Yesterday, you learned the three overarching principles for winning fans and making an income as an online writer.
Today, it’s time to take you on a journey. We’re going to hop in an (imaginary) helicopter and take a survey of the terrain ahead.
Because the key to succeeding as an online writer is to find your unique area of contribution, and then set up shop where you will do the most good.
And to do that, you need to have a map of the blogosphere, a basic bird’s eye view of where the mountains and valleys are, and where YOU want to make your home as a writer.
First Things First: Finding Your Zone of Resonance
Time to talk shop. Are you ready?
In music and physics, there is a concept called “resonance,” which is when the frequency of one instrument matches the frequency of a second instrument.
When the two frequencies are out of sync, the sound waves clash, reducing the volume and power of both instruments.
But when the frequencies are in sync, they combine to create amazingly harmonious patterns that resonate better than one instrument alone.
It looks something like this:
As a writer, you want to be heard. And that’s increasingly difficult in a crowded, noisy world like the internet. So you need to resonate with the right ideas and the right people to carve out a niche for yourself.
But how do you do that?
First, you need to figure out yourself: What topics are you passionate about? What is your unique writer’s voice? What is your mission as a writer?
Second, you need to figure out the market: What topics do people want to hear about? What do they need to learn? What can you teach them?
And then you need to bring these two “frequencies” together.
If you don’t find a way to connect with your audience and give them what they want and need, you will forever be stuck at the bottom of the valley, uselessly crying out to an unresponsive crowd. This is called dissonance.
But when these two are in harmony, you will create writing resonance, and send your message and your voice soaring high above the cacaphony of humdrum writers below.
You already have some idea of what you like to write and what your style is, so I won’t waste time going over that right now. Instead, let’s take a look at the other factor: your reader’s world.
Surveying the Blogosphere
There are several basic niches in the blogosphere that are ideal for writers to thrive and make money in.
The top 10 niches include:
- Arts (Crafts, DIY, Fashion, Filmmaking)
- Health
- Marketing & Online Business
- Parenting
- Personal Development
- Personal Finance
- Technology
- Travel
- Fitness & Food
- Writing
…and more. Often, these niches overlap, and even within these giant niches are smaller and smaller subniches that are also important to consider.
It’s tough to build a writing career in a niche that isn’t already popular (You may be passionate about the history of graffiti, but if you can’t find enough online readers who share your interest, you won’t be able to sustain a writing site or career on the topic)
And even popular niches aren’t always suitable for individual writers. (For example, the news and politics niche is hugely popular, but extremely difficult for beginning solo writers to break into or make an income with).
Want a Guide to the Top 10 Blogosphere Niches?
To find out which niches you resonate with, you could conduct your own research online. From scratch.
OR, you could get a head start by downloading the Guide to the Blogosphere I’ve created for you. This guide will give you a quick overview of the top 10 niches and samples of top blogs within each niche to get you started as you explore what’s out there.
You can download your copy of the Guide HERE.
Once you’ve done that, take a look and start thinking about which niche you resonate most with.
And don’t forget keep an eye on your email inbox for the final part of the Writing Revolution mini course, coming your way tomorrow!