The end of the year is a great time to market yourself (as a CME writer)

The last part of the year can be one of the best times to make a transition or to chase the clients you said you wanted to pursue.

As I understand it, most of the funds obtained through grants have to be used up before the end of the year, and that means that CME providers are looking for writers. Just in the last couple of weeks, three companies have asked for my portfolio, two colleagues have sent my name to companies, and I have been asked about my availability at least two times. Things are moving.

But there’s something at the core that makes referrals, outreach and conversations worth it: samples. Without a portfolio, none of the above would lead to anything.

I’ve come to realize that my background as a doctor is only relevant once a potential client knows about me. They are never looking for a writer that has a medical background specifically, at least not in my experience. What happens in practice is that we talk, we get along, they ask for samples, they read them, and if they like them, we work together. They have never asked, “But you have a degree in X, right?” My background comes into play in the later stages, when I can show my reasoning behind decisions and approach; that’s when I can finally show my strengths.

So, if you need an extra client before the end of the year, this is what I’d suggest:

Have samples ready.
Research CME providers in your ideal-client list (or create a list if you don’t yet have one).
Connect with their medical director(s) and grant director(s).
Introduce yourself and say what you do.
Schedule a call if they engage. Send samples.
Prepare answers for common pushbacks: “I don’t see anything on X therapeutic area,” “I don’t see X deliverable in your portfolio.” Most of these require some version of “I haven’t worked on X, but I have worked on Y, and this is how they relate.”

This workflow is what allowed me to shift from 90% translation/10% writing to a 50/50 income split, which feels like a healthy change.

You’ll succeed only if you’re willing to embarrass yourself

“I’m not ready.” I hear this often when people ask me about how to make the move to medical writing from translation and vice versa. I think it’s because both fields have been affected by budget redistribution, workflow changes brought by AI, overindexing on credentials, and just how

The cost of convenience

There are people that like coffee, people that drink coffee, and people that avoid it. I've been thinking about the cost of convenience since reading Julie Beck's article in The Atlantic about Gabe Bullard's book, Against Convenience. A cup of coffee can come in

The edges of the work will blend

I’m increasingly being asked by Operations Managers at Medical Communication companies to review text from the clinical standpoint. I keep being surprised by these requests, because I thought that my background as a doctor made it clear to them that that’s what I had always done. It didn&

We can't type in front of our clients

Musicians have to perform live to prove that they are not AI. I came up with this reflection after listening to one of Rick Beato’s YouTube videos about AI-generated music. What is the equivalent for freelancers in medical communications? I initially thought that conferences were the answer. They

Read more

You’ll succeed only if you’re willing to embarrass yourself

The cost of convenience

The edges of the work will blend

We can't type in front of our clients