From researcher to experienced freelance writer

After working in various research hospitals and behavioral labs, this was my big takeaway: science and technology fields demand people who love asking questions.

Groundbreaking, I know.

But in all seriousness, internalizing that lesson has been one of the biggest advantages I’ve had as an experienced freelance writer and corporate marketing specialist. And as many other experienced writers will tell you – research is the foundation of everything I create.

Ideally, I should always be ready and willing to question my own biases and assumptions – as well as those of my sources of information. While that’s a standard that’s hard to meet, continually striving for that level of objectivity improves the quality of my research and the messaging and content I create.

How research laid the foundation for my freelance writing career

When I’m writing long-form blog posts or marketing collateral, drafting copy for social media or email marketing content, or creating product marketing messaging, the first three steps of my process aren’t too dissimilar from my research days:

1. Define the parameters (aka write a content brief).
2. Identify the right questions (focusing on what your audience cares about).
3. Find the answers (by researching on my own and asking the experts).

When I start a writing project, it might be the first time I’ve written about a specific digital product, medical device, or healthcare methodology. Or it might be the hundredth.

Either way, my approach should always prioritize the intended audience’s interests.

Especially in health and tech, what’s possible is always changing. Perspectives shift as new innovations and market conditions arise. And what was considered best practice yesterday might not even be relevant today (which is why experienced freelance writers are always updating their writing samples).

So a healthy sense of curiosity and inquiry counts for quite a lot when it comes to technical content creation. That’s what I enjoy most about the content and copywriting niche I’ve carved out for myself.

From medical communications to tech as an experienced freelance writer

After deciding medical school and clinical research weren’t right for me, I had some choices to make. When I realized that I could combine my interest in medical science with my technical writing and communication experience, I started my freelance writing career. Once I began working with local businesses and research institutes, I soon felt confident in my decision.

At the start, my freelance writing business and the types of content I created focused primarily on medical communications for educating patients and training healthcare providers. As I expanded my knowledge of B2B marketing and messaging, I soon found myself working with clients offering solutions in the telemedicine, digital health, and medical devices sectors.

Now, as an experienced corporate and freelance writer, I apply many of the same writing skills to create marketing and sales content for health, tech, and SaaS brands that I used to create educational and instructional content in my medical communications days.

Over the past several years, I’ve worked with brands offering surgical devices, telehealth solutions, IT software and hardware, Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) applications, and application development products, among others.

Why write about health, tech, and SaaS solutions?

Every day, I get to learn and write about what’s coming next in two fields that touch every part of life. And what’s even better? I explore and unpack complex topics with experts who are helping make the future happen.

Over the years, I’ve worked with and interviewed a wide range of STEM professionals, from biologists and geneticists to developers and engineers. And through all the unexpected turns of my freelance writing career, I’ve learned that technical experts – no matter what their industry or experience level – often expect you to speak their language.

As an experienced freelance writer, I know that my job requires identifying the conflict between what experts want to say and what their audience actually understand. That awareness has helped me apply my research and communication skills across a wide variety of health and tech sectors. And as a result, I get to keep learning and sharing information about the two fields that interest me most.

Now, when I work with potential clients or stakeholders, I’m still asking questions and letting research lead the way. No matter who I’m working with, my goal is always to understand stakeholders’ goals and marketing strategies, their brand voice and messaging, and – above all – their audience.

About BionaFide

Staying up to date on the latest in health and tech innovation is interesting enough on its own. But I think I’ll always be most motivated by the power of sharing that knowledge. That’s why I write. Over the years – as I’ve become a more strategic and experienced freelance writer – I’ve thought about the way I conceptualize and talk about my approach to research, content planning, and writing.

Whether I’m creating thought leadership pieces or developing bottom-of-funnel product marketing content, empathizing with the audience’s perspective continues to be one of my biggest priorities. Effective communication (and marketing) isn’t just about using the right terminology or keywords. It’s about trying to understand why your audience cares and then acting on that understanding.

Excellent communication requires you to take it a step further – identifying what people are looking for and why so that the answers you provide address the questions your audience didn’t even know to ask.

Taking this approach means you’re doing more than just getting clicks and climbing the search results but instead working to develop a relationship built on authenticity, knowledge-sharing, and trust.

That’s what motivates me about health & tech content writing: taking topics that can be inaccessible and mind-numbingly detailed and creating something that’s authentically interesting and relevant to its audience. BionaFide represents my approach to research, writing, and marketing: exploring and illuminating life-changing ideas that evoke curiosity and conversation.

To see what I mean, check out my writing samples. Or explore the resources and blog posts I’ve created to document my processes and strategies as an experienced freelance writer.

If you’re interested in learning more about the type of writing, strategy, and research I do or my work as a corporate marketer and freelance writer, book a call. I’m always open to an initial conversation, even if I’m not currently accepting new clients or looking for a full-time role.

Thanks for reading,