WRITING ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP (WAG)

Need to improve your writing? Want to speed up finishing a project?

Get individualized feedback from professional editors and science writers.

Rolling enrollment—sign up and we’ll work with you to find a time that works for you.

Ideal for college students, grad students, postdocs and anyone needing help with:

Shaping a scientific manuscript for journal submission
Writing/rewriting a grant proposal (e.g., for a foundation)
Writing a dissertation chapter (within academic editing guidelines)
Strategizing on materials for a career pivot (#FiredFeds welcome, we will schedule one extra session free)

Each of the four 90-min sessions will include:

Guest speaker presentation and demo of a safe, ethical writing or editing tool (10 min)
Time for co-working and networking with cohort
Real-time feedback from experienced writers/editors (1:1 or in small groups)
Crowdsourced wisdom (e.g., the ever-changing federal funding landscape)

Guest speakers will cover topics such as AI-assisted software for editing scientific text (that doesn’t save your text for training LLMs), plain language principles, and how to make text such as specific aims more concise.

Dates & Times *we can change if majority of cohort can’t make suggested times below

enrollment open for COHORT TWO suggested sessions*: Thurs, June 12, 19, 26 and July 3 at 9:30-11 a.m. Pacific/12:30-2 p.m. Eastern

save the date for COHORT THREE: Tues, Sept 9, 16, 23, 30 at 9:30-11 a.m. Pacific/12:30-2 p.m. Eastern

Cost for Four Sessions

$200 ($50 per session) Cohort 2 special offer (full-price $240)

$160 ($40 per session) for undergrad or grad students/postdocs/freelancers

We understand that these are uncertain times for journalists, academics, and researchers. We want to provide a community and supportive place for you to focus on your writing.

We will work with your schedule to arrange for a make-up session if you miss a session. Please contact info@ellenkuwana.com if the registration fee is a hardship.

PURCHASE HERE (NON-STUDENT)

PURCHASE HERE (GRAD STUDENT)

Organizers

Ellen Kuwana, MS

Ellen is an award-winning science writer and editor. For 20 years, she was part of research teams on federally funded biomedical projects at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Research Institute. Ellen has written and edited >500 articles and dozens of federal grant proposals totaling more than $89 billion.

She is a nationally recognized expert in science communications and gives talks on AI tools; plain language; and manuscripts and grants. She organizes several offerings for the National Association of Science Writers and moderated their 2023 conference plenary, AI and the Media. She is past president of NW Science Writers Association. She can invite guest speakers from many groups she’s part of, depending on specific interests (e.g., tips for neurodiverse writers).

Over the past 2 years, Ellen has coached and mentored >50 writers. She runs her own freelance business, Kuwana Consulting LLC.

Learn more

Georgina (Gina) To’a Salazar, PhD

Gina is a skilled science communicator and founder of Redwood Scientific Communications, LLC. With a background in chemical and biomedical engineering, she has a strong foundation in translating complex scientific concepts for diverse audiences. Gina has extensive experience in writing and editing peer-reviewed manuscripts, grant proposals, and technical documents, as well as crafting engaging science content for public and professional audiences. Her career includes academic research roles in the U.S., Singapore, and Japan, where she honed her ability to bridge cultural and scientific contexts. A dedicated advocate for underrepresented voices, she has been a member of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) writing team since 2016. Gina draws on her Samoan and Mexican American heritage to bring unique perspectives to her work. Her mission is to help clients communicate science clearly, concisely, and effectively.

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Liz Haswell, PhD

Liz is a distinguished scientist, writer, and communicator with a career spanning academia and professional science communication. With over 15 years as a research lab leader at Washington University in St. Louis, she secured funding from HHMI, NSF, NASA, and the NIH, and authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications in cell and developmental biology, mechanobiology, and plant sciences. An accomplished communicator, Liz gave approximately 100 invited talks, served as Deputy Editor for Science Advances, and co-hosted the award-winning Taproot Podcast. She is recognized for her expertise in mentoring and dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion. She now runs a scientific editing and writing business, The Sustainable Professor.

Learn more

Coaching and Mentoring

Topics include: career paths, pivoting to freelance, science communications, AI tools, plain language, scientific manuscripts, grant proposals, medical writing, editing, neurodiversity.

What you get

1:1 access to an experienced science writer with expertise in plain language.

What you get

Feedback on grant proposal text, with a focus on making the Specific Aims page concise and clear. Help pivoting to funding proposals to foundations.

What you get

Developmental editing and coaching for writing and revising mannuscripts.

What you get

Strategic advice on annual reports, white papers, reports to funders, marketing copy, IRB materials, social media posts, CME/CNE materials.

Raves

"Kudos to your editor [Ellen] for their time and efforts. It is clear that they went through the paper with a fine-tooth comb, from slight one-word changes here and there to correcting a citation...I am happy with the final product, and I think overall, it is improved over our initial submittal without impacting any of the information."

Manuscript Author, Journal of Environmental Health

"Ellen is an exceptional editor. I had the opportunity to work with her on a project that contained many components. She is well-organized, thoughtful, and has tremendous expertise in a variety of style requirements. She made significant improvements to the materials she was given and she did so in a respectful way, always providing options for consideration. Our project was improved immeasurably by her contributions. I highly recommend Ellen. Not only is she thorough, reliable, and flexible, she is also an absolute joy to work with."

Senior Communications Manager, Washington Health Alliance

"Ellen did a fantastic job editing my program’s annual report. She knows the style guides inside and out and made word choice and grammatical corrections that took the report to the next level of professionalism. I was proud to share it with leaders inside and outside our organization. Ellen has excellent communication skills, is easy to work with, and flexible. I am happy to recommend her as a copyeditor and would enthusiastically work with her again."

Manager, Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics

Now is the time to take your career to the next level.

Take the first step.

Large tasks can seem daunting. Having someone on the path with you toward your goal is worth the investment. This strategy is especially helpful for people with ADHD.

This is what you want.

You have an idea of where you want to go. I can help create the roadmap, nudge you to get started, and function as a check-in for accountability.

Let’s get started.

Book a 30-min free consultation, and we’ll go from there.

About Ellen Kuwana, M.S.

Ellen is a trained scientist (MS in neuroscience from the University of California San Francisco) with more than 20 years of basic, clinical, and translational research experience. Her areas of subject matter expertise include neuroscience, molecular biology, cancer biology, and bioethics. She worked at the University of Washington for 14 years and Seattle Children’s Research Institute for 6 years.

She has edited more than 500 scientific articles and dozens of successful grant applications (Ro1, R34, K08, P50, STTR/SBIR) totaling more than $89 billion in grant funding and contracts. She has worked with English as a second language (ESL) authors. She is an expert in plain language, appropriate reading levels, and inclusive language.

She is past president of the Northwest Science Writers Association, host of a monthly coffee chat for for the National Association of Science Writers, and on the Education Board for ACES: Society for Editing.

On March 13, 2020, Ellen founded WeGotThisSeattle, a COVID-19 emergency relief project). She fed more than 175,000 frontline and essential workers; She fundraised over $125,000; and helped keep more than 150 Seattle restaurants in business. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Seattle Times, Seattle Met Magazine, CBS This Morning, Mother Jones, High Country News, and has been drawn by David Horsey as one of 2020’s local heroes.