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590 Publishing without perishingportant to note the limitations of what you have done and to identify whatremains to be done. This summary does not have to be very long, but it shouldleave the reader with a clear understanding of why s/he bothered to read yourwork.How does one go about getting started? The prospect of sitting down towrite a journal article or research proposal can be daunting. Keep in mind thatauthors who simply sit down and start writing are rare. Most good writers,either literally, or figuratively in their minds, formulate an outline establishingthe basic organization. Some will do this by beginning a L A TEX documentwithtentative section headings that correspond to the main ideas and results, andthen filling in details. Also know that most good writers do not do this in order.They may write up the results first and leave the introduction until later, afterthey have a sense of what follows that material. If you find yourself graspingfor the right word and/or agonizing over a detail, do not allow yourself to getstuck; make a note to come back to it later. As your work takes shape, you’llrealize that you may want to move some material to another place, and thewords and details you struggled with begin to gel.Finally, I’ll return to Dave’s motto: “Write it, and write it again.” Nowriter, no matter how talented or skilled, produces a perfect first draft. Onceyou have your first draft, review it carefully and critically, and be ruthless!Evaluate every sentence, and make sure that it is really necessary and, if itis, that it says exactly what you mean. Be on the lookout for repetition andredundancy — have you repeated something that you said earlier that doesn’tbear repeating? This is a waste of precious space that could be put to betteruse. Be your own worst critic! Ask yourself: Have I cited the relevant literatureand background sufficiently? Are there gaps in my logic or storytellingthat would impede understanding? Are there parts that could be confusing orunclear? Is the overall message obvious, and have I made a convincing case?The bottom line is that you can always improve on what you have written.At some point, of course, you must let go and declare what you have to bethe finished product, but a few rounds of putting your work aside and readingit again in a day or two can be very effective toward refining it to the pointwhere any further improvements would be minimal.48.4 Parting thoughtsA career in statistical research can be incredibly rewarding. The challengesare many, but the skills required can be mastered. I’ve touched on just twokey elements — balancing competing responsibilities and effective writing —that have played a major role in my own career. I hope that my experience ishelpful to the next generation of statistical scientists, to whom I leave one finalpiece of advice. Have fun! In spite of the challenges and occasional frustrations,