Even the most important discoveries are no use if they languish in a lab book or disappear into obscurity. For example, penicillin might have been discovered decades earlier if Ernest Duchesne's 1897 work on the interaction between Escherichia coli and Penicillium glaucum had been communicated effectively. Journal publications are the main way of communicating research to other researchers. If you are a researcher, then publications are also a vital part of gaining funding and advancing your career. In short, getting papers published is critical to your success in research, and so good writing is vital.