Meet the people behind the scenes

The Redwood Ink team is dedicated to helping you become a stronger writer through editing services, supportive guidance, and professional development programs.

Our Founder

Crystal Herron leaning against a redwood tree

Crystal Herron, PhD, ELS

(she/her)

I’m not one to talk about myself or toot my own horn. But I am passionate about what I do.

I enjoy wrangling words and heading down thesaurus rabbit holes. And I’m one of those weirdos who loves the challenge of condensing text to meet a word limit.

Like many researchers, I did not get adequate training in how to write well while I was in graduate school. In fact, most training programs and research institutions do not offer adequate support in writing. Yet, these institutions expect researchers to write successful manuscripts and grants. Their success depends on it.

Now I’m on a mission to serve researchers and support their success in clearly and persuasively conveying their research and ideas. I’ve spent more than a decade learning from the greats in writing and more than two decades teaching topics in the sciences and writing. And, in 2017, I launched Redwood Ink. Over my career, I’ve had the joy and honor of helping thousands of brilliant scientists, clinicians, and medical writers to write well and showcase their expertise.

I’m so delighted you’re here! Have a look around, and please get in touch if I can be of service.

Official Bios

  • Crystal Herron, PhD, ELS, (she/her) is an editor, educator, and coach who serves scientists and clinicians who want to communicate with clear, concise, and compelling writing. In 2017, she founded Redwood Ink to equip researchers and other professional writers with the principles, resources, and systems they need to write compelling manuscripts and grants in the health sciences.

  • Crystal Herron, PhD, ELS, (she/her) is an editor, educator, and coach who serves scientists and clinicians who want to communicate with clear, concise, and compelling writing. Her distinctive style transforms conventional complex language into modern writing that engages, informs, and persuades readers.

    Crystal is also an international speaker and educator. She leads webinars, workshops, and courses to equip researchers and other professional writers with the principles, resources, and systems they need to write compelling manuscripts and grants in the health sciences.

    Crystal is a BELS-certified Editor in the Life Sciences. She has more than a decade of experience as an editor and more than two decades of experience as an educator. Before pursuing her passion for words, she completed her PhD in biomedical science and then collaborated on diverse projects in clinical research.

    Crystal lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and loves baking, trail running, and exploring the outdoors with her dog. She values giving back to the community and volunteers with several national and local organizations.

What People Are Saying

"Crystal is an asset to any academic writer - She is approachable, efficient, supremely knowledgeable, detail-oriented and professional. She invests time understanding the intent and story behind each project, and then crafts her edits to make the manuscripts perfectly suited for its intended audience. Her consistent history and long list of successfully accepted, high impact publications is clear evidence of her efficacy and skill."

– PhD, Medical University of South Carolina

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