What do you do if you’re an extrovert writer??

If you are talking with friends or family members, eating, surfing the Internet, or doing anything other than sitting there typing, then you are not working. If anyone else is even in the room with you, it is unlikely that you are working at maximum capacity. Any type of writing requires complete isolation and 100% concentration. Spending 8 or more hours a day like this, day after day, is likely to drive all but the most introverted of us insane. If you truly are a “people” person, then medical writing (or any type of writing) may not be for you.

I am part introvert/part extrovert. The introvert part of me enjoys the solitude, and feels relief at not having to interact with people all day, but the extrovert part of me must have lunch with friends, chat on the phone, or engage in boisterous hobbies, at least for an hour or two a day. Pets can help. My Maltese dog often sits on the back of my chair near my shoulders while I type and softens the emptiness. I have as yet to anthropomorphize her completely, but I have told my human companions to let me know if that happens.

Excerpt from “Self-Care for the Busy Freelance.” Available as part of Emma’s 6-week course: “Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Freelance Medical Writing Business”