How to Choose Your Freelance Writing Niche

One of the common questions I’ve heard from people who want to become a freelance writer is, “Jonah, how can I choose my freelance writing niche?”

Here’s what you can do:

5 Tips in Choosing Your Freelance Writing Niche

1. Pick the right subject or topic.

What do you want to write about? 

In choosing your subject, you can go with:

• Something you are interested in. 
• Something related to your career or expertise.
• Something that you are willing to invest time and effort to learn. 

For example, you’re a doctor, and you want to transition to freelance writing. You can write blog posts about health. If you’re a food lover and love eating out, you can write reviews about restaurants you’ve visited.

It’s also possible to pick a subject you’re not familiar with as long as you are passionate enough to learn it.

SELF-QUESTIONS:

• What topic do I know about more than an average person?
• What subject matter am I willing to put X number of hours to study and be an expert in?
• What topic do I love writing about?

TIP: Try this quiz to know what writing niche should you pursue.

2. Identify your target market.

Is there a demand for the subject you’ve chosen to write about? 

You need to find a balance between what you want to offer and what people are looking for.

Research about your topic and your target clients. You can do that by checking LinkedIn, FB communities, Twitter, job boards, and Google. 

After conducting thorough research, answer the self-questions below.

SELF-QUESTIONS:

• Do I have enough audience?
• (If you choose more than one niche) Among the topics that I picked, which one is the most in-demand?

3. Decide how much time you’ll allot in freelance writing.

If you’re working full-time and decided to create a side income from writing, then maybe going for long-form content isn’t for you. You can write blog posts, social media copy, or infographics instead. 

Usually, long-form content like ebooks and training manuals take more time, around 2-3 days. So, you need to think carefully and choose what’s feasible and manageable for you.

SELF-QUESTIONS:

• How many hours am I going to put in? 
• How many words can I write within the given time? 
• What type of content suits me the best?

4. Determine your desired rate or pay.

Different forms of content also have different rates. 

Let’s use copywriters as an example. Most copywriters are paid more than content writers because they write sales copy and have skills that content writers don’t possess. 

TIP: Do some research by checking on your competitors. What do they offer, and how much do they charge. In that way, you’ll be able to estimate your writing rate and avoid selling yourself short.

SELF-QUESTIONS:

• What are my competitors offering that I can also do? How much do they charge? 
• Is my freelance writing niche profitable enough?
• With my knowledge and skills set, what type of content can I provide?

5. Identify your scope of work.

Besides writing content, you need to determine if you are willing to provide additional services such as researching, editing, proofreading, etc. This is totally up to you, but some clients are very vocal about what they need you to do.

There are also times when the client gives the outline and research, and all you need to do is write. But, there’s a big possibility that this client will pay less. 

SELF-QUESTIONS:

• What additional services can I offer? 
• How much will I charge for them? 

Don’t overthink or aim to find the “perfect” niche for you. It will only slow down your process. Just go for something good and bearable. You can change it as you gain more experience.

Watch this Video

This video is best partnered with our free ebook, Freelance Writing Blueprint. Download it here.

Recommended Online Course

Do you want to become a freelance writer? Our course might help! Check out our Freelance Writing Road Map Course here https://bit.ly/fwroadmap.