If Settling on a Writing Niche Has You Chewing Your Nails to Bloody Stumps...
Do What I Did and Avoid the Frustration, Pain…and Blood by Developing a Content Wheelhouse Instead
(Adapted from a previous post on Medium.)
It’s an age-old business question and a great debate among internet marketers.
It’s the decision you and I are forced to make, or the market makes it for us.
Wait…wheel-what?
With apologies to Shakespeare…
“to niche or not to niche…that is the question.”
We hear from both sides of this issue all the time
The Internet’s digital writing heavy hitters are on both sides of this issue:
Dan Koe says that I am the niche:
“The most profitable, unique, and irreplaceable niche is you.” -Dan Koe
He goes on to say that our products express our brand.
Other well-known writers urge us to choose a niche and solve one specific problem for one type of person in a specific situation:
“I help struggling writers who want to get paid to write launch a profitable email newsletter business.” — News L. Writer
Let’s forget all that… for now
Because it comes down to what’s suitable for you.
It’s your digital writing business here on Medium or Substack and no one else's.
Does your Substack need to be highly specialized?
How do you know which topics are OK to write about and which are off-brand?
Choosing a ‘content wheelhouse’ can help create some clarity
Rather than rehash the debate on the merits of a niche, in this post, I will present the process I used to define my content wheelhouse and how it led me to more frequent publishing.
So, what is a ‘content wheelhouse?’
I like the term wheelhouse (originally a nautical term) because it is widely used to refer to one’s area of experience or expertise. Our most significant authority arises from what we already know.
But isn’t a wheelhouse just a niche in sheep’s clothing?
First, sheep don’t wear clothes; they’re literal sweater factories. 🏭 🐑
But I digress…
Within the wheelhouse are different channels of knowledge and expertise that I call no-end paths, a term Jonathan Mead initially coined in the 2000s.
No-End Path: Consider it a subtopic of expertise and experience from which you could mine nuggets of wisdom for years to come.
My Process for Defining My Content Wheelhouse
Here are the three steps I used to define my content wheelhouse.
STEP #1 —I created a simple inventory of my experience and expertise
I answered three questions:
What activities bring me the most intellectual fulfillment? | I’ve always been a writer, even when I didn’t understand what it meant. I just knew that Ienjoyed writing. Even as a child, I would summarize books from the school library during recess. I enjoy reading biographies of writers and learning about their influences. I took many courses concerned with online marketing and published one print book and several eBooks, which I found fulfilling. Teaching has also always been something I enjoyed. I’ve launched paid newsletters in the past with moderate success.
What hobbies and recreational pursuits motivate me to expand my knowledge that might also play a role in my content wheelhouse? | I’m interested in the production process for digital writing products, i.e., eBooks formatted for Kindle and other eReader devices. I’m also interested, but not very experienced, in audio recording, podcasting, and video. I’m crazy in love with my dog Kona, a chocolate Labradoodle.
How would my closest friends describe me? (these qualities are used like ‘seasoning’ that you sprinkle occasionally into your illustrations and storytelling for added flavor) | Actual responses: kind, compassionate, level-headed, intellectual, non-condescending, funny, serious, studious, and clumsy.
STEP #2 — Based on my responses, I created a list of potential marketable products and services
I brainstormed a longer list and narrowed it down to this:
Write articles/stories on Medium for long-term earnings.
Write and market a premium subscription-based evergreen newsletter about starting and operating a digital writing business; these could be produced and delivered through ConvertKit, Gumroad, or Substack.
Write eBooks for marketing on Gumroad, KDP, Apple Books, etc.
Record and market audiobook versions of eBooks on Audible and other audiobook outlets.
Step #3 — I listed the problems these products and services would address
“If you can solve one painful problem, you can build a business around it.” — Dan Koe
“I know I want to write online, but how do I get started?” | Article/eBook/Paperback/Audiobook/Mini-course
“Can you show me how I can get paid to write?” | Premium newsletter, coaching sessions
“What kind of training do I need to do what you do?” | Article/ Brief eBook
“What’s the process for producing a successful premium newsletter? | eBook / Mini-Course / Premium Newsletter
“How can I publish a book on Amazon?” | eBook / Mini-Course / Premium Newsletter
As you can see, this is a process that takes some time.
You can’t assume or adopt someone else’s content wheelhouse since they’re based on that specific individual’s experiences and expertise.
You have to go through the steps on your own.
Pulling it all together
When I put together my content wheelhouse, based on the process above, it was related to seeking out paid writing opportunities (outside of traditional freelancing), experimenting with them, and sharing the results with others in marketable digital products.
My Content Wheelhouse: Helping Writers Get Paid To Write
No-End Path #1: publishing email mini-courses on Gumroad, ConvertKit
No-End Path #2: publishing premium evergreen newsletters on Gumroad, ConvertKit
No-End Path #3: publishing brief 50-page books on Amazon, Apple, Google Play/Books, Gumroad, etc.
No-End Path #4: publishing audiobook versions of your 50-page books on Audible, ACX, Spotify, etc.
etc.
What’s Your Content Wheelhouse?
If you’re struggling to find a niche, here’s my overall advice based on your level of experience in the online publishing spaces (Medium / Substack / Amazon / Beehiiv / Ghost, etc..):
Beginners: (0–6 months writing experience) Evaluate your feedback on what topics resonate with your readers. What kind of topics are they responding to favorably? What topics aren’t generating much response? (That’s the same as a negative response.) Whatever topics they like, start exploring them deeper; drill down into each one. When you complete six months, attempt the content wheelhouse process.
Intermediate: (6 months — 2 years experience) You probably have a good idea of what’s working and what isn’t. Sometimes, we change topics to ‘season things up,’ as suggested, and we’re met with crickets. No worries, follow it up with another on-topic post, and they’ll return. It’s good for your readers to know you’re not a one-trick pony. If you haven’t attempted my content wheelhouse process, give it a go.
Advanced: (2+ years experience) It’s time to define your content wheelhouse and go deep. Gaining clarity around your content wheelhouse will simplify editorial planning, making planning themed months or a series of related stories easier.
I hope that this helps you to get closer to your content wheelhouse. I believe it’s easier to begin here than trying to define a narrow niche right from the beginning.
Hey, I’m Baz. I’m a retired doctor turned full-time writer. Use the button above to subscribe to my ‘Let’s Get Paid To Write’ on Substack. I also run a digital writing business and share links and resources in ‘GET PAID TO WRITE’ — my micro-newsletter. Check it out using this link!
I think this is really great. 👏