Dec. 14, 2020 , 5:05 PM Ruth, a final-year Ph.D. student, is hunched over her laptop at her oversized kitchen table, typing vigorously, when her flatmate Louisa walks in. “If you continue like this, you’ll be finished with your thesis by midnight!” Louisa exclaims. “What a pity I am not writing my thesis,” Ruth responds sheepishly. “Working on one of those papers you’ve been trying to finish?” Louisa asks hopefully. “No, I haven’t done anything like that today,” Ruth admits. “I’m writing a protocol for Derk.” Ruth knows she should write her papers and her thesis. But she simply can’t get more than a sentence or two on paper. She is mystified by Louisa, who started a career as a science journalist after finishing her Ph.D. and clearly has the writing bug. Louisa never seems to have a problem getting words on paper.