Writing a scientific manuscript is an important part of a student’s training (undergraduate or graduate), and almost all advisors and mentors have nuggets of advice to share with their mentees. Writing the draft of your first manuscript and showing it to your advisor can be stressful. Students imagine the writing, figures, and more will be critiqued. From the advisor’s viewpoint, however, the science, storyline, and presentation style take priority. Here are some tips and tricks that I hope would help the first-time writer in this daunting task.