6 Steps to Launch Your Writing Career
#2 Identify Intersections between Your Skills, Your Passions and the Marketplace
I recently took a three-week online class on writing with Don Sturgill through the Central Oregon Community College. Don worked as a salaried copywriter for three years before leaving to become a full-time freelancer. He has been a successful freelance writer for almost eight years now. Outlined below are some of the jewels of knowledge Don shared with us about launching our own writing careers.
1. Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy
We all possess skills and talents that are uniquely ours. Yet, it is human nature to assume that other’s experiences are similar to our own, so we start to assume that these talents and skills come naturally to everyone. This is where we tend not to give ourselves enough credit.
As a writer, you possess a valuable skill. You have a talent for communicating a message to an audience in a way that captures that reader’s attention.
Don shared a story with us about a man who worked at an auto body shop. This man’s dream was to start an auto body shop of his own. Don thought this was a wonderful idea. At the time, he was working as a marketer for the U.S. Small Business Administration, so he was in the perfect position to help. Excitedly, he shared a number of ideas with the man. He offered connections and access to resources to help the man turn his dream into a reality.
But the man simply shook his head, looked down and said, “That could never happen to me.” Then he turned, walked away and drove off, leaving Don standing there in disbelief.
This story is a powerful illustration of how we can be our own worst enemy. Opportunities will inevitably come our way. Not only must we be awake enough to recognize them as opportunities, we must believe in ourselves enough to seize them.
Our dreams are fragile. We can get intimidated by others and their success to the point that we don’t give ourselves a chance to succeed. Don’t be like the man in the story.
Give yourself every possible chance for success.
2. Identify Intersections between Your Skills, Your Passions and the Marketplace
Just because you are talented in writing, doesn’t mean that writing comes easily. Writing is hard work. Writing about subjects that you have no knowledge or interest in makes it even harder.
Start by pulling out a piece of paper and drawing a line down the middle, long-ways. Fill the left side with a list of your skills. Remember that what comes easily and naturally to you does not come easily to others. Think about your accomplishments.
What do you possess an above-average competence at? Where have you succeeded at work, or in school? What did you enjoy doing most as a child? What do you wish you did more of as an adult?
Next, fill the right column with a list of your passions and interests. Think about what you love doing, regardless of whether or not it is career-related.
What do you love to do? What brings you joy? What do you want to learn more about?
Write down everything that comes to mind. Some of what you come up with may surprise you.
Once you have come up with a solid list of both your skills and interests, take some time to look over them.
Where are there intersections between the two? Where can several topics be combined?
For example, if you are a skilled writer with a passion for travel, you could consider travel writing or writing guides for travelers. If you are passionate about photography with a skill for capturing moments with your iPhone, you could dig deeper into that topic, working to become an expert and offer your expertise in that field. Identify several topics or intersections that you would like to explore further.
The next step involves identifying where your skills and interests are needed in the marketplace. There are opportunities for you to offer value to others by doing what you love and are skilled at; it just involves a little research.
3. Research Your Identified Topic
Choose one of the topics that you have identified to research further. Take some time to explore what currently exists in the world on your chosen topic. If you find that there is already a lot of existing content on your topic, don’t be intimidated. This is confirmation that your topic is valuable and that there are potential customers out there.
An obvious place to start your research is Google. In addition to simply typing your topic into the toolbar, you can also type allintitle: “insert topic here ” to explore if there are any other existing articles about your topic. Look for any discussion forums that may exist on the web. Note if there are any recurring questions or problems related to your topics in these threads.
Next, look up your topic on your social media platform of choice. A great place to explore are groups related to your topic, may that be on LinkedIn, Facebook, or any other social media platform. Take notes of what you notice in these groups.
Lastly, identify books related to your topic, and read over the reviews of those books.
Are there any gaps in these books that you have the potential to fill?
What did readers like most about the books? Dislike the most?
4. Identify Your Target Audience and Problems That They Face
Now that you have taken the time to identify your skills and passions, where they connect with the marketplace and researched existing articles, groups and discussion forums, it’s time to dig even deeper.
First, identify a target audience that you would like to write for, and then consider the issues that they are dealing with.
What did you notice as you perused social media? What were some of the chief complaints in the book reviews that you read? Did you notice any recurring themes?
For example, if you are passionate about the outdoors with skills in backpacking, perhaps you may be interested in specifically writing for women who are just getting started in the sport of backpacking.
Take some time to brainstorm ten problems that your audience may be experiencing. There may be problems that you came across in your research, or ideas that you came up with on your own. Below are a few examples of potential problems, but I encourage you to let your imagination run wild.
- How to Get into Backpacking with No Experience
- How to Stay Safe in the Wilderness
- How to Attract Your Outdoor Adventure Tribe
5. Write an Article Outlining a Solution
Choose one of the problems from your list to draft an article outlining a solution for your reader. Draw on your own experience and the research that you have conducted to craft an article that will provide your reader with a clear takeaway. By writing an article about a problem that your reader is facing, you will be providing them with something of value that will keep them engaged.
Once you have finished writing and editing, your article is ready for the world. Do not allow your draft to die a slow death on your hard drive. Put it online to be seen and engaged with.
Rinse and repeat. Continue to write articles for your target audience, addressing common problems that they face and among other related topics.
While you will be able to establish yourself as an expert on a topic sooner the faster that you identify a single niche, you may also be limiting yourself from exploring other exciting writing topics and opportunities. For this reason, don’t feel limited to a single topic, but continue to explore a number of topics and target audiences — unless you feel confident that you are ready to pick your niche.
6. Establish an Online Presence
It is important to establish an online presence as a writer. This may be a social media page or a personal website, or both. To set up your own website, you will need to purchase a domain name, a web hosting account and then a website building platform. A website is a great landing page for a current portfolio of your work and how to get in touch with you. It also adds a level of credibility and professionalism to your writing.
