Are you a healthcare professional who also loves to write? Or maybe you are just looking for flexible job opportunities that don’t involve direct patient care, while still using your degree in some way.
Becoming a health article writer might be an excellent career option for you. After a few years of working as a registered dietitian, I realized that direct patient care was just not for me (plus I hated clocking in hours in the hospital).
So I started working as a health and nutrition writer and my whole life changed. For all health professionals, writing healthcare content is a great opportunity, but it does require some skill and expertise.
If you are interested in writing, how do you get started? What do you need to become a freelance writer?
What is an article writer?
An article writer is someone who creates content for publication on websites, blogs, magazines, newspapers, journals, or any other platform that publishes written material.
But becoming a health and wellness writer requires more education than a non-specialized writer. While there are plenty of great writers out there, a health writer typically needs to have a degree in healthcare or a related field.
A license as a health professional, such as an RD, RN, PharmD, or OT is a huge asset if you want to break into this space. This is because search engines like Google, want to promote evidence-based content that is written by experts. This is part of their E-E-A-T guidelines for search engine optimization, which apply to all sites in the “Your Money, Your Life” niche.
As a health content writer, you will write about medical topics, research studies, treatment options, news, and trends in the healthcare industry. Your articles should be well-researched, and accurate, and provide valuable information to the readers. Health professionals are in a unique position to write these sorts of articles, you already have the expertise required with your many years of experience.
Where can you find article writing jobs?
While it might be enjoyable to write for fun, most of us want to get paid for our efforts. So how do you start writing as a health professional?
There are three ways to find freelance writing clients:
- Online job posting platforms or job boards like Upwork or Problogger.
- Reaching out to people who might need your service via email or Linkedin
- They find you via referral, your website, or your social media accounts
Health-related websites, blogs, and magazines are always looking for quality content, so you can also reach out to them directly with your writing samples.
Want to learn more about being a health article writer? Get my Freelance Writing Guide for the Health Practitioner for a quick way to get started!
What is the difference between a blog writer and an article writer?
Frequently, people use the word “blog” or “article” writer interchangeably. A blog is technically an article, but there are some slight differences between the two.
While both blog and article writers produce written content, blogs are generally more informal and conversational, while articles are more structured and formal.
Blog posts are usually shorter, while articles are longer and more in-depth. Blogging can sometimes be more personal and opinion-driven, while article writing emphasizes objective reporting and research-based information.
Writing as a healthcare professional in the age of AI
While many writing jobs are being taken over by AI (artificial intelligence), health professionals bring a unique point of view as article writers in the wellness space. By leveraging your existing expertise, you can stand out to clients in the writing market.
Writing regularly and building relationships with editors and clients will help you establish yourself as a credible and reliable health article writer.
Want to learn more about becoming a health writer? Get on my email list for health professionals.
Are you looking to hire an experienced article writer? Reach out to my team of health writing experts!
