From Nurse to Writer, From Anywhere in The World

So, you love the idea of being a nurse writer? But you don’t live in the United States? For those of us located outside of the USA, signing up for courses and guidance by US coaches and websites seems a bit pointless. We often can’t implement any of the steps because it just doesn’t work the same in our country.

And you are right. It doesn’t.

But guess what? If the 2020 pandemic has taught us anything, working remotely, no matter your location, is absolutely do-able! You just need to have a few of your proverbial ducks in a row.

Here are a few key factors you need to consider if you want to write for a US based publication, from anywhere in the world.

1. Topic. Our anatomy and physiology is the same. Our health systems are not. Therefore, I suggest that you avoid writing on topics like nursing (the profession), the health system, or, any other topic that varies widely between nations. Stick to health related topics. If you must write on something you are not incredibly familiar with, interview an expert in the field and use their input to guide your content.
2. Spelling. Change your spell check setting to the country you are writing for! US English is different from UK or Australian English. Consider your editor. Consider your audience. Write for them. Spell for them.
3. Be available. Time zone differences make interviews tricky. My suggestion is to use an appointment setting tool like Calendly. You enter your available time slots into the system (in your own time zone), when your client opens the link to book a slot with you, it converts to their time zone automatically. It’s the easiest way to find mutually agreeable time slots for interviews without the back and forth of a thousand emails. It looks professional and helps to set your boundaries of when you are willing to be available.

Do consider their time zone when you set your hours. For example, I set a block of time from 5am to 8am Australian Eastern Standard Time. This converts to mid afternoon in the US. So it is still within business hours for them.

1. Insurance. Be aware that many insurance companies will not cover you for publishing in the US. If they do, the premiums will cost you more than your annual income! So, make sure you reference your articles, keep your references organised. Record all interviews and keep the transcriptions. Back yourself. Because if the unspeakable happens, you want to be able to find your sources easily to back up anything you have written.
2. Tax. Most US companies will ask you for a W9 form for tax purposes. You need to know that you will actually need a W8 form if you are not a US resident. Which one of the multiple types of W8 forms you need will depend on how you have set up your business. Are you invoicing as a company, or as an individual? Personally, I invoice as a company and found really helpful information at tradesherpa.com.
3. Invoicing. You don’t have to use a professional bookkeeping/invoicing system. But I prefer to do so because it automatically converts between different currencies for me. It  can even backdate currency conversions if I get a little behind in my bookwork. If you choose to invest in a bookkeeping system, look for one that offers multiple currencies (they don’t all have this option). Personally, I like Xero.  Remember that if you are working as a business, you’ll need to be able to prove all your numbers to the tax folk.