Scientific writing is the art of communicating complex discoveries. In the current competitive publication environment, authors who cannot communicate effectively do not get past the editor's desk. A decade ago, some journals reviewed every submission. They worked with researchers who had excellent data, but poor writing skills. Today, journals receive far more manuscripts than they can process. A majority of submissions get only a cursory glance, or rejection without review. Skilled writers know how to manipulate conventions with powerful scientific writing. They present complex ideas efficiently and capture an editor's attention. Luckily, many common manuscript errors can be eliminated with the final edit. Here are three simple revisions you can make to improve your final draft: Identify when subjects and verbs are too far apartAvoid nominalizationsOptimize flow1. Subject & Verb DistanceDistant subject and verbs occur when the author puts too much information in one sentence, perhaps thinking this will avoid redundancy. Always prioritize clarity. To revise this, identify the main subject and verb of the sentence. If they are far apart, rephrase the sentence or break it into multiple sentences. Example: The assumptions that all sites evolve at one of two evolutionary rates, that these rates are uniform across the genome, that sites evolve independently conditional on whether they are in conserved or non-conserved regions, and that the phylogenetic models for conserved and non-conserved regions have the same branch-length proportions, base compositions, and substitution patterns, all represent over-simplifications of the complex process of sequence evolution.In this example, the subject is 'assumptions' and the verb is 'represent'. Let's revise this:Rewrite: Several key assumptions represent oversimplifications of sequence evolution. These include...2. Nominalizations Nominalizations are nouns created from adjectives or verbs. They often cause passive voice or require unnecessary words. These can dramatically slow the read of your paper. As you edit, go through and underline any nominalizations. Take a closer look and see if they should be changed to verbs. Example: We performed an analysis...Rewrite: We analyzed...3. Poor FlowFlow is critical to the introduction and discussion sections, which usually provide background or explanatory information. Information flows from one idea to another. The shift in the subject of each sentence should follow a logical order, known as the 'subject string'. Example: We searched the database to look for base pair repeats. A protein involved in the regulation of human methylation was identified by the search.In this example, flow can be improved when the subject that has already been introduced (a search) comes before a new idea (protein). The sentence can thus be re-written with protein as the object of the sentence:Rewrite: We searched the database of sequences to look for base pair repeats. The search identified a protein involved in the regulation of human methylation. In the final revision of your manuscript, highlight the subject of each sentence. Does the subject string follow a logical flow, pivoting only when you want to shift the topic or key point? Or does it jump around at random? Understanding flow takes practice, but once you have a feel for flow, the clarity of your writing will improve.Final wordToday, excellent research is being lost in the midst of poor scientific writing skills. Using these revision techniques, you can work towards journal editors recognizing the significance of your findings. There are some great resources to help identify these common errors. For example, while writing on Authorea, we offer a Grammarly plug-in that will correct your grammar and spelling errors. Also check out the Hemmingway Editor, which allows you to copy paste chunks of text and highlight adverbs, nominalizations, passive voice, and more. For examples of flow, check out the Scientific Writing Resource from Duke University.