People talk about “finding a niche” as if it’s a small room with the door half-closed. Once you step inside, you’re expected to stay put, repeat yourself politely, and never wander too far from the furniture. That’s the fear. That’s the resistance. And honestly, that’s not what a niche is at all.
A niche isn’t a box. It’s a lens.
When people say niches are limiting, what they usually mean is they’re afraid of being misunderstood, ignored, or locked into an identity that no longer fits. They imagine fewer readers, fewer ideas, fewer directions. But the opposite is usually true. A niche gives you permission — permission to go deeper, to contradict yourself, to explore complexity without constantly reintroducing who you are and why you’re speaking.
Without a niche, everything has to be explained. With one, you can get straight to the good part.
Why “Broad” Often Means Forgettable
Trying to appeal to everyone feels generous, but it often produces writing that floats just above the surface. Safe.
Polite. Easily skimmed. Easily forgotten.
A niche does something very practical: it helps the right people recognize themselves in your work. It says, “This might be for you.” And that small act of recognition is what turns casual readers into steady ones.
What a niche actually does
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Creates context so you don’t have to start from zero every time
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Builds trust because readers know where you’re coming from
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Allows range because depth invites detours
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Sharpens voice instead of diluting it
Paradoxically, the more specific you are, the more room you have to roam.
A Good Niche Has Stretch Built In
The best niches aren’t narrow. They’re anchored.
Think of a niche as a home base. You leave, you explore, you bring things back. The mistake is assuming the niche is the destination, rather than the starting point.
You’re allowed to change your mind. You’re allowed to write sideways. You’re allowed to follow a question that wanders beyond the headline description of your publication. Readers don’t leave because you evolved. They leave when they feel unmoored or when they no longer understand why you’re writing what you’re writing.
Travel Is a Perfect Example
Travel is often treated as a genre when it’s really a perspective. Two people can write about the same place and be doing entirely different work. One is offering lists, while the other is observing. One is selling aspiration, while the other is asking what movement changes in us.
A travel niche isn’t “Italy” or “budget tips” or even “senior