It is said that a talented writer can write about any topic with any style or tone requested and create a piece that engages the audience. While this may be true, even the most talented of writers will find that when you are writing for cash, you may want to choose a niche or two and specialize in these areas. While you may have the talent to be all things to all people, you will find that there are some significant benefits you will realize when you specialize. Here are some things to consider:
Speed. Some freelance writers really frown on those who write quick content without spending time researching and developing a really great piece. They say this is not showcasing your talent but rather the equivalent of working in a sweat shop. There may be some truth to this, but these same freelance writers cannot deny the fact that when you write for money, it stands to reason that the sooner you get done with one assignment, the more money you can make by working on others. When you write about topics that you already know and love, your required research time is drastically reduced, and this means that you can complete assignments more quickly without sacrificing quality.
Quality. Often when you write about what you know and love, you can not just write faster but you can also usually write better. It can take a lot of research and self-education on your part to create a knowledgeable, informative, and helpful piece when you write about something you don’t know. Sometimes even with your best effort at research and self-education, you still may fall short on creating a high quality piece that is suitable for your target audience. When you write about topics you are already familiar with, you will find that you don’t have to worry about sacrificing quality.
Higher Pay. Many times when you specialize in a certain area, you build up a reputation as a specialist in this area. When this happens, you can often command a higher rate for your work than other writers who don’t have the high degree of knowledge and expertise in this area. You simply need to keep a portfolio of your work which showcases your high level of knowledge on the subject matter to begin reaping the financial benefits of specializing.
Variety. As smart as it is for freelance writers to specialize in a certain area, the downside of specializing in a niche is that writing on the same topic every day can get a little boring for you as a writer. You can certainly approach a niche from different angles and covering various subtopics, but eventually you can get bored. Plus, your writing can start to sound a little blah, too. For this reason, you may want to focus on several different topics or niches rather than just one. This way, you can constantly be working on different projects with different topics that you are still very familiar with while keeping the blahs at bay.
As you can see, there are quite a few benefits that you can enjoy when you specialize in a niche. However, it is a good idea to specialize in several different areas so you keep yourself engaged in the topic and keep your content fresh and exciting.
