Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Own Business as a Freelance Medical Writer
Medical writing has been described as one of the top interesting 6-figure jobs. It is a perfect career change for scientists and doctors who want to work at home and enjoy a better work-life balance. This series of books will help people get started in freelance medical writing. It can also be used a resource for the many online programs now teaching medical writing.Book 1 - Prerequisite Skills and First Steps
This book, covering the Week 1 materials of Dr. Hitt Nichols' 6-Week Course, "Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Freelance Medical Writing Business", discusses the prerequisite skills and first steps needed to transition into freelance medical writing. In a friendly and engaging style, Dr. Hitt Nichols discusses what medical writing entails and the types of skills needed for medical writing and for freelancing specifically. The book also describes some of the basics of medical writing style, providing a checklist for “Pieces you Really Care About.” Information about transitioning into medical writing and steps to take before launching your medical writing practice are also reviewed.The First in a 6-Book Series
This book is the first in a series of 6 books, with a planned publication date of the end of 2014, that will discuss all the aspects of starting a lucrative work-at-home career as a freelance medical writer.The Week 2 book discusses the basics for getting set up in business as a medical writer. This includes the basics of setting up a website appropriate for freelance medical writing; potential medical writing markets, how to get your first freelance medical writing clients, when to (and when not to) network and help others. She also talks about freelance integrity–meeting deadlines, plagiarism, and other issues--and outline the equipment and software you’ll need to set up shop.
The Week 3 book describes medical journalism--writing the medical news. This covers the scope of medical news writing, how to write the medical news, interviewing tips and techniques for news writers, and how to get medical news writing work.
The Week 4 book covers continuing medical education (CME) writing, discussing the scope of CME work; concepts in “fair balance;” writing effective CME, learning objectives, and questions; and defines “ghostwriting” and how it relates to the profession of medical writing.
In the Week 5 book, writing feature articles, Dr. Hitt Nichols describes the scope of feature article writing with a medical focus, how to write feature articles, interviewing tips and techniques for feature articles. Potential medical writing markets for feature articles, such as trade journals and online work, and how to get feature article writing work are also discussed.
Lastly, the Week 6 book describes running a freelance business once you have set it up, negotiating and collecting your pay, positioning yourself as a freelance writer, as well as contracts 101 for freelance medical writers, organizational tips for freelance medical writers, how to determine when to break up with a client, freelance customer service (keeping your clients happy and what to do when they are not), sending out invoices, and self-care for the busy freelancer.
About The Author
Dr. Hitt Nichols founded Hitt Medical Writing (HMW), LLC, in 2001, immediately after finishing graduate school. Dr. Hitt Nichols also founded The HittListTM, a free weekly email containing medical writing jobs, which has gone out for the last 10 years. She also teaches the online 6-week course, which has helped many qualified people get their start in freelance medical writing.Dr. Hitt Nichols’ PhD is from Emory University in the area of cancer-related signal transduction. She also has an MS in technical and professional communication.
