Back in June 2021, I took part in a panel discussion organised by Peter Llewellyn from MedComms Networking on becoming a freelance medical writer in the MedComms industry. After the event, I went through the questions that had come up in the chat and shared my thoughts based on my first year of freelancing in the UK.
That blog post turned out to be my most popular one by far, with over 3000 views since it was published.
However, the freelance market has changed a lot in the past 3 years, so it seemed the perfect time to update it.
Do you need experience at a MedComms agency?
Traditionally, most freelance medical writers begin their careers at medical communications (MedComms) agencies, where they spend several years gaining experience across a variety of projects and building up a network of potential clients.
That said, more and more aspiring freelancers are choosing to skip the traditional route of in-house agency experience.
Reasons for this are probably varied, including living far from major medical communications hubs or not being able to afford to live on the salary paid to an associate medical writer (especially if they are career changers rather than new graduates).
I had around 8 years’ experience as an agency writer before establishing myself as a freelancer. Personally, I can’t imagine freelancing without first gaining in-house experience. Not only did it help me to learn how to write for different project types and audiences, but it also taught me how to manage projects, understand client expectations and to write within the constraints of a budget.
Plus the network you build whilst working in-house is invaluable,
Without that, landing clients as a freelancer can be really tough.
So, is it possible to leap straight from academia or a healthcare role into freelance medical writing?
Whilst I'm sure it's not impossible, it will be very, very difficult.
Although there will be people selling courses and coaching plans that will tell you that it can be done, personally, I don't know anyone who's successfully made that leap. You may be able to get some low-paying work, but realistically, the well-paying pharma and agency clients are going to be looking for experienced writers.
How do you find clients?
The freelance medical writing market has changed a lot over the past couple of years. Many agencies are trying to cut back on their use of freelancers, yet there are more people freelancing than ever before.
As a result, finding clients has become increasingly challenging and, more than ever, you will need to proactively market your services.
Here's what worked for me:
I contacted my existing network to let them know that I was available for freelance work.
I maintained a LinkedIn profile that clearly advertises that I am a freelancer and posted about my availability from time to time.
I created a website to showcase my experience and services, complete with testimonials, a portfolio and a blog.
I joined the MedComms Workbook and responded to adverts.
And here's what hasn't worked:
I added my profile to Biome Professionals and to the EMWA and ISMPP directories. Whilst I had a few enquiries, I never landed a paying client through them.
I joined Worksome, but, so far, there haven't been many relevant freelance roles posted.
I attended various conferences and networking events, which were great for catching up with fellow freelancers, but didn't lead to new client opportunities.
I sent "cold" emails and LinkedIn messages to potential clients. I know some people swear by this approach, but I haven't had much luck with it myself.
Overall, my existing network has been the biggest source of work for me.
This includes former medical writing colleagues who I reached out to, as well as those who've got in touch with me once they found out I was freelancing. I've also received some work from former clients (and from medical writing colleagues who've moved to the client side).
Other potential options include:
Recruiters
Specialist MedComms/Pharma freelancer platforms
Some medical writers find work through generic freelance platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork; however, these will almost certainly offer significantly lower rates of pay than can be achieved through obtaining clients directly.
I don't have any personal experience with these, so I cannot comment on how helpful they are.
How many clients do you tend to have at any one time?
Over the past 4 years, I've worked with 22 different clients, including:
15 agencies
5 pharma companies. and
2 online publications.
I typically have ongoing projects with up to 5 clients at any one time and, although it can be challenging from a time management perspective, it makes my day-to-day work more interesting.
Having a wide client base also helps to ride out the peaks and troughs in work availability. I generally find that as one client's workload drops, another increases.
If you have a wide network, simply posting your availability on LinkedIn will often lead to a former client contacting you about a project they need support with.
Of course, you don't have to work with multiple clients and many freelancers are happy to work with one client on a long-term basis. It's probably a less stressful option, but it does leave you vulnerable if work from that client drops off.
How do you avoid having to turn work down - do you subcontract?
I don't personally subcontract medical writing work. However, I do have a small, trusted network of editors, data checkers and graphic designers who I can call upon to help with certain aspects of projects.
If you wish to subcontract, then you will need to check your contract carefully, as many clients may include restrictions on this.
During the time I've been freelancing, I've turned down many work opportunities. This is either because I was fully booked or because I wasn't interested in the project or didn't feel that I had the right skills or knowledge for the job.
Turning down work isn't necessarily a bad thing - it's a sign of a successful freelancer with more work offers than time to do them in!
How do you avoid overcommitting while ensuring deadlines are met?
Whether you are a freelancer or agency writer, there will be peaks and troughs in workload as it is impossible to control some deadlines, e.g. clients can change timelines, comments from journals can come earlier or later than predicted, etc.
Forward planning and leaving a buffer in your availability can help, but I don't think the MedComms industry has ever been a truly 9-5 job. There have been evenings and weekends when I have had to work to ensure timelines are met, but for me, this is no different to my time as an agency writer.
The advantage of being a freelancer is that it's then easier to work fewer hours when times are quieter.
Can you freelance part-time while employed with an agency?
I went directly from being a full-time employee to being a full-time freelancer and everyone I know did the same. You would need to check your employment contract very carefully and I strongly suspect that most agencies would consider freelancing on the side to be a conflict of interest.
Up until a few years ago, it was common for freelancers to get started by working for a former employer and then gradually gain new clients. This was certainly the approach that I took. However, in the UK there are now potential IR35 issues if you move straight from an employee to a freelance role for one company and I think a lot of agencies will no longer engage ex-employees as freelancers without at least a 6-12 month gap.
