A major goal for researchers is to tell our colleagues (and others) about our work. This is formally done through the publishing of our findings in the peer-reviewed literature, but for many of us this is a daunting task. How do we take our data and tell the story that will result in publication? In this talk, we provide some simple steps to help ease the process. The work starts with the formulation of an interesting and important research question. This question needs to be situated within the current literature, building upon existing ideas, and helping to fill a recognized gap. A clear research question may also help in identifying predictions that inform experimental design and what is measured, allowing you to focus on a few well-reasoned ideas, and avoid including measures simply because they are easy to collect. Before starting data collection, try to write a first draft of the Introduction and Methods sections of your paper, using the format of your target journal. This will force you to clearly describe your research question and to link your proposed methods with the main ideas. The Methods section should also describe your proposed statistical analysis and the power analysis you used to calculate sample size, and follow one of the reporting guidelines specified by the journal (such as ARRIVE). As you begin data collection, you can revise the Methods to reflect any changes you have made. Before you begin statistical analysis, carefully scrutinize the raw data, using plots to check for outliers. Take special effort to develop the figures and tables describing your main findings— these will be the stars of your paper. Before you start, try to develop an eye for what types of graphical reporting you find most helpful, and use these ideas when presenting your results. The discussion should carefully integrate your results into the literature, identify new ideas and gaps for future research, and end with a clear and specific conclusion. A high-quality paper requires many drafts, so be prepared to take the time needed to polish your efforts, including seeking out critical comments from readers whose work you admire.