In his new book, On Revision, William Germano states that revisions are the only writing that counts. It means going back to what you have written, finding what is missing or what is in the wrong place or in the wrong voice.1 Even the best writers are tortured by the task of revising-and acknowledge that it is a messy and time-consuming process. However, we never underestimate the beauty of the first draft, because its very existence is full of promise and excitement. Revisions are hard work; writers often struggle to repair, improve, extend, or reduce first drafts and continue to revise multiple versions of the original work. Final drafts require clarity, consistency, accuracy, and correctness, and each of these steps may be governed by different rules. Revising is a collective process, a dance between the author and their experiences, expertise, and audience. Revisions and corrections are often fundamentally different, but both are a requirement of the finished product.
Scholarly writers work in tight circles within guidelines and formats that are prescriptive to the research format or the requirements of the publication.2 Even with such defined parameters, the final project often requires significant revision. Jean Iwaz provides a clear outline of the final round of checks for section consistency, subsection consistency, and overall coherence that a scientific manuscript should undergo before submission. In this recent article, Iwaz3 provides a superb template for consistency-defined as the orderly treatment of a set of linked elements in a document (Figure).
The search for clarity, parsimonious prose, accuracy, and correctness takes time, considerable focus, and resources. Often, it requires expert advice and mentorship. There are many classic and new resources available. A classic article by Patience et al,4 "From Clutter to Clarity," is an example of one guide to a well-written document. The authors provide steps that help writers get to the point quickly, efficiently, and free of superfluous words. In addition, there is a plethora of textbooks, blogs, articles, and resources for writing styles, grammar, and syntax for every language.
There are many editing, language translation, and publication support services for scholarly writers. Some require payment or subscription, but many are free services offered by publishers and professional organizations. Frequently, publishers partner with editing services such as Editage, a division of Cactus Communications, which is a technology company that provides services for scientific advancement. In addition to references cited, in this segment, we will share some of the resources our DCCN colleagues have suggested.
* American Medical Writers Association offers resources and online training for medical communicators, including checklist and education.
http://www.amwa.org
American Medical Writers Association's Medical Editing Checklist: https://info.amwa.org/medical-editing-checklist-download?hsCtaTracking=a9f377f3-https://info.amwa.org/a-comprehensive-guide-to-medical-editing#how_do_i_become_a
* The American Psychological Association offers instructional aids for the seventh edition of Publication Manual, Concise Guide to APA Style, and Mastering APA Style Student Workbook: https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/handouts-guides/#7th-edition.
* The American Medical Association produces the AMA Style Insider, the official blog of the AMA Manual of Style, which features quizzes, interviews, and ruminations on style, usage, and punctuation, sponsored by the JAMA Network. A sample feature is available at http://amastyleinsider.com/2012/10/19/top-10-mistakes-authors-make/.
* Wolters Kluwer author services at https://wkauthorservices.editage.com
* http://Editage.com sponsors Editage Insights 20-resources for publication success: https://www.editage.com/insights/.
* Researcher Life by Editage 20 is copywritten by Cactus Communications: https://researcher.life/my-learning?usersource=r-sso&usersource=direct&feature=u.
* Researcher Academy, sponsored by Elsevier, provides free access to countless e-learning resources designed to support researchers on every step of their research journey: https://researcheracademy.elsevier.com.
* The Publication Plan provides a freely accessible online news resource for everyone interested in the development of medical publications. https://thepublicationplan.com/about/
* American Medical Writers Association members are professional medical communicators who write, edit, or develop materials about medicine and health. Membership includes a journal subscription and many educational and professional resources: https://info.amwa.org/american-medical-writers-association-membership.
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