Passive voice is a strategy, not a default
Most scientists and clinicians use passive voice by convention — not by choice. This free course teaches you to use active and passive voice as strategic writing tools, so every sentence serves your reader and your narrative.
Have reviewers or colleagues told you that you need to use passive voice to follow convention in science or medicine?
This free online course will help you:
Understand why passive voice became a convention in scientific writing
Recognize the real problem with passive voice — and when it actually works
Use active and passive voice as strategic tools to strengthen every document you write
Enroll for free!
What people are saying
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“Thank you SO much for your clear and beautiful slides, your helpful and encouraging manner of presenting, and your generosity with information and answering questions. I wish I could tell you how many times you and your slides have come to my mind as examples of what to strive for.”
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"Crystal walked through these topics so clearly and I am excited to implement her suggestions into my writing!"
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"Crystal is an excellent, thoughtful presenter who uses helpful graphics and thoughtfully answers questions."
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“Extremely useful and wonderfully presented! I am excited to start applying it directly in my everyday life from now on.”
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"You are very engaging, and your content is superb! Thank you!"
Hi, I’m Crystal.
I'm a former biomedical scientist and clinical researcher who — like many of you — did not get adequate writing training in graduate school. That experience shapes everything I do as a scientific editor, educator, and communication strategist.
I've spent more than 15 years editing scientific and medical writing and more than 25 years teaching it. I'm the founder of Redwood Ink and an international speaker, and I've helped thousands of researchers, clinicians, and medical communicators across the health sciences hone their writing skills.
But here’s what actually matters: I know what it feels like to struggle to put important science into words that resonate with reviewers and readers. And the struggle isn’t a reflection of ability — writing well is a skill, and it can be learned.
I founded Redwood Ink with a simple goal: to help scientists, clinicians, and medical communicators write with the clarity and confidence their work deserves.