Write of Passage Weekly

Hello writers,

Welcome to Write of Passage Weekly, home to the best writing advice on the Internet. Our goal is to help you leap forward on your writing journey and tap in to the serendipity of the Internet. 

To our long-time readers, yes, our weekly newsletter is back! To our new readers, you’re in for something special. Whether you have a 100-week publishing streak or want to start writing online, we’re here to help you find momentum, master the craft, and compound your potential.

Today, we’re demystifying the nebulous idea of “finding your niche.” But first, an important announcement: 

We just launched Writing Sprints! These all-day, one-day workshops are like workout classes for your mind. You’ll start with an idea and end with a published piece of writing. The last workshop of this month is next Saturday, June 23.

Here’s David, the hype-man, on how you’ll go from zero to published in a day:

Do You Need a Niche?

We’re taught to specialize, to pick something and become the absolute best at it as quickly as possible. It’s the accepted path to success, and it often works. That’s why there are trilingual toddlers, teenagers starring on Broadway, and a 20-year-old Spaniard at the top of the world tennis rankings.

There’s a version of this advice for writers too, which you’ll hear from any Twitter Growth Guru: “Find your niche.”

The more skilled you are and the rarer your skillset is, the likelier you will be to succeed. It’s true. “Find your niche” isn’t bad advice, but you have to decide if it’s the right path for you.

Every writer faces this tension between curiosity and commitment. Should you double down on your copywriting skills so that you can become a high-powered B2B-SaaS freelancer? Or, should you turn down a client and save some time for writing flash fiction on the side?

Should you follow your interests or stick with what works?

Write of Passage alum Chris Wong calls these two options exploring and exploiting. The way to find your path as a creator is to dance between the two. Sometimes, you’re exploiting something you know will succeed. Sometimes, you're exploring something new and taking a risk. 

Be wary of getting stuck in one of these modes. Both stagnation and aimlessness can sap your creative energy. “While exclusively exploring or exploiting eventually leads to boredom, dancing between the two is invaluable," Chris says. "Exploring replenishes your interest and curiosity. Exploiting replenishes your desire for mastery. And this dance creates meaning — you’re always either going deeper into something you enjoy or following your curiosity in trying new things.”

So, the short answer? Do both. Explore and exploit.

If you want to start writing online, you don’t need a niche. You can discover it by writing (or you can hold fast to being a polymath). And if you’ve been writing for years, you’re not bound to your niche. You can always explore.

By sharing your ideas online, you will “find where your intrinsic desire overlaps with what is valuable to others.” Follow your curiosity, capitalize on opportunity, then repeat. 

From Our Alumni

Stories and tips for your writer’s toolkit

“Do the weirdest thing that feels right.”

Charlie Becker shares the best method he knows for overcoming fear and remaining authentic. (This essay was also recently featured on the front page of Hacker News.)

“A Life’s Question, A Writer’s Answer”

Erin Rupp tells of her journey away from writing and back again, wrestling with a challenging question: What do you want to do with your life?

“Feedback Masochism”

Rachael Tiss reflects on her relationship to feedback and shares her hard-won insights on how to quiet your inner critic. 

Thank you for reading Write of Passage Weekly. We’ll be back next Wednesday with more of the best writing advice on the Internet.

Happy writing,

The Write of Passage Team