There are those in freelance writing who advocate (loudly, I might add) to choose a niche and stick to it if you want to make money. I get it. It’s easier to market yourself if you have a specialty. But being a freelance writer should be about more than the money. It should be about the writing. Choosing a niche is not always the best option.
During my career, I’ve had a number of what could be called “niches”—subjects I wrote about in depth and for a long time. Know what happened? I burned out on the topics. It was love when I began, but after a few years, I had said all I could say about that subject and there was nothing left. Luckily, I had never bought into the niche myth. I wrote across the board on a variety of subjects and in a number of styles—articles, scripts, speeches, web content, nonfiction books. You name it, I tried it. It kept me sane.
My only caveat was to identify those subjects and styles I would refuse. Namely anything technical had to go. Anything that bored me got tossed. Advertising wasn’t going to happen. Neither was any form of instructional manual writing or direct marketing copy. It wasn’t for me.
Picking a niche may be the right path for you, but it might not. It depends on who you are and what you have to offer. If you have a doctorate in a specific field and want to write in that field, by all means, announce your niche. You have earned it. Perhaps you had a fantastic career in an interesting field and you want to transition to writing instead. You are a prime candidate for a niche. But if that isn’t you, then you might want to reconsider.
Personally, I could never write in a single niche. I get bored too easily and am too curious about the world around me. One of my favorite parts of being a freelance writer is learning new things about random topics I wouldn’t have encountered on my own. Sometimes it’s surprising what I learn. Plus it is great for trivia contests. Who else do you know who can explain how to design a kitchen, the specific forage required to increase the average daily gain of your cattle, freshwater conservation efforts, blast injuries affecting our troops, and the astonishing story of George Mason, one of our blackballed Founding Fathers? These are just some of the stories I’ve written about in my career. The list is full of interesting and weird.
My long and varied list of clients have made me a better person and writer.
Shunning the niche idea also helps in a poor economy. When one industry is hit hard, another will rebound or hold steady. Diversity is key. Not limitations. Don’t be afraid to embrace the writing and the story. Ignore the money trail. It will come, if you focus on three things: writing well, being professional and always meeting your deadlines. Also have pride in your work. Don’t sell yourself short. But don’t put yourself in the corner either, unless it is a really good corner.