S1 W1 Mapping the terrain

Amber Plattner
Apr 6
6 min read

The world asks a lot of medical writers. Our work is as complex and varied as the people who write it. And when it comes to good writing versus good medical writing, many of us have to build our own bridge to unite the two. This is difficult. Writing is inherently personal, and medical writing can be quite rigid in its format. So what makes a good medical writer stand out from a mediocre one? Most medical writers, myself included, are not former English majors. I would argue that many of us have not considered sentence structure or objects of prepositions since the 7th grade. In academia, the accuracy of the science is usually the highest priority. But in medical writing, how we communicate is just as important as what we communicate.

Many people disagree with this concept. Most medical writers who come from medicine or academia make the mistake of believing that the science should speak for itself, and written communication is of little importance.1 And why wouldn’t they? Most academic fields prioritize those who publish often, and not necessarily those who write well. Historically, this has been a problem in medical writing for more than a century. Medical journals are viewed as some of the worst writing when compared to other periodicals.2 So collectively over the years, we have decided that science was more important than communication, and it shows.

This is what separates the good from the exceptional among medical writers. Medical writers should be modern-day renaissance men and women. We should be multidisciplined like the greats from Aristotle to Da Vinci. Most scientists today have expertise in a single discipline, which is why they ask us for help. In a study of those who have worked with medical writers, the majority of the subjects polled said they sought support from medical writers for the writing expertise and not their scientific background.3 That is not to say our understanding of the subject is meaningless; it is incredibly necessary! We are to be translators. Well-versed in both science and communication to prevent errors, strengthen our field, and further the health of people in our communities.

This is a challenging endeavor, a quest for only the intelligent and resilient. Regardless of the audience, they want easy reading, even if the content matter is highly advanced. Many readers, especially renowned experts, are overcommitted, overwhelmed, and overinundated by their profession and/or life. They prefer something simple and easy to process.1 Easy reading comes from hard writing and vice versa.4 This is no task for the timid or the careless. Even the most successful writers struggle every day. Messiness and frustration are a part of writing. Some consider it a prerequisite for the pleasure that comes from doing it well.5 In the words of the renowned American author Stephen King- You must not come lightly to the blank page.6

And what if we don’t take it seriously? What if we approach these tasks with the same irreverence as our predecessors? At an individual level, it affects our livelihood. Professional medical writers are expected to provide faster acceptance of the material submitted, compliance with Good Publication Practice (GPP) guidelines, and overall expertise not only in the science but also in the quality of the writing.3 Failure to provide these skills will result in clients taking their business elsewhere. On a grand scale, this irreverence can cause harm to those we are trying to help. It has been shown that poor interpretation of vague clinical practice guidelines has been linked to medical errors.2 Clarity is too important when it comes to medical writing. I am hard pressed to think of a single aspect where ambiguity would be an acceptable practice.

Research requires incredible amounts of time, effort and money – public money, in many cases. Authors who put little effort into presenting their work clearly are doing a disservice to their profession, to the public, and to themselves.2

- Roger Collier

So how are we to do this well? We are not formally trained writers. Many of us are scientific academics just like our clients. How are we to do this better with no more training than them? The good news is that most academic writers in multiple fields have had no formal training on how to write.5 Even most medical schools and advanced scientific degree programs only require communication programs that address verbal communication with patients. Any form of training for how to write well is usually at the student's discretion.2 As medical writers, it is up to us to learn how to write effectively. The point of this series is to address this concept as it specifically applies to medical writing. I wish to consult the greatest minds on writing and communication, and not necessarily science, though it will be addressed indirectly.

Over the next five weeks, we will address each of these topics in more detail.

1. Effective habits in medical writing

From a fact-based summary to writing a fiction novel, there are certain habits that successful writers utilize. Some are universal and some are individualistic. We explore these habits in more detail to determine what benefits the medical writer most and what techniques may be underutilized due to the nature of the industry.

2. Laying the foundation- Essential skills for the medical writer

There are skills every writer needs to communicate effectively. Some apply to all writing, and others can be applied to only certain niches of medical writing. We will look at the most essential skills layer by layer. Once these gems are unearthed, we will polish them to show the beauty of language. A good writer has the skills to write at the highest level. A great writer can take the same information and make it understandable even to a child.

3. Finding your style and setting yourself apart as a medical writer.

Style is what turns the boring into engaging. Medical writing is its own entity when it comes to style. Some rules unique to medical writing don’t apply in other genres. Further, others apply to almost every genre except medical writing. There are many factors to consider when finding your style, and we will explore both the imperative and the needlessly imposed. In a world governed by regulations, being tactfully individualistic and -dare I say- entertaining is a skill worth exploring.

4. Knowing your audience- using your skills in your specific niche to become a better medical writer.

The audience is a critical component of medical writing. What is the goal your writing is hoping to achieve? Are you presenting unbiased facts for review by a governing board or trying to educate a room of medical professionals? This week, we will review the different methods for approaching different audiences. How do you determine which is the best way to reach your audience? Do these methods vary based on niche?

5. Summary and review

As we wrap up the series, we will address the relationship of all the components discussed. We will review key points and discuss further opportunities in the field of medical writing.

I am very excited if you are still intrigued and willing to join me on this journey of discovery. I hope that we will learn more about the craft of medical writing together and grow our skills and our knowledge base. I do not expect anything groundbreaking. Rather, a helpful summary from the minds of experts who have done far more research than I. This page provides a starting point for my own writing and research. I aim to learn through the process. I am grateful for all of the grace and patience you extend to me in the meantime. Even if I am the only person who clicks on this webpage, its content will still be the best of which I am capable at this stage of my writing. I truly appreciate your company and your patronage.

References:

1. Herron C. How to Transform Your Scientific Writing to Maximize Your

Impact. Redwood Ink; 2025. Accessed March 24, 2025. https://redwoodink.ewebinar.com/webinar/19501/join/13673944.

This webinar has been referenced with the permission of the creator.

2. Collier R. A call for clarity and quality in medical writing. Canadian

Medical Association Journal. 2017;189(46). doi:10.1503/cmaj.171265

3. Marchington JM, Burd GP. Author attitudes to professional medical writing

support. Current Medical Research and Opinion. 2014;30(10):2103-2108.

doi:10.1185/03007995.2014.939618

4. Zinsser W. On Writing Well. Harper Paperbacks; 2016.

5. Sword H. Air & Light & Time & Space: How Successful Academics Write.

Harvard University Press; 2018.