A niche writer is someone who is known for discussing only a specific topic, but with greater depth and breadth. He may eventually have a regular column in a widely circulating newspaper, or be a regular contributor to magazines with a common theme.
If niche writing is something you see yourself doing, be forewarned that there are several "budget busters" that can cause you to sacrifice too much of your freelancing income. Here are some of them:
Buying too many books and magazines about your niche.
While it's crucial to keep your knowledge up-to-date about your niche, buying every book or magazine that's been published about it is actually counter-productive. And with the steep cost of newly released books and magazines, you'll most certainly end up with a hole in your pocket.
If you write about keeping small businesses afloat, don't bother shelling out anymore cash and instead, spend time talking with entrepreneurs at symposiums, or visit a small bazaar in your neighborhood. Bazaars are some of the best venues to go to if you want to learn how guerrilla marketing works.
Not knowing how to get the best deals when writing product reviews.
I was once appalled when I read about a technology writer who spent Php150,000 buying the latest craze in high-end gadgets just to have them pitted against one another, leading him to figure out the advantages and disadvantages of each brand's features. The thing is, he wasn't even part of any staff of a magazine that specializes in high-end technology.
Think about this for a moment: if you pool all your resources on gadgets, an editor may publish and pay you for your well-written contributions, but no honorarium rate can make up for the amount you spent obtaining those gadgets. And should you decide to sell your surplus, you would have to price them at a lot less than what you originally paid for after just six months to a year.
A better alternative would be to get an affordable post-paid plan and use it to communicate with your clients. Post-paid plans come with a free mobile phone, and offering an article comparing the best post-paid plans will appeal more to mobile phone users.
When it comes to laptops and cameras, wait for a sale before making a purchase. And then get in touch with a group of multimedia artists and photographers and make them bid for your ware. Inexpensive cameras will also be a hit among students who are taking up photography.
Being inaccessible to independent artists.
Do not overlook up-and-coming bands or singers who perform for a reason other than being able to make a record-breaking album. There are theme restaurants and diners who invite such artists to entice customers. You can negotiate with the manager to make reservations for you for free or a minimal fee in exchange for a favorable write-up.
Refusing to be a guest blogger simply for wider exposure.
If you volunteer to write a post or several posts for a well-known blog, say, one that gets at least 1,000 views a month, you can gain additional readers, because if you wrote informative articles and you provided a link to your own blog, you will probably get online readers curious and have them clicking the link to your own blog.
If niche writing is something you see yourself doing, be forewarned that there are several "budget busters" that can cause you to sacrifice too much of your freelancing income. Here are some of them:
Buying too many books and magazines about your niche.
While it's crucial to keep your knowledge up-to-date about your niche, buying every book or magazine that's been published about it is actually counter-productive. And with the steep cost of newly released books and magazines, you'll most certainly end up with a hole in your pocket.
If you write about keeping small businesses afloat, don't bother shelling out anymore cash and instead, spend time talking with entrepreneurs at symposiums, or visit a small bazaar in your neighborhood. Bazaars are some of the best venues to go to if you want to learn how guerrilla marketing works.
Not knowing how to get the best deals when writing product reviews.
I was once appalled when I read about a technology writer who spent Php150,000 buying the latest craze in high-end gadgets just to have them pitted against one another, leading him to figure out the advantages and disadvantages of each brand's features. The thing is, he wasn't even part of any staff of a magazine that specializes in high-end technology.
Think about this for a moment: if you pool all your resources on gadgets, an editor may publish and pay you for your well-written contributions, but no honorarium rate can make up for the amount you spent obtaining those gadgets. And should you decide to sell your surplus, you would have to price them at a lot less than what you originally paid for after just six months to a year.
A better alternative would be to get an affordable post-paid plan and use it to communicate with your clients. Post-paid plans come with a free mobile phone, and offering an article comparing the best post-paid plans will appeal more to mobile phone users.
When it comes to laptops and cameras, wait for a sale before making a purchase. And then get in touch with a group of multimedia artists and photographers and make them bid for your ware. Inexpensive cameras will also be a hit among students who are taking up photography.
Being inaccessible to independent artists.
Do not overlook up-and-coming bands or singers who perform for a reason other than being able to make a record-breaking album. There are theme restaurants and diners who invite such artists to entice customers. You can negotiate with the manager to make reservations for you for free or a minimal fee in exchange for a favorable write-up.
Refusing to be a guest blogger simply for wider exposure.
If you volunteer to write a post or several posts for a well-known blog, say, one that gets at least 1,000 views a month, you can gain additional readers, because if you wrote informative articles and you provided a link to your own blog, you will probably get online readers curious and have them clicking the link to your own blog.
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