With NaNoWriMo less than a week away, it is challenging to think about anything except for my fiction writing. I am developing two plots and want to return to my children’s book series. Before my life got a wee bit hectic this summer, I started developing a series of children’s books about a homeschooled family. Since we homeschool, I wanted my kids to have books to read that featured kids just like them. 

Now, though, I am currently trying to reignite my creative non-fiction career, outline a couple of romance novels, and write the first draft of my children’s series. 

How Much is Too Much?

I have a lot of irons in the fire at once. But how much is too much? I recently stumbled upon a unique group of writers on Twitter X who write in multiple genres. This concept excites me because, like my non-fiction career, I find it more and more challenging to Niche down. 

What do you Write?

So I get that question A LOT, and I have a hard time narrowing it down because I write women’s Christian romance novels, suspense novels, children’s middle-grade fiction, and non-fiction about health, children, parenting, homeschooling, gardening, homesteading, finance… can you see how the list keeps going on. I write about what interests me, and I find a lot of the world very interesting. 

Niche Down or be a Generalist

So one of the most common arguments when you start freelance writing, is that to be successful, you need to Niche down. Pick a niche and focus on becoming an expert. But here is the thing: I am a former small business owner, so I know something about starting a small business and the financial end of running a business. I also have six children, so I know a lot about raising children at different ages and stages. Then there is the fact that we homeschool. I am a second-generation homeschooler, so I know a LOT about homeschooling. Finally, we garden homestead and do so because I am concerned primarily about my family’s health. Nicheing down could mean picking one of those topics and writing exclusively about it while I neglect the rest of what interests me.

The reason why I bring this up isn’t to toot my own horn, though. It is to make you see if you are like me and have struggled with Nicheing down. Look at what you do, what you know, what interests you, and who you are, and see if you might be better suited as a generalist or at least multi-faceted in your writing. 

I have worked for several content mills over the years (not the best way to make money online), but you learn quickly how to be a generalist because they are interested in something other than niching down. Instead, they give you off-the-wall topics like “Best air mattresses to buy” and “How to loosen a tight bolt.”

Should I Start with a Content Mill?

If you want to cut your teeth online writing, you can try a content mill, but my advice is to stay away from them for the most part. They are a colossal waste of time. You will spend hours writing articles that barely pay a penny a word, which can be extremely demoralizing.  

Other Than Content Mills, Where can I find Work

Well, the most popular advice is to make a list of everything that interests you and niche down. However, if you aren’t going to do that, then make a list of five or ten things that you know exceptionally well, like:

Homeschooling
Parenting
Starting a small business
Nutrition
Writing

Then google “Topic+write for us” or “Write about the topic” and see your results. You will find that there are a lot of places out there looking for what you have to offer. Write some sample articles about what you know so you can share your writing style and show off your abilities. Then, see what exactly they are looking for. Can you match the blog’s writing style? Send an email with information about what you want to present to them. You may be an expert in Martial arts and want to share the latest trends in your local area. Send a detailed outline of what you want to write about and your background to the website you want to write for. Remember that it is crucial to research the website before you query to ensure they are looking for writers and what they want to see in the query. Do they have a form you must fill out or should you email someone directly? 

What about Job Boards?

Job boards like Freelancer and Upwork can be helpful for seasoned writers looking to fill in the gaps with their clients. There are better places for someone new to freelance writing, and they certainly don’t make you rich. 

There are other job boards that don’t work, like Freelancer or Upwork. ProBlogger is a fantastic resource if you are looking for blogging jobs or writing advice. 

Remember that your best opportunity to get a writing career started and be successful is by writing and then plugging away at emailing or contacting potential clients in your area of expertise. 

Good luck out there. Now, I better get back to my invisible friends. They are getting antsy.