For freelance medical writers/editors and hiring teams.
At MedCommsTech, we have 33 freelance medical writers and 7 medical editors with a whopping 820 years of collective experience in medical communications between us! Currently, we are all working as freelance medical writers/editors, but most of us also have past in-house medcomms agency experience. That is why we are in a great position to share valuable insights into how to get the best out of freelancing, both as a freelance medical writer/editor and as a client hiring a freelancer. We have broken down our tips of the trade into 10 useful buckets.
1 Experience
In any industry, freelancers are hired for their expertise and experience, and medcomms is no different. Hiring teams (clients) looking for a freelance medical writer/editor should consider the level and type of experience required for the role. For example, is agency experience necessary, or is expertise in a particular project type or therapy area important? Keep in mind that an experienced medical writer/editor is likely to be familiar with typical workflow processes and industry guidelines, as well as having strong writing/editing skills. A senior level medical writer/editor is also likely to be confident liaising with senior management teams, pharma clients and key opinion leaders, and may have experience in training and mentoring.
2 Skills
Consider the skills required for all aspects of the project. Is there a need for project management, collaboration with designers, data- or fact-checking, strategic input, senior review, liaison with authors, or proposal development? Think about the soft skills that are necessary for the project. Is there a need for the freelancer to participate in team meetings or mentor other team members? Clients should consider all tasks involved in the project and freelancers should remember to highlight any relevant skills, in addition to project and therapy area experience.
It is vital that freelancers keep their skillset up-to-date. While on-the-job learning is part of any medcomms role, freelancers should aim to enhance their skills with the help of professional networks, freelancer communities, and training courses.
3 Timelines
Confirm the hours/days/weeks required, and anticipated start and end dates for specific projects. Plan ahead whenever possible. Hiring teams should be aware that freelancers can have multiple clients at the same time and be booked up months in advance. Conversely, timelines are ever-changing in this industry, so freelancers may find themselves with unexpected availability and be able to take on work at short notice. Freelancers should follow up with their clients about upcoming work, in case of changes in timelines or scope.
Many freelancers work flexibly and do not necessarily stick to 9 to 5, Monday to Friday – it can be helpful to understand a freelancer’s typical working patterns. Does the freelancer’s geographical location (time zone) matter? A similar time zone is desirable for meetings, but a different time zone could be an advantage – the freelancer could work while the client sleeps!
4 Contracts/agreements
Confirm terms and conditions, including rates and fees (hourly or by project). Most clients have written agreements with their freelancers relating to confidentiality, period of engagement, and payment terms. If the client requires no formal paperwork, the freelancer should make sure to keep a record of emails relating to scope of work, estimated hours, and rates, or even consider preparing their own written agreement for the client to approve.
5 Project briefing
We all know the importance of a good brief, but the briefing process is a shared responsibility between the client and the freelancer. The client provides the brief, but the freelancer should check that they understand the objectives and deliverables of the project, and that the proposed timelines are feasible. A written brief is ideal, but if the brief is provided verbally, it is a good idea for the freelancer to write a summary and share it with the client to check that everyone is aligned. In addition to a written brief, it is helpful for the freelancer to be provided with examples of similar work, templates, or style guides.
6 Project progression
Communication is key during the course of the project, and the preferred method of communication could be agreed upfront. If the work is taking longer than expected, the client should be informed as soon as possible. If the project scope or timelines shift, while many freelancers can work flexibly, the project team can discuss how best to accommodate the changes alongside other work commitments. Even if the project is going smoothly and as expected, progress updates are essential to ensure that everyone is informed and aligned, and there are no surprises!
During a project, it’s really important that freelancers back up files they are working on (e.g. use a secure cloud-based storage system). Additionally, clients could set up a file-sharing system that the freelancer can use to save interim drafts.
7 Project completion
Once a project has been completed, the freelancer should ensure that the client has all related files (e.g., editable figures, reference packs, review comments). The freelancer should also inform the client of any unfinished tasks or remaining final steps (e.g. figure redraws, data checks, review by an editor). Finally, the freelancer may need to delete any confidential data related to the project from their computer or cloud-based storage, depending on their contract/agreement.
8 Feedback
Timely feedback from the client helps freelancers to align with the client’s expectations and deliver high quality work on time. In an ideal scenario, clients will provide feedback to the freelancer on interim drafts, and the freelancer will make revisions until a ‘final’ version is produced. However, in many cases, the freelancer plays a supportive role in the overall project – their work is passed on to someone else and the freelancer may not be involved in the next steps. In this scenario, the freelancer may still wish to request feedback from the client so that improvements can be made for future work.
9 Invoicing
Before sending an invoice, freelancers should check the client’s invoicing process and payment terms – for example, is a code required for each project and is there a monthly deadline for invoice submission? Clients may also require a time and/or cost breakdown for all key steps in a project (e.g. draft 1, reference formatting, client calls, emails). Even if this breakdown is not essential, it is good practice for the freelancer to record this for their own reference, and as a guide for future projects. Payment terms can be long (even months), so freelancers should be financially prepared to wait.
10 Future collaborations
A successful project could be the start of a wonderful partnership! Keeping the same freelancers involved in future projects brings continuity, consistency, and efficiency, which are beneficial and rewarding for both clients and freelancers alike. Re-engaging with a client/freelancer is also a great opportunity to discuss learnings from past projects, and revisit processes and terms and conditions. Remember to stay connected, endorse your favourite clients and freelancers, and recognize each other’s achievements, in order to nurture successful long-term working relationships.
Authors: Papia Das, PhD & Elizabeth Harvey, PhD
