Better advice.!
Further to my last blog post.....
Same son came up with something way more useful...! I'm studying Graphic Design, and have had a couple of little commissions to make banners, posters and screen ads. He suggests I make a website to promote my skill and get more commissions! Not a bad idea - but I have looked at the warnings on WA to get trained, up and running before considering creating my own product - and I guess this applies in this case too.
I've been thinking about all the things I love and making a list:
Books - since infancy! I also homeschooled my kids so I have thousands of books - classics, novels, bios, romance, thrillers, science-fiction, educational, business, accounting, personal development, religious, historical and encyclopaedic!
Music - since infancy! I play a bunch of instruments (not expert at any of 'em though) and I have a very eclectic collection of CDs - folk, rock, blues, jazz, lots of classical stuff, Irish, South African, Spanish, French, Music Hall, humorous, soundtracks & musicals.
Movies - since childhood! I am addicted! Again I have an eclectic collection - children & family movies, Disney stuff, musicals, Hollywood classics, British classics, a small collection of French movies, epics, box-sets, Marvel/DC world, Tolkien, action, war, spy, thrillers, mythical, sci-fi, drama, period drama...you name a genre - there's probably a movie I love in it!
My religion - (is that ok on WA??) I'm a Catholic (prodigal - I came back :) ) and it plays a big part in my life. I'm also pro-life - and it kills me to see an injustice that many people can't see! But while this is certainly a passion of mine, and a niche - it is a niche that can attract very negative, even aggressive, opposition. Maybe one day I'll take that on - but my primary goal here and now is to grow a profit making business, and as a learner, I figure its best to keep things simple for now. So no controversial themes for me!!
Homeschooling - much less common in the UK than in the US - but huge none-the-less. My niche if I go this route would be Catholic homeschooling as that is where my experience lies... But do I really have anything to add or offer beyond the millions of websites (US and UK) out there on this subject already? I don't know.
Creativity - so I loved art and writing at school. I entered story competitions etc. I wanted to go to art school but ditched education and ventured off into the world of work. The writing returned at times - I was the editor of a charity (quarterly) newspaper for a couple of years, and before that had a couple of articles published in a national newspaper (in East Africa, where I lived for a while). After homeschooling, I spent years doing commission only work, and got very wearied and depressed. My sister bought me a colouring book for grown-ups about 4 years ago. Eventually I started messing about colouring - and rediscovered my creative juices!!
To cut the story short - I ended up going to university studying for a Graphic Design Degree - and am about to enter my 3rd and final year this autumn. I have flexed muscles in illustration, origami, type & layout, motion graphics - all sorts of design techniques. I even started investigating making pop-up books (something I hope to get back to in the future). In the meantime I have also come across Bullet Journalling - another creative outlet.
I strongly believe we all need to exercise our creative side - we humans were made to nurture and create things!! So that is something important to me.
Personal Development - has done lot for me over the years and I've read all the good ones from M.Scott Peck, to Jim Rohn, Stephen Covey to Napoleon Hill etc. I doubt I could add anything to this great body of work - and I know too many people who are trying! It did occur to me once to try to bring some of this wisdom and the techniques that are out there to the local community. Some kind go 'group' thing - but I never developed the idea.
Parenting teens and young adults - i mention it only because it has been (and still is) a particularly difficult mountain to climb - a learning curve lol! I am still working through this minefield every day...!
Can any of this become a niche website that earns money...?
Recent Comments
2
I recently read a post from another user that was having a difficult time trying to determine what niche to pursue.
Kyle offered some very good advice in my opinion when he asked this individual to consider filling in the blank in this sentence:
I want to help people with __________.
I think if you can fill in that blank, you are well on your way to determining what would be a could niche for you.
Here are a couple of things I think is important about the your choice of niche.
1. You are going to be writing about this subject for a long time. So, be sure it is something that you have a genuine interest in. If you also have experience in the field, even better! The ability to share your experience and pique the interest of your readers is very important.
2. If you are looking to create an income from your niche, think about the products that are associated with your niche. A site that is based on a philosophical perspective for example, might be a very interesting site both for you and for the reader, but, it might not be the best choice if there aren't many actual products that you could interest your readers in.
Just a couple of thoughts...
Good luck in your journey! Please let me know if I can be of any help.
Sincerely,
Tom
Hey thanks Tom,
yes - I kind of knew those things but I'm grateful for you putting them squarely and clearly. You are right.
I am a bit of a 'jack-of-all-trades (and master of none)' as the saying goes. The most consistent 'activities' in my life are:
- raising children
- administrative/clerical work (some management)
But ... my youngest has just turned 18 - and I'm happy to see the next stage in my life
And after trying to run my own business as a PA/Virtual Assistant, I realised that the last thing I want to be doing for the rest of my life is other people's filing, schedules, audio-typing and data management!!
I'll get there I hope :)
In order to get started I decided to go with my current life-interest which is the Graphic Design degree I'm studying for. It is a very intense course and takes over my life these days. I'm on summer break at the moment but still preparing stuff for the opening of next year!
So - something creative - paper or screen based - not sure what products relate yet but that will become clearer as my niche 'unfolds' right?