Interlude: Refreshing Writing, First Manuscripts, and Causal Language
Spring is here.
I love watching the flowers bloom, hearing the birds in the trees, and feeling that renewed sense of energy and growth in the air.
Around this time each year, I also like to refresh my living space. I do a deep clean, donate things I no longer use, sometimes move furniture and decor around, and open the doors and windows to let fresh air flow in.
As I was doing this recently, I started thinking about how our writing sometimes needs a refresh as well. We can get stuck in old writing habits, forget skills we've learned, or over-rely on writing tools like AI. And now is a great time to tap into the renewed spring energy to refresh our writing.
If you'd like to refresh your writing skills this spring, I just reopened my free 5-day writing challenge. In 5 days, you can challenge your mindset, bust surprising myths about scientific writing, and hone your writing skills in four key ways.
Whether you join the challenge or simply choose one small habit to shift, consider this your invitation to give your writing the same care and fresh air you'd give your home this season.
What are you looking forward to refreshing this spring?
Now onto this week's round-up...
Round-up
From My Desk
3 Problems I’d Fix in My First Research Manuscript
I recently revisited the paper I published in grad school and found myself shaking my head at all the things I would do differently now. In this video, you'll learn three mistakes that I made in that paper and that I see many authors make in their research manuscripts. You'll also learn how to fix them so that your papers are clearer, more persuasive, and easier to read.
Upcoming
Tips and Tricks for Solving Common Grant Proposal Pitfalls – April 16, 2026 @ 3 pm PT
In a few weeks, I'll join Kimberly Mankiewicz to discuss common pitfalls we see in grant writing. We'll also share tips, tricks, and actionable strategies for crafting clearer, more persuasive, and more competitive grant proposals. You must be a member of the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences to join.
Reading
How and when to use causal and associational language
"Here, we clarify why, if the underlying research question is causal, it is not only preferable to use causal language to articulate the question, but necessary. We also propose clear guidelines for how often misused terms such as 'causal effect,' 'association,' and 'estimated causal effect' should be used in research articles and in reference to which quantities."
Artificial Intelligence (AI) guidance for authors, peer reviewers, and editors: A content analysis of journal policies
". . . 62.5% (n = 50) of the journal policies mentioned AI. 96% of these journals did not permit AI to be listed as an author. 54% of journals allowed authors to use AI tools to improve language in their manuscript, whereas using AI to generate images was prohibited by 26% of journals. 64% of journals did not provide any AI-related guidance for peer reviewers/editors."
Listening
Quick Thinks: How to Create Messages People Remember
"In this Quick Thinks episode of Think Fast Talk Smart, [Carmen] Simon and host Matt Abrahams explore practical, research-backed ways to make communication more memorable. They discuss why handwriting notes can deepen understanding, how curiosity and tension capture attention, and why communicators should avoid overwhelming audiences with too much information. Instead, Simon encourages speakers to structure ideas so audiences can recognize patterns and return to a clear core message."
Quote
“1. When you write something intended to be read by an important person, go through it and cut every unnecessary word.
2. The reader of anything you publish is an important person.”
–Paul Graham
Thank you so much for reading.
Warmly,
Crystal
