Why I love being a Remote Visual Scribe

I often talk about the benefits of remote Visual Scribing for clients, and there are plenty! But recently, I got inspired to write an honest summary of why I love being a remote-first (well, frankly, remote-only) visual scribe myself.

Let’s start with the basics, in case you’re new here.

Remote Scribes vs. In-Person Scribes

When it comes to online, or even hybrid events, remote scribing is a no-brainer. However, when an event is fully in-person, many organisations assume the scribe needs to be there in person too. So, I usually go ahead and share more information about remote scribing, how it works, what it costs, and whether it’s actually the most viable option.

If a client insists on in-person scribing, I often check whether they know analogue scribing is an option, even though I don’t offer it as a service. While I personally think digital scribing is far more visually compelling and practical, analogue scribing has that presence in the room that some clients may be looking for. It’s hard to miss a huge board or wall and someone actively drawing on it. Analogue scribes also tend to feel more approachable, elbow-deep in markers, whereas a digital scribe is usually sitting at a desk, hunched over a tablet.

So, as a digital visual scribe, I’m genuinely conflicted when I’m asked to come in person if I know it doesn’t make sense financially, sustainably, or time-wise. In my experience, many events simply don’t benefit enough to justify the added cost of having the scribe physically in the room. That can come down to the event type, the format, the agenda, the crowd, or any number of other factors. I’ll be honest, there have been events where I felt I may as well have been back in my studio.

To avoid that, I have an article on how to make an impact, and get the most out of graphic recording.

Types of scribes and what they offer

• Many scribes I know only do in-person work, likely because they are analogue visual scribes (meaning they work with markers on big boards) and they many not be as comfortable with digital tools.

  
  

• Most digital scribes tend to offer both in-person and online scribing.

  
  

• And then there is me, specialising in remote scribing these days. And I’ll tell you why.

Benefits of being a Remote Visual Scribe

As a remote scribe, you have complete geographical freedom

In the early years of my career, I was somewhat of a digital nomad. I lived in various locations across the USA, UK, and Europe. Sometimes an in-person event would even influence where I ended up living next, but as the years went by and my clientele spread across the globe, that was no longer a reasonable model.

I gradually steered more and more towards online-only scribing, which continued to give me the flexibility to live anywhere and work for anyone, no matter where they are in the world.

Remote scribing means I don’t need to be away from my family for days

Since then, I’ve settled and my priorities have changed. Now I love remote scribing because it lets me work from home and be around for my family.

Back in the day, travelling to scribe an event often meant taking a day out before and after, just to cover all the time spent in transit, at the event itself, and recovering from it afterwards. I simply can’t justify that anymore, having a family of my own.

Remote scribing means more time and space to prepare

Instead of all the hustle and logistics of travel and in-person attendance, I can spend that same time preparing for the event and getting myself ready. A quick meditation, a healthy snack, a bit of stretching, it all goes a loooong way when it comes to such a unique, improvisational, highly focused visual work!

Remote scribes are able to take on more work

I can spend a couple of days travelling to an event, but I could also spend that time being creative and supporting other great projects. Travel really takes it out of you, and when you have something so valuable and unique to offer, I feel like weekdays spent sitting in airports or train stations just don’t really make sense anymore.

Remote scribing allows for a better introduction and visibility

While in-person, you might be invited on stage for a quick intro, most often it’s just a

shout-out and a request to wave. As a remote scribe, however, I usually take the floor for a couple of minutes at the beginning of an event to introduce myself and share what live scribing is. This means everyone in the audience sees me on the big screen, which is brilliant for visibility and makes the introduction far more impactful and memorable.

In-person events make up for it as people can walk up to your station and ask questions. However, if the event organisers make sure to mention or credit you whenever appropriate, people will find you after remote scribing too. A significant portion of my live scribing work comes from recommendations and having seen me at an event before!

As a remote scribe, I get to have partners and clients around the world

As long as you’re willing to work late nights and early mornings now and then, there’s really no obstacle to taking on projects from clients on the other side of the planet. It’s quite wonderful really. One minute I’m supporting an Indigenous event in Canada, next a UN conference held in the EU, and then a NIH workshop in the United States.

I find this incredible span of my client base across continents and sectors absolutely fascinating and genuinely enjoyable. It allows me to see patterns across industries and develop a broader understanding of how different fields connect. Knowledge is often transferable, and it’s fascinating to see how many industries end up facing similar challenges at the same time, even when they seem completely unrelated on the surface.

As a remote scribe, I get to be more flexible on pricing

Scribing an event in-person will accrue travel costs and fees, and may even require me to block out multiple days to cover travel as well, so naturally, that adds up in both time and expenses. Remote scribing, on the other hand, comes with no travel costs at all. On top of that, I can simply charge for the time spent on the project. This is why I always encourage clients to share their budget (when in doubt) so we can explore what’s possible together, because more often than not, there’s a way to make it work.

Remote scribing is not for everyone, but it suits me

All in all, remote scribing is not only what makes the most sense to me in today’s world, but it also happens to be what suits my life and makes this career, and the amount of work I have, sustainable and enjoyable.

Read on to find out how you can become a remote scribe. Or to dive deeper, here’s my complete guide to remote scribing, from process to pricing.

Cheers!

GUIDE TO REMOTE SCRIBING