The Freelance Writer/Blogger and the Oddball Niche, starring me.

Niches are a big deal for freelance writers and bloggers. Establishing your online presence in a solid niche is one of the best things you can do for your writing career. For some people, it’s easy and for others it’s a game of trying this, trying that and never finding anything that really calls to you. The best description of this that I’ve found is from problogger. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the exact quote, but to paraphrase:

If you can’t go on and on for hours on a certain subject, then it will be hard for you to come up with blog posts until the cows come home.

That’s mostly talking about blogging, because you need ongoing content for a blog and if you want to be successful in your niche. Having more than one area of expertise is great too (let me direct you to this website for more on that) but as a writer, potential clients want to see that you nailed it down for yourself, that you are dedicated to your topic and you know your shit. Agree or disagree with it, that’s how many people look at it.

I struggled with the niche thing for quite a long time. I have many interests, ones that I can write a little on here and there, but none that I would write a whole blog about. There was also the issue of “I’m definitely not interested in the niches that are the most popular, which sucks because I’ll never be as successful as I want to be!”

This notion was total poison. I would never blog about something just because it’s popular, but that thought alone was enough to almost make me give up.

There were many helpful articles about how to become successful in your niche, but very few that helped you pin-point a niche if you simply love the idea of blogging and writing for people. But the thing is, other people can’t tell you what your deepest desires and interests are. My deepest desires and interests seemed too amorphous and non-lucrative, and that’s when I decided to stop listening to other people (looking in other places for the answers).

That one subject I could talk about forever and write about endlessly? Astrology. A lot of other metaphysical stuff too, but mostly astrology. It’s one of those oddball subjects that many people don’t take seriously, one of those things that you wouldn’t think would make much money. Keyword there being “think“.

But maybe there is something to this for me. We’ll see…

Don’t follow me looking for the answers, because I don’t have them. I can only offer crazy ideas.

(^^^ Putting that in my about page!)

Yay for (sort of) figuring things out and getting closer. ♐