Writing for scientific publications is one opportunity new medical writers often ask us about, especially when they have a science background. Both of us do a moderate amount of work in the publications arena and, even with our 40+ collective years of experience, it's not always easy. Scientific publications, depending on whether they are primary research, secondary research, or review articles, follow very distinct formats. Knowledge of basic research methods and statistics is also a requirement. Without some familiarity with these basics, new writers can feel overwhelmed.

We're not telling you this to discourage you. On the contrary; it's a great career track if science is your bent. Be aware, though, that even with a scientific background breaking into publications can be tough, especially when you don't have experience.

To better your chances of landing an assignment, prepare by getting yourself up to speed with 2 very critical guidelines:

• Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Developed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Uniform Requirements cover a plethora of guidelines, including conflicts of interests, redundant publication, and timing of publication. Section IV delves into the organization of a scientific paper, using the IMRAD structure-
  -that's Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.  
• CONSORT Statement: This guideline provides guidance with regard to how to report the results of clinical trials. We find the 25-item checklist and flow diagram particularly useful.

DOLLARS & SENSE

More and more, clients are asking medical communicators to travel with them to provide support when they run workshops, conduct advisory board meetings, or pitch to win new projects. We've been doing it for years, but if you're new to traveling with a client, you may be puzzled about how and what amount to charge.

As do consultants in other industries, we charge a daily, or per-diem, rate when we travel. And we recommend that you do, too. But how much should you charge? Ah, there's the rub. Your per-diem rate must be reasonable enough to make it worth your while, yet not so exorbitant that your client falls over from sticker shock.

To calculate their per-diem rate, some medical communicators simply multiple their desired hourly rate by 8, the number of working hours in an average day. If you routinely charge $80 an hour, then your per-diem rate would be $640. This method assumes, of course, that you'll only be required to be "on the job" for 8 of the hours you're away from your office. Perhaps your client expects you to attend seminars and meetings from 8 until 5, then head to the lounge for a meet-and-greet with potential clients. You'll be working more than 8 hours in this scenario. The bottom line is that you need to communicate with clients about their expectations, and set your per-diem rate accordingly.

And don't forget travel time. Yes, we advocate charging for the time you travel. Why? Because time you spend traveling is time away from your office and away from work you could be doing for other clients. When we travel, we charge our per-diem rate, or maybe half our per-diem rate, depending on how far we have to go and how long it takes to get there. If we're heading to the airport and it will take all day to reach our destination, that's a whole day we really can't be available to any of our other clients. We'll charge our per-diem rate for that, even though we aren't taking notes at a meeting or sitting at the pitch with our client. And if it takes us another entire day to get back home, that's another day charged at our per-diem rate. If your client balks at paying for your travel time, remind them that unless their paycheck is being docked for the time they're traveling, you shouldn't be the only person on the team who isn't being paid.

Don't shortchange yourself. When a client asks you to accompany them, they are telling you--subtly--that you bring value to their team. They want and need your expertise. The rates you set need to reflect your value and talents.  

We're now in the process of putting together our personal-appearance schedules for 2012. If you'd like us to come and speak at an event you're organizing, don't wait too long to contact us. Our schedule is filling fast!

In case you didn't see it, be sure to check out Brian's inteview in Breaking Into Medical Writing and Editing by Kristen Fischer that was published online on January 6 by mediabistro.com, a top site for communication professionals who create or work with content. If you're a member of AvantGuild you can access the article for free. If not, there's a $55 annual subscription fee, which gives you access to all the exclusive content the site offers. If you recall, Kristen interviewed Cyndy last year for the Freelance Switch blog, which you can read here. Thanks, Kristen.

Brian is the Administrator of the Annual Conference for AMWA in 2012, so we're excited to begin promoting the conference right away. It will be held in Sacramento, California, October 4-6. We hope you'll put it on your calendar, and we look forward to seeing you there. Brian and the Annual Conference Committee are currently asking AMWA members to answer the call to present a Short Session, Roundtable, or Poster at the conference. The deadline to submit ideas is February 27, 2012, so hurry!  

For all our upcoming activities and appearances, keep an eye on The Accidental Medical Writer In Person.

We frequently speak and teach at medical writing conferences and seminars; we've also been interviewed online. Check out our Webcasts. Brian's interview with Danielle Hampson of The Business Authors Show is also available right on our website!

We would love to present at your next upcoming meeting or event, so invite us!

Pharmaceutical and device manufacturers spend millions of dollars annually on establishing and maintaining their brands. Branding creates an identity for your product or service, an identity that lives in the minds of customers and guides them when making purchasing decisions. To put it simply, what picture do customers see in their minds when they think of your freelance business? That's your brand identity.

If customers see a super hero, someone they can call in their hour of need who will rescue them from the clutches of a seemingly impossible situation, someone they can count on to deliver the solution they need and make them look good in the process-that's your brand identity. That would be a great brand identity to have! But if the picture your customers see in their minds is of a headless body whose face is easily interchanged, that's your brand identity, too. And it's not the identity you want to have.

Take a moment to write down on a piece of paper words that describe the picture your customers see when they think of your freelance business. Be honest. Flattery will get you nowhere. Then write down words that describe the picture you want your customers to have. If the 2 lists are similar, be proud of yourself for doing a great job of creating your brand identity. If they're dissimilar, it will be clear that you have some work ahead of you. We've written in plenty of past issues of Pencil Points about the things you can do to correct problems in your freelance business and become a hero to your clients, so we won't restate them here. As a subscriber you can check out our archive of past issues anytime!

You've got a great brand identity with your customers so your work is done, right? Wrong. The brand identity you have with your customers was likely established through the experience they've had working with you. Delivering consistently on time, on target, and on budget, even in seemingly impossible situations, and making your client look good in the process, has established you as that super hero in their minds. But how can you instill that same picture in the minds of people who are not yet your customers, so they will become customers, too? That's the job of branding.

So how do you brand your freelance business? Through everything you do that is visible outside your office. Do you have a logo, which is the centerpiece of your branding effort? If you haven't invested in a logo, then that should be the first thing you do after reading this article. You don't have to spend a lot of money to create a logo, but hire a graphic designer who has experience in this area. Plant the vision in the designer's mind of what you want potential customers to think of you when they see your logo, then give the designer the freedom to interpret that image in the design. What are your favorite colors? Do you prefer serif or san serif typefaces? Caps or lower case letters? Punctuation? All this information is helpful to the designer. Ask to see several options, then pick, and if need be finesse, the design that best matches your vision of what the logo should be.

Once you have a logo, make sure it permeates every form of communication you do, from business cards and your website to your email sign-off, estimates, and invoices. Then make sure the overall image these communications convey is also consistent with your brand. For example, is the home page of your website clean, concise and easy to read, or is it meandering and confusing? What does that say about your brand? 

Branding is a part of everything you do in public, so make sure you only say and do things you can be proud of, because it all reflects on your brand. Think twice before sending a scathing post to a list serve. Read everything you write for your blog with the eyes of a potential customer who may be thinking about whether or not to employ your services. It's a simple rule but it bears repeating because it's so important: never put in writing what you wouldn't say to a person's face. Even just one knee-jerk response in a difficult situation can undo years of diligent branding. So create your brand, build your brand, maintain your brand, and protect your brand--then reap the benefits.