NOT HAVING A NICHE IS OKAY!
It sounds blasphemous, right?
I mean, choosing a niche for consistency and to attract repeat readers is the commonsense approach.
Just look at the advice offered on Medium or X. For many writers, consistency is their key to success.
But what if that's not the only option?
Instead of forcing yourself to create and/or publish every day, what if you dismissed the notion that consistency is the only approach to writing?
You might just realize something you hadn't considered... How you best create.
This is more than just accepting that you loathe (or love) outlines.
It's deeper than determining you are an "I need coffee" morning writer or an "I must burn the candles into the night" type of creator.
Certainly, understanding these basic things about your writing style is helpful because they serve as guideposts to your inner psyche.
But what to write is a different concern altogether, and if you spend too much time analyzing this part of the writing process, you might just talk yourself out of accomplishing anything at all.
It's hard to stay motivated when you constantly second-guess yourself and feel frustrated because you haven't found that one thing to make your efforts gel.
It's okay to be nicheless... I promise
Believe it or not, it's OKAY to not write in a single genre or to pursue only one niche.
I don't.
Not because I haven't tried, mind you. I'm nicheless because I never could narrow my energy to just one pathway.
I love writing fiction, but I also like to craft blogs and personal experience pieces. My topics range from life in general to surviving as a creative soul in today's world. (Yes, this includes financial content because money matters even when you're doing something you love.)
I love crossword puzzles and one day intend to create those for my portfolio.
I also write devotionals and create worksheets, templates, and other content to help the self-employed become more organized and productive in their efforts.
I self-publish, which means I wear all sorts of hats, including editor, typesetter, marketer, salesperson, and web developer.
Finally, I'm a perpetual learner who loves to capture random thoughts, snippets, and ideas throughout the day. I frequently use this info as my inspiration to write about the health and well-being of creatives (finally putting my psychology degree to good use!).
If I were focused on one niche or a singular writing focus, you can see how I'd never accomplish a fraction of what I want to achieve.
Would I make more money or draw more repeat readers with a narrowed-down approach?
Possibly.
But what fun would that be?
Writing is as much for my benefit as it is for those who choose to read my work. I know that's contrary to the notion of putting readers first, but it's just me being honest.
Being nicheless helps me stay genuine.
I wouldn't spend my life writing if I didn't love doing it.
I've done the 9 to 5 thing several times over. I even climbed to the top of the corporate ladder in my previous job.
And I was miserable.
As a kid, I had high aspirations for a full-time writing career, but somewhere along the way life interfered. Leaving my job was a gamechanger, and something I could never have hoped to accomplish with debt looming over my family.
I took some time off before throwing myself into fiction and blog writing. Both came easy... Until I tried to emulate the same path as those who found success pursuing one writing avenue.
My brain simply does not operate that way. I need stimulation and creative energy to propel my efforts.
If you are reading this and nodding along, then perhaps you do, too.
If so, I encourage you to hang out for awhile. Check out the content on this site as well as the offerings on The Nicheless Writer storefront.
Everything on here is designed to make The Nicheless Writer a place to read and discover new content with no ads to distract you. I don't even have affiliate links in place. If I reference another link or product, it's because I believe it has value... Not because I am hoping to make money off the referral.
Be sure to let me know your thoughts on the whole "to niche or not to niche" debate as well as any other topics you might like to see covered.