Do you provide project-by-project support or work on short-term contracts?
Personally, I have always worked on an ad hoc basis with agencies, with the amount of work varying from week to week. The agencies usually provide a general consultancy or master service agreement outlining how both parties will work together and how payments will be made, etc. Once the agreement is signed, projects will be sent as and when the client needs support. I often work consistently on one project, but also sometimes pick up bits and pieces of work as and when needed.
I've also taken on specific fixed-price projects, although this has always been directly with pharma clients or with online publications rather than through agencies.
Some agencies also take on freelancers on short-term contracts and may offer a certain number of days per week. I don't personally have any experience of this way of working.
How do you charge for your time: per project or by the hour?
For me, this depends on the type of client. All agencies that I have worked with have paid freelancers by the hour. In contrast, pharma clients always request a fixed price for the entire project.
There are definitely pros and cons to each approach.
With an hourly rate, you will be paid for all of your time, whereas when you are paid per project, there is a risk of underestimating how long the project will take.
The advantage of fixed-price projects is that they are more likely to be outside IR35 and there is the potential for making more profit if you are particularly efficient.
How do you decide your freelancer rate?
Your freelancer rate will depend upon the type of work you are doing and whether you are engaged directly by a client or are working via a third-party intermediary, such as a recruiter.
Broadly speaking, regulatory writing commands higher fees than MedComms work, while editing tends to pay less than writing. You will also usually earn more if you contract directly with a client.
There are several published surveys, such as the WE3 salary survey, EMWA freelance business survey and the EPM scientific medical communications salary guide 2024, which offer insights into freelancer rates. However, the ranges can be quite broad and rates reported by recruiters may include their fees, which can inflate the figures.
I initially based my hourly rate on what I had seen other freelancers charge when I was an agency writer. I started off with quite a conservative rate, but as my business grew and I became more in demand, I gradually increased my rates.
From confidential discussions I have had with other experienced freelance writers, rates are probably ranging from £65 to £85 per hour at the moment (Winter 2024). This is for writers with previous agency experience who are being contracted directly by an agency. If you are engaged through a recruiter, rates seem to be around £10-20 per hour lower.
For fixed-price projects, you need to estimate how many hours you think a project will take and then ensure that you have mapped out the scope in sufficient detail in your proposal. I provide ballpark figures for example projects on my website.
How do raise your rates with long-term clients?
This is largely driven by market forces and also how much the client values you.
Like any business, if you are in the fortunate position of turning down work, you can probably increase your rates. If work is in short supply, you might need to reduce your price.
The market for freelance medical writers has been challenging for the past year or two, with more freelancers available than work. As a result, most freelancers have found their rates to be fairly stagnant in recent years.
Do freelancers work as sole traders or as a limited company?
I set up my freelance business as a limited company on the advice of my accountant, and many freelancers I know have done the same. However, I also know quite a few who prefer the simplicity of being a sole trader.
There are pros and cons to either approach and it may depend on how much income you expect to generate. This is where you really need to get accountancy advice.
Do any freelance medical writers use umbrella companies?
All my jobs so far have been outside IR35 and whilst I can continue to gain enough outside IR35 work, I wouldn’t consider an inside role.
Most MedComms freelancers I know take a similar view.
Having said that, there are inside IR35 contacts around and some agencies will only engage freelancers on that basis. In this situation, you would typically be paid either via an umbrella company or the agency will add you to their payroll.
Is there a standard downloadable contract that we can customise?
Most of my contracts to date have been provided by the client, although I have requested amendments on several occasions. Where the client has requested that I provide the contract, I have used one of the standard outside IR35 contracts provided by IPSE.
If you are only working for agencies, it is unlikely that you will need to provide the contract.
What do you do when a contract doesn't work for you?
I have had contracts reviewed professionally and amendments made, so you don't need to accept the first draft you are provided with.
You can walk away if you aren't happy with the final contract, but that's a personal decision, based on how much you want or need the work.
What are the main challenges you have faced as a freelancer?
For me, the main challenge has been managing my workload. I've often ended up working longer hours than I would have liked due to overcommitting to projects. Learning to say no is an important part of running a freelance business, but it is something that we all struggle with.
Making sure that you have enough time for admin tasks is also important. Many agencies expect you to complete their electronic timesheets as well as keeping your own records in order to issue an invoice each month. You also need to keep careful records of all expenses in order to accurately complete your tax return.
What perspective changes are required when transitioning from in-house to freelance?
When freelancing for an agency you need to be prepared to take on any type of work, including tasks such as data checking, which you may not have done since you were much more junior.
As a Scientific Director, I was used to leading a team, and now I am very much more hands-on in terms of working on deliverables. However, this was one of the reasons I wanted to go freelance, so I'm happy with this. Conversely, I also work on some projects independently, and for this, you need to have the confidence to work on your own without the support of a team.
How much variation do you see in projects - are they very discrete and with a clear brief?
My experience has been that freelancing is similar to agency work in this respect.
Some projects come with a great brief, and for some, it is less clear, and you need to go back and get clarification before starting.
How do you establish being a partner for clients?
I don’t think this is any different to being an agency writer.
Ultimately the client will have the final say, but an experienced medical writer can add value by providing their perspective on a project. Most clients generally value this, particularly once you have established a good working relationship and demonstrated your expertise in a therapy area.
About me
I'm a freelance medical writer specialising in scientific publications and medical affairs. If you're interested in working with me, please take a look at my website to learn more about my fees, explore my portfolio and read my client testimonials.
When I'm not writing about science and medicine, I am bringing up two children, fostering cats and attempting to play piano.
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