Back in October we posted a blog post that discussed some of the basics about medical writing and for those who haven’t heard about this rewarding industry. Allow us to wet your appetite. A competent medical writer can make $100,000 to $200,000 dollars a year!

Working as a freelance medical or science writer is a great career! The work is interesting and often lucrative, and the demand for medical writers is high, but if you are apprehensive about starting your own freelancing career we recommend checking out the guys over at CMI Interactive. They can help make your venture successful by offering you the right tools for your medical writing business.

There are many different types of work for scientific writers especially due to the internet there has been a proliferation of work. These would include:

• Advertising copy for pharmaceuticals and other products
• Editing
• Internet content
• Journal abstracts and articles
• Medical education materials
• Multimedia projects
• Pharmaceutical marketing and advertising
• Physician speeches and presentations
• Posters
• Sales training manuals
• Slide kits
• White papers
  (list via AMWA)

Science Writer Newbie?

Make sure you have strong confidence in your writing skills. Specifically your technical writing skills. Medical writing is a branch of technical writing, which is a subset of nonfiction writing. It’s a different kind of writing that requires a lot of clear, easily understood communication. A logical approach to each topic is a must.

Also, consider joining networks focused on writers. For example the National Association of Science Writers or American Medical Writers Association. These organizations provide a forum where medical writers meet and share knowledge and experience. They promote professional development and standards of documentation excellence, and help writers find career opportunities. These organizations offer fundamental medical writing training.

A successful medical writer will have knowledge of medicine or an aptitude for understanding it, an ability to write, an education: College degree in science, pharmacy, medicine, journalism, or English, and they are deadline orientated.

Check out this video of Emma Hitt (an accomplished medical writer) after the jump.

If you want to work in a professional environment, you should consider renting a space to work outside of the house. But, if you are set on working at home and maintaining that home environment (with the door open) take a look at the following tips on managing kids in your home office.

#1 Keep their hands busy – Assuming you aren’t writing a book or require absolute silence in order to stay productive, consider keeping a toybox in the corner of your workroom. This will keep those little hands from grabbing coffee cups, keyboards, and power cords.

#2 Put them to “work” – Chances are good that you’ve got an old computer laying around and Junior would love to help you write up that report. So pass on that old slow computer and put them to work with a program like BabyType for one-year-olds, an education program for the kids, or even an internet connection for the older kids.

#3 Work around their schedule – Working at home means you don’t have to conform to the typical work hours. So use it to your advantage and do your intense work time during the midday nap or after bed time. Working during the “off hours” is much easier than working through a screaming tantrum.

#4 Use the internet’s resources – There are tons of resources to use online for kids. If they enjoy using a computer then try looking for things to help encourage their learning while they play. For example, KidRocket is a web browser for kids. Or you can set them up with a YouTube video or even search for coloring books you can print out.

#5 Establish rules – If you’ve tried distracting them with ideas like these, it’s time to step up and be the parent. Set aside times for work that mom (or dad) should not be disturbed. Go ahead and close the door, but make sure that they know it’s only for a limited time. Go find them after you’ve completed your project. It will be a reward for both of you!