Picking a niche. Ugh, the eternal struggle of the writer. Let me tell you, I’ve been terrible at it.
I used to think a niche was all about me—what I wanted to write about, what I was passionate about.
Newsflash: Your niche isn’t about you. It’s about your target market and the problems you can fix.
A Moment of Realization
In walks Nic Cole with his book, The Art and Business of Ghostwriting. That book slapped me awake. It dawned on me—everything I knew about niche selection was a steaming pile of nonsense.
Niche selection comes down to one golden framwork: One specific problem, for one specific person, in one specific way.
Applying the New Framework
Pick one particular problem that a single type of person needs fixing. What’s that one nagging issue that keeps them from improving, from achieving something, from doing something?
Identify a specific persona that desperately needs this problem solved. Who is this person? What role do they fill? What is their label or job description?
Design a very specific solution to fix this problem. What’s your unique angle? What system, product, or service can you offer that’s tailor-made to fix this specific problem for this specific person?
Instead of casting a wide net, zero in on a laser-targeted solution to fix a laser-target problem, for a laser-targeted audience.
For example:
Old me: Writing (I know. Talk about that wide, aimless net!)
New me: I create custom-built fantasy naming ChatGPT prompt systems for new fantasy fiction writers who crave an AI-driven approach to naming artefacts in their worlds.
A Life-Changing Framework
And there you have it—a life-changing framework boiled down to a few lines. This approach steers you away from a self-centred niche and toward a person-and-problem-specific one. Do this, and you’ll dodge 10-20 years of frustration and fruitless effort.
Thanks, Nic Cole, for writing that damn fine book! If I ever see you, man, I owe you a pint. Or ten!