As you start a new career as a freelance writer you will probably read a lot about how there is no real money to be made unless you solidify yourself as an expert in a certain niche. This statement is kind of true and kind of not.
If the only thing that is holding you back from getting your freelance career off the ground is what niche you want to pursue and establish yourself as an expert in, then, by all means, get started without one. The truth is there is plenty of money making opportunities out there that you can grab without being an expert in any particular niche.
Yes, it’s true, you probably won’t make nearly as much money writing on a subject if you can’t show some proof that your knowledge on the subject is at an expert level, but that doesn’t mean that a client or a company won’t pay you for well-written content.
Think of it Like Practice for the Big Game
On your quest to find paying writing jobs, you’ll find that there are many different types of content across many different verticals that a client might need. For instance, marketing agencies usually deal with a little bit of everything. Webpage content, product descriptions, long-form call to action, SEO short-form content, blog posts, social media posts and many other advertising pieces are needed on a regular basis for companies of all kinds.
With plenty of different content and plenty of different companies needing that content, there is another thing that is in high demand, many different voices. When you first start out you’ll find that you probably have to take a few jobs that you don’t like or know anything about, but you can use those jobs as practice for quickly changing your voice, your style, and your writing structure to create content that matches the vibe that a company is trying to promote.
The quicker you are able to make adjustments on the fly, the more money you will make as you climb the freelance writing ladder.
Find the Niche that Makes You the Most Money
You can’t be closed minded when it comes to picking a niche. A lot of people end up writing in a niche that they never thought they would have any interest in. Some people think that software is going to be their thing but end up finding that they have much more success in writing in the health and fitness niche.
This is why when you start out writing it’s not such a bad idea to start out without a niche. Sure big wigs in the writing business will tell you that you have to have a niche before you start, but who’s to say that someone’s path to success is everyone else’s. As you take on different kinds of writing gigs on different subjects for different clients, you will most likely start to feel more comfortable in your abilities, and choosing a niche that works best for you will start to show itself.
One thing that should be noted is you’re your own boss, you make and break your own rules. If you picked a niche and it doesn’t seem to be working, you can always change it when you want.
Caution
A lot of writers decide to go for a niche that is in high demand. Being an expert in a subject that is in high demand can offer you a lot of high-paying opportunities, but you should be careful here. To really make good money, you really have to know your niche inside-and-out.
If you take on high-paying writing gigs that leave you researching hours on end, then maybe the hours you put into writing well-rounded pieces of content ends up outweighing the final dollar amount you make for the piece. Meaning, you might be just making pennies on the dollar depending on how long it takes you to finish a project, and if that’s the case you might as well hit the content mills for underpaying jobs.
The moral of the story:
You can start your writing career without a niche.
- Take your time when deciding on a niche to pursue
. - You can always change your niche as your career grows
. - Pick a niche that you can write on efficiently so you can be successful
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