Follow these 3 signposts to find your niche (in this order)

It’s the question I get asked all the time.

What do I write about? How do I decide my content?

It’s a crucial decision.

Get it wrong and you could be lost in the writing wilderness for years.

But you don’t choose a niche. You discover it. You don’t sit down and decide what it’s going to be. You set out to explore. 

And on that journey, these 3 signposts will guide you:

1. What are you curious about?

Hopefully, you’ll be writing about your niche for a long time. So your interest needs to be strong enough to sustain you. 

Curiousity trumps current knowledge.

When I started writing I’d been leading organisations for 20 years. I’d been obsessed with learning about leadership. But now my leadership role is limited. I got oodles of knowledge but I’m no longer studying it.

Should I pick leadership as my niche? No I shouldn’t. My expertise will soon be stale. The lack of fresh energy will show in my writing.

Write what captivates you.

This makes writing fun, fresh and energising.

2. What are you learning to do?

Imposter syndrome poses a huge challenge.

You don’t know enough. You don’t feel like an expert. This holds you back. It makes you think you’ve nothing to share.

But it’s your greatest opportunity. The easiest way to grow an audience is to learn a skill and write about it. This gives credibility because you are doing it

You won’t believe how powerful this is.

Look at this article of mine:

It’s one of my best performers earning $163.

Why did it do so well? 

Maybe because it’s about making money. But I’d made less than $1000. Why would anyone waste time reading this, when top writers share their $100k articles?

Because it’s relatable.

The closer your experience is to your readers the more attractive your writing is.

If want to learn to run who will you listen to? Kelvin Kiptum, the Kenya marathon world record holder? Or the couch potato who works a busy 9–5, has 3 kids, and hates any form of exercise. But completed a 10k run.

You think she gets me. What worked for her might work for me.

Write about what you are learning to do.

Those two steps behind you will love it.

3. What do readers want?

Whatever your reason for writing:

• make money

• help people

• influence

• have fun

you need readers.

And you gain readers when you write what they want.

Readers want 3 things from you:

help

Readers want solutions to their problems. They want tools they can use. Tips that work. Ways of thinking that enable them to get what they want in life.

inspiration

You get ingestion when you overload on tips and hacks. So readers need motivation. To feel good. They want to be understood. And given hope. 

entertainment

People read in their leisure time. So they want to enjoy it. This doesn’t mean it can’t be educational or motivational. But it needs to be pleasurable to read.

Pick a niche where you can offer a healthy balance of helping readers, inspiring them and being enjoyable to read.

And don’t be too quick to judge there is no market for what signposts 1 & 2 point to. It’s a mistake to copy what others are writing. You don’t need a lot of readers to make a lot of money.

Loyalty beats numbers.

If you find 500 fans who will pay you $100/year. You’ll make $50k.

Hope this helps guide your writing,

Derek

What I’ve been reading…The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert.

because I’m interested in learning more about copywriting.

Two ways I can help you further:

1. The Writing Clinic - personal coaching and feedback on your writing. Click here for more details.

2. My best 10 hooks dissected - a 5-day email course breaking down my best 10 X hooks and why they worked. 23 × 5-star reviews.