WHY A NICHE?

Right now, we see the world of nonfiction writing and publishing all focusing on the concept of niche.

Why a niche? Why now?  What exactly does the concept of niche mean to the writer? Do I need a niche?

These are all questions many writers are asking. Before, one could just write about anything. They could self-publish their book and be done. No one questioned them about why they wrote the book. The public just accepted—well, much of the public accepted it.

However, in the past decade or so, the concept of fake news has taken hold of the public. While many people still believe in fake news articles and information because they assume the person giving the information is an expert, this expectation has changed the author's role. Now authors have to prove they are experts in the fields they are writing about for their books to be taken seriously.

Years ago, a writer could be a generalist and write about anything. Research is easy when you know how to do it quickly and where to find reputable sources. However, with the advent of the internet and the ability of anyone to publish anything on the internet, this hurt the generalist writer.

Sites like Wikipedia, when initially started, didn’t fact check, and anyone could go into any article and change it. There were many sites like this, and they spread like wildfire. People were using them as reputable sources when often the information was faulty.

Over the years, Wikipedia has gotten better, but other sites still do not fact-check and allow anyone to publish anything on their platform. 

Because of this influx of false or inaccurate information to the masses, finding a niche for your writing is so critical to you being a writer.

For writers, a niche is a specialized market that they will focus all their writing. Sure, some generalists still exist, but most have found two or three niches that pay the most and can be considered experts.

But what does that mean for someone who wants to write a nonfiction book?

It means you have to prove you are an expert in your book, in the about the author section, and on any social media platforms you have a presence.

For example, a tech company CEO should focus on what he/she knows—running a business or the technology industry. From the position as CEO, they know how to run a business. However, they wouldn’t necessarily know how to run a mechanic business.  From their position as a tech company CEO, they know how to run a business in the tech industry.  This is their niche—running a business in a specific industry or a field related to that topic. 

The niche is a general idea of a specialized industry or market in which you are an expert. You don’t have to have a degree, but you have to have verifiable knowledge of the subject.

When you see the next book, ad, or announcement to help you “find your niche,” know that you already know what your niche is. You know where your knowledge and expertise lie.

You don’t need others to help you find your niche. You may need them to help you hone it down a little but not find it.

If you want to write about something you love and have experience and knowledge about, do it. No one can stop you because you are the expert.

Now figure out your niche, and get started on your book!

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Content credit: C. Storm

Image credit: Rita Morais