication research articles’ publication metrics."

🖥️ Watching

The Meeting to Decide the Periodic Table​
When I learned the elements in the periodic table (many years ago), I remember wondering why the abbreviations were so inconsistent. In this reel, @stage_door_johnny shares a funny skit about how the inconsistent abbreviations may have been decided.

🧰 Tools

​ReallyWrite​
After watching the co-founder of ReallyWrite, Taylor Krohn, lead a ReallyWrite demo in The Grove community this week, I was reminded of how incredibly valuable this tool is in helping people to write well. I highly recommend you check it out.

Thank you so much for reading.

Warmly,

Crystal

Interlude: Precrastination, Verbs, and Scientific Graphics

Many writers face the challenge of procrastination in their writing process. But some writers face the opposite challenge: precrastination.

​Precrastination is the inclination to complete tasks quickly just to get them done as soon as possible.

For example, do you immediately reply to emails even though your response is not needed urgently? Do you rush to write an abstract for a conference as soon as the call for abstracts opens? Do you submit a manuscript before the text is really publication-ready so that you can just get it off your desk?

Although precrastination may sound like a great strategy to avoid procrastination and get a task done early, precrastination also has downsides. When you precrastinate, you might rush through projects and submit poor-quality work. You might expend more energy than needed to get the task done. Or you might juggle too many tasks at once to avoid carrying the cognitive load of thinking about an incomplete task.

How can you manage precrastination? Here are a few of strategies that have worked well for me.

• Turn off messaging and email notifications so that you do not feel compelled to reply immediately.

• Block time in your calendar to respond to emails and complete administrative tasks in batches.

• Automate repetitive tasks to streamline your time and avoid thinking about these tasks.

• Map out a plan to complete a project in a way that maximizes your time and energy in producing quality work.

• Break a larger task into smaller tasks to promote a sense of accomplishment as you complete the larger task.

What are your strategies for managing precrastination? Hit reply and let me know.

Let's get to the good stuff...

💌 Round-up

💻 From My Desk

Craft Compelling Aims with Strong Verbs​
Strong verbs add clarity and energy to your writing that fuel your reviewers' understanding and excitement—enticing them to fund your proposal (or accept your manuscript for publication).

👓 Reading

Verbs
​"Verbs help the reader move from the beginning of the sentence to the end. They drive movement between sentences. Imagine the reader skipping from verb to verb as they read."

​Hopeful Tips​
I had the pleasure of meeting Hope Lafferty at my first AMWA conference. She is an incredibly talented, thoughtful, and funny editor. And she has crafted 101 of her secret techniques to elevate your medical writing—for free!

🖥️ Watching

How to create scientific graphics: an inside look from Nature​
This video gives a behind-the-scenes look at how illustrators create scientific graphics that summarize research and enhance readers' comprehension.

🧰 Tools

NIH BioArt Source​
The NIH worked with professional illustrators to develop a library of 2000+ accurate science and medical images that you can use to build figures, presentations, websites, print materials, and more—for free!

Thank you so much for reading.

Warmly,

Crystal

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.

1. Get some ​distance from the writing​ by building in extra time to step away from the text and come back with fresh eyes.

2. Ask for ​feedback​ from non-specialists who don't have the same expertise—and curse of knowledge—as you.

3. 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!

Resource library​

Writing toolkit​

Inclusive Language Course​

NIH grant template​

Manuscript template​

Newsletter repository​

Ask Me Anything session​

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