The 4-1-1: Reviewing contracts, limiting revisions, finding work/keeping busy, and highlighting Haymarket
4 thoughts from me, 1 Insight from an industry insider, and 1 market for you to review.
4-THOUGHTS FROM ME:
1. Most medical publishing work is work-for-hire or “a work whose ownership is held by a third party, rather than the creator.” There may not be a formal contract and instead an agreement via email.
2. If signing a contract, read it and make sure you understand what you are signing. You can seek advice with the National Writers Union, Association of Health Care Journalists, American Medical Writers Association, or American Society of Journalists and Authors if you need guidance.
3. As you get started in this new field, you will likely need to revise your pieces more in the beginning based on feedback from the editor. If you do not get detailed feedback, be sure to read your article once it is published and see if/how the article was revised and then incorporate those changes or additional reporting in your next piece.
4. One you have acquired more experience, put a limit into the agreement on the number of revisions you will do. If the editor needs more than 2 revisions then the scope of assignment wasn’t clearly defined, or you (the writer) are not getting it. Jobs with an out-of-control revision process are stressful and inefficient. Be wary of accepting future assignments from this client as it will most likely be more of the same. The goal is to write the article so on target that no revisions (or few) are needed. Work the steps discussed in last week’s newsletter to start to get there.
1- ADVICE FROM AN INSIDER ON KEEPING A FULL SCHEDULE
Like many English majors, Lisa A. Tomaszewski of Red Five Communications, LLC (Content Development and Editorial Services) found herself at the end of her academic career without a real-world career. “What good is a PhD if the only college jobs available have 500 applicants per spot?” she says. “As a result, I scoured job websites looking for opportunities that involved writing and editing, and when you live in New Jersey, the pharmaceutical capital of the country, there will be plenty of entry-level medical publishing jobs to apply for. And that is precisely what I did.”
She worked as an assistant editor at a primary care-focused publication supported by pharmaceutical advertising. Over the years, moving from company to company she reached the position of director. Although Tomaszewski primarily worked in medicine, she also gained experience in finance, travel, and lifestyle.
“I also looked for opportunities to expand into marketing, which gave me a good foundation for future jobs,” she says. “I have been fortunate enough to leverage my experience in medical publishing and marketing to work as a freelancer. I take on about eight medical articles a month and then work on marketing projects during the remainder of my time. Some months are busier than others, but the work has been fairly steady.”
1-RESOURCE FOR YOU: HAYMARKET
Here’s info on another established medical publisher.
Haymarket is a media, data and information business. The company’s portfolio consists of more than 70 brands across the marcomms, medical, automotive, business, horticulture, environment, content marketing, and finance sectors. The company’s mission: “Through live, digital, print, education, data, tech services, video and audio, Haymarket’s brands inspire, inform and empower clients and communities internationally.”
Haymarket has numerous divisions in the medical space, including Haymarket Medical Educations, My CME, NACE, Medical Communications (with many brands across specific medical specialties), and more. Research opportunities with Haymarket here.
Until next time,
Lisa
Break into Medical Publishing (Digital Book Coming soon!)
Photo courtesy of Cytonn Photography.