I do think I should be watching out for my career in general. Because...careers are good?

That's a fairly important ellipsis there.

I'm going to go slightly different, and say that if you really want to be a medical writer, you shouldn't stick around and be something else for too long, lest you get stuck there and have people looking at your resume going "Well, you don't really have experience with this" and you're having to apply for jobs that look like they're below your experience and pay grade. IJS. Plus, why assume that if you're applying somewhere else, it'll be a worse place? Sure, maybe the place you're at now is awesome, but there are other awesome companies too...

Family is family it's true. No one here is suggesting that you reject your family. But ultimately your happiness depends on holding onto your values, not your family's.

Not to pile on but if my life were decided by my family, I'd be a practicing Catholic, married to an alcoholic man, and living in the deep South. And I'd be deeply unhappy.

I'm going to go slightly different, and say that if you really want to be a medical writer, you shouldn't stick around and be something else for too long, lest you get stuck there and have people looking at your resume going "Well, you don't really have experience with this" and you're having to apply for jobs that look like they're below your experience and pay grade. IJS. Plus, why assume that if you're applying somewhere else, it'll be a worse place? Sure, maybe the place you're at now is awesome, but there are other awesome companies too...

This is exactly my thinking.

Yeah, actually, I hadn't remembered that you're in drug safety when you want to be a medical writer. I'll say this, and it's purely anecdotal: the few unemployed biotech industry friends I have? Are medical writers.

Ha! Er. And here I thought medical writers had job security since no one knows how to write. (I know I have job security here because I'm too awesome.)

I get calls from recruiters constantly. I don't know what percentage is drug safety and what percentage is medical writing.

Since we were talking about Nashville here, I'll mention that Dan Miller [link] died yesterday of a heart attack at age 67. Someone who's been a news anchor in a town for 30+ years can feel like family, and he was a genuinely nice guy. I talked to my mom this afternoon and she was still in tears.

You spend 1/3 or more of your life working. ( and 1/3 sleeping)

Your job should either be something you like doing for so much of your time -- or not be soul sucking so that when you are not working you are doing what you want.

Here are my thoughts -- do what you are doing, but explore opportunities. Interview at other companies. Write magazines about drugs for popular magazines or newspapers ( even small papers that may or may not pay). Put together a blog that is only medical writing.

You have a good job where they like you. Stick with it until a opportunity comes along that is what you want to do.

And ask yourself -- seriously -- do I want a career? I love my job -- But even thought there is a career path I might follow, I don't actually have a lot of interest in going up . Going up in the library world means moving a way from the people -- not what I want . I have no desire to be in charge - unless I see the results.

And I know your Uncle was an offhand remark -- but if you are going to be a medical writer you might have to learn to deal with the fact that you may disappoint him forever ( got a number of friends that are tech writers -- they used to make that kind of money , they don't now. )

And ask yourself -- seriously -- do I want a career? I love my job -- But even thought there is a career path I might follow, I don't actually have a lot of interest in going up .

This is a VERY good point, actually. I like my tech editing gig, and I've put a fair amount of effort into being good at it. But I don't consider it My Career. It is a day job I like, and that I can do with a minimum of stress (mostly), but in no way do I want to become a managing editor or anything like that.

(I suppose, if I really think about it, I consider "being a spokesperson for the Goth subculture" to be My Career. That's certainly what I put the most effort and plans into, anyway.)

( got a number of friends that are tech writers -- they used to make that kind of money , they don't now. )

Yeppers. If medical writing is anything like tech writing/editing, six-figure salaries are not quite the norm, nowadays.