5 Reasons to Let Go of Your Niche

Write something new, at least for the day

You have heard all of the reasons why freelance writers should have a niche. I am not here to disagree with any of those reasons. Those reasons are sensible and most likely correct. When you have a niche, you are the expert, the specialist, the go-to writer in that field. You can charge more for your writing as an expert. And you will spend less time writing because you are familiar with the topic. It’s a winning situation.

Yet, there are several reasons you may not want to stick to one niche.

• You are a new writer and haven’t found your niche yet.
• You love learning new things and don’t want to pin yourself down.
• You have a niche. You love your niche. You don’t want a new niche. But, you are feeling a little burnt out and bored.
• You woke up this morning with an idea in your head, and you want to write about it.

Don’t despair, and don’t feel guilty for not sticking to your niche. Here are some benefits to breaking free and letting your creative juices flow.

Break free

I’m not saying if you typically write about personal finance, that today you should suddenly start writing in-depth articles about software development. Some topics are so complex, it would take a tremendous amount of research to be able to write an informative article. And there are some topics you likely have no interest in. I’m not looking to write a piece about fly fishing, for example.

But there are probably some subjects you have an interest in and some passing knowledge. It may take a bit of internet research to get you up to speed, but you could probably write an informative article and learn something while you’re at it.

Here are 5 reasons to break free of your writing niche:

Reason #1: To stimulate creativity

Writing about one topic and one topic only day after day will help you become well-versed. It will establish you as an expert in the field. The more you write, the faster you will be able to write.

But, there is the chance of coming down with writer’s block. How many different blog posts can you come up with on your chosen niche? There may come a day when you feel you’ve hit the bottom of your ideas.

However, when you write about something different, you feel fresh. And you may find writing on a different subject has breathed new life into your usual niche.

Reason #2: Variety is good for your brain

Research has shown, when people spend time in a variety of activities, they experience less cognitive decline over time. There is no denying it, as we age, our brains begin to decline. But this study shows that the more variety of activities and new knowledge we gain, the better for our minds.

This means keeping your mind active with new information will help keep you sharp for life. Breaking free of your niche can help keep your mind young.

Reason #3: It keeps doors open

You may stumble across something you love if you keep yourself open to it. If you close yourself off and choose only one niche, you’re inhibiting yourself from discovering new skill sets.

This is especially true when you’re new to writing professionally. By keeping yourself open to experiment with a variety of topics, you may discover you are fantastic at writing for a field you didn’t even consider when you first began your writing career.

But I would argue, even if you’ve been writing for a while in your chosen niche and you’ve carved out a place for yourself, you still may find new interests you hadn’t thought of before.

Reason #4: You will still get paid

One main reason you will hear for choosing a niche is that once you become seen as an expert in your field, you can charge higher rates to your clients for your writing. You may hear that generalists make less money than the experts.

Let’s be honest, the experts making a six-figure salary from writing have probably written for years in their niche. They have affiliate marketing deals and online courses. Maybe they’ve published books. Their name is well known, and they can charge big bucks to their clients.

Yes, there is a lot more going on for them than simply picking a niche. A niche is not a magical solution to reeling in a high income from your writing, despite what they tell you.

You can be a generalist and still make decent money from your writing. If you find a client that is looking for someone with experience in a particular subject, don’t fret, you can build up writing samples on that topic.

Reason: #5: It’s fun

Writers are romanticized. When people hear the word writer, they often think of something like Hemingway bent over his desk in Cuba penning masterpieces. But professional writers know writing is a lot of editing, editing, and more editing. And when you make a living as a writer, you often end up writing for clients, in their voice, selling their product.

But adding some variety to your writing can liven things up. It can be fun to try a different writing style or a new topic. You can even write a poem or a short story. Pick a subject that interests you and do some research. Or choose something you feel passionate about and get to work. You never know where it may take you.

Be mindful of where you publish your diversions

One word of caution. Your personal writer’s website where you’re selling your services may not be the best place to post your highly controversial political piece. But it doesn’t mean you can’t post that piece. Just find a platform that allows for flexibility.

Whether you’re not set on a choosing a niche yet, never want to choose a niche, or are just looking for something new to get the creative juices flowing, it’s okay to write about different topics. All of the emphasis on choosing a niche can leave a writer feeling that once they’ve chosen their niche, they’re stuck. But, writers are creative and creative souls need space to grow. Don’t let your niche get you stuck in a rut.