Exactly this, Paula. I think some would-be clients can be guilty of this. I remember interviewing with three prospects at a trade show. I knew by the questions that they weren’t hiring me. Why? The questions were along the lines of “Have you ever written about …?” and then they would name something so uber-specific that there was no way to answer yes. I did attempt to show that what I do in other areas translates well, but when the client is that fixated on finding EXACTLY THAT BACKGROUND, you’re wasting your time.

One downside to niches is when it comes to referrals. I can’t tell you how many times other writers have later admitted they did NOT refer me because they think I only write about TV and entertainment. “But it’s not your niche.” Um, I also write about food, dogs, old houses, knitting, general business topics, groceries/produce, advertising, marketing, promotions, incentive programs, etc… I even ghostwrite and write blog posts, branded content, advertorial, press releases, ad copy, and pretty much anything as long as it’s in English.

My cautionary tale should be a reminder to not assume people only work in the niche or niches you know about. There can be a lot of overlap between all of the topics I mentioned above. That’s where the fun lies – finding ways to expand so you’re not confined solely to one niche.