I spent years obsessing over niche selection. When I was a Forbes columnist, branding myself as “the productivity and leadership guy” seemed like a safe bet. I covered topics like time management, leadership, and getting sh*t done at work.
I wrote about these topics not because they were fun but because they felt like things to cover for my niche. Forbes killed me column after a few years. So I jacked in trying to become the productivity guy. Now, I look back at all this content and think, “booooring!” Screw niches. These days, I don’t worry about niche selection at all. When talking to a friend, you don’t announce, “I’m going to talk about all things productivity.” Instead:
Do this, and a niche will form around you and your interests. I call this principle writing from the bottom up. It’s more fun to create this way, and it’s more enjoyable for your readers. That’s one of the principles I teach in my course The Zettelkästen Method for Writers. It’s open today.
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