I envision the writing process as being similar to a cross-stitch pattern. The instructions clearly state, “Begin in the middle of the fabric and the middle of the pattern.” I never start in the middle when I cross-stitch, though I can see the benefits of doing so. I guess the same holds true for my writing process. I like to start at the beginning and work forward. However, like cross-stitching, there is some merit to starting in the middle of a topic – at least then you know where you’re headed and what your trajectory of thoughts should be.

How does this relate to finding your writer’s niche and establishing it? Perhaps it doesn’t except in the most abstract of ways. But, then again, we are writers, creative souls who think and compose abstractly. Ideas evolve from ideas and niches are not carved in stone, but rather they evolve from different aspects of yourself and your life. You are the middle of the work, after all. What you do, what you read, and the sources you seek all lead to something. Now, it’s up to you to make that ‘something’ into a freelancing niche.

How? Start with making lists. What are your interests and areas of expertise? It’s always a good idea to start working with what you know – that’s what all the ‘professionals’ dictate. It’s a good starting point, but not one you have to adhere to indefinitely. My interests are personal narratives and memoirs, creative nonfiction, gardening, food and crafts, and my expertise is art history so where did I find my niche in my areas of interest? My expertise, art history, did provide some markets for my writing, but mostly non-paying. With a little touch of mind mapping, I was able to develop an extensive list of topics to write about. Here’s how I started my mind mapping:

                                                                                        cooking and recipes

                                                                                                        I

                                                                                                 gardening

                                                                                           /                          \

                                                                                  food                              flowers                                                        

Study the markets. Make a list of publications, print and online, that you regularly read or study. Blogs have increased in popularity and there are lots online to choose from; some even pay! Look at the writer’s guidelines and ask yourself if this is a direction you want to take. Study blogs and blog markets; there are quite a few blogs that not only use freelance material but also offer compensation. Even if they don’t pay, any publication can be a good starting point for launching your writing career, freelance and otherwise. Mind mapping can help with this list as well.

Remember, too, that some publications pay more than others, and some don’t pay at all. Earning pennies per story isn’t as worthless as it might seem: it is exposure, builds your writing credits, and even opens doors to other potential markets, some of which might pay more. I started with food stories. Back in the late 1970s, these stories paid well. With the internet and the surge of recipe posts, the market dwindled, and paying markets decreased substantially. However, it is picking up again with the blog markets. I began writing personal narratives and memoirs about the same time, publishing in community newspapers that paid reasonably well. As newspapers were taken over by large syndicates, this market also dwindled. Others opened up and my writing credits continued to increase and diversify. Now I write creative nonfiction and personal narratives regularly for Curious Tourist Guide. I’ve added to my interest in food writing, now writing regular garden stories (and these are stories with personal narratives and advice from personal experience) for a homesteading blog. As I add to my credits, I’m also able to branch out to more lucrative publications, including Inspire the Mind blog.

It doesn’t take much to establish your niche. All you need is to write, research your potential markets, and write some more.