The idea of a common language has been proposed several times in history. Scientific writing has evolved around simplicity and universal tendencies. There is no record about when Latin was first used to write medical prescriptions, but it dates back to the beginning of history as a direct and simple communication way between pharmacists and physicians. A method was needed so every patient could get the right medication everywhere in the world (History of Pharmacy, 2009). At some point in history, Latin was used as the language that should be used in prescriptions so they could be understood universally without the need of a translation. Latin was chosen because it is a dead and never-changing language, universally employed (Lee, 1947). The first guidelines including a common language in medical sciences were published in JAMA in 1916.

English is the most used language around the world. According to late statistical reports, it is the third spoken language by a number of native speakers below Mandarin and Spanish. It is also the world’s most spoken language by total speakers combining native speakers with non-native ones. Thus, it is the most useful language in the world (ESL, 2019). Historical events and the social evolution of humanity have placed English as the most understood language around the world. Of course, Latin is still commonly used in medicine and medical sciences; official terminology is always in Latin (which is often used together with each local language), and most of the scientific community is trained in “technical Latin” which is maybe the only reason why Latin still exists. Despite the universal use of Latin, it cannot be used to communicate knowledge because no one speaks it regularly anymore.

Publishing an article is the last step of hard work. It is the culmination of several work hours and effort. Any author would like to see his article read and cited which is probably the main indicator that knowledge is been transmitted. Often, the question is about writing in our native language or English. The answer is simple: As humans, we write because we want to show what we know and want to be remembered (Orwell, 1946); writing in English offers the opportunity of a language that most people understand or are interested in understanding (Gao 2017).

How to do it? How could I translate my thoughts into a language which is not my native one and do it correctly? Here is a small algorithm which is both simple and useful:

Read the rules. Luckily, scientific writing is standardized, and it is well structured. Read any manual or book on this topic that can guide you, even if you have published previously (we can always be better). Do not forget the particular instructions from every journal.

Be realistic. Every one of us knows our English Level; we should try to write our manuscript according to our skills. Then, asking for extra help is useful.

Keep it simple. Remember that simple texts are easier to understand. Avoid fancy words or complicated grammar. No one likes to read what is complicated.

Contact the expert. Most of the time, English linguists are natural-skilled. Contact one and ask for a professional review.

Use your colleagues. Useful feedback can be obtained from our colleagues. Take a shortcut for comments and corrections that might come from reviewers.

Get better. If needed, take an extra English course or even a writing one. Improving is the key to success.

Do not lose enthusiasm. Even the hardest comment or correction is intended to help. Think twice before rejecting them.

Hoping that this short comments are useful, I would like to share a fantastic answer I got when asking an experienced Professor about the key to success when writing in English: “Dare to do it.”