How to Choose a Specialisation as a Writer

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For those that are fairly confident in their writing skills – and wouldn’t mind making it one of their side incomes – it’s a must that you figure out how best to market your skills. The best way to do this is to find yourself as a writer. Yes, you may feel as though you can do it all – a few press releases, a touch of technical copywriting and you can churn out a book, given the enough time – but it really pays off to have some focus. Don’t worry – you can get around to everything you want to eventually. For now, just focus on one or a couple of directions to help you get your funds up.

I went from review writing to blog writing to journalism to PR to copywriting to affiliate marketing to self-publishing and I’ve touched on so many other areas along the way. I’ve done lots for other people and a lot for myself too. The best option for me evolved over time as my needs (income and lifestyle) developed over time. If you’re in your early stages or just need a change, here are the things you need to consider.

1. Work Out What You’re Good At

For those with little experience, just practice. Read more of the kind of content that you would need to create and be honest about whether you would be capable of it. And if you could do it day in day out for months with relative ease.

2. Look at All the Options

I have a post from a couple of years back that goes through all of the different forms of monetizable writing out there, and it’s probably worth going through them. There is bound to be a couple of different ones that suit you, but you haven’t taken the time to get into yet.

3. Figure Out What Has the Best Commercial Prospects

The fewer people specialising in whatever writing you do, in whatever niche you happen to be in, the better your prospects are likely to be. However, also consider that there are masses of people with the same relative writing needs and just want someone decent that can get the work done well. If you intend to write as a freelancer, the best way to figure out your worth is just by browsing People Per Hour.

4. Work on Your Skills

Write, write and keep writing. I’d say that my biggest problem when I was younger was that I didn’t want to read, because I felt that I didn’t have enough time to do it. The more time I spent writing, the more money I could make. It really helps to read skills professionals and try to emulate their clarity. Nail that and the rest should fall into place.

5. Build Up Your Portfolio

The more writing you have to show off, the better. Again, this still applies if you’re writing for yourself. It’s obvious when it comes to freelance output, but it’s the same when it’s all for you. The more blog posts you have published, the more opportunities you have to attract more visitors. The more self-published books you’ve written, the more chances you have to make sales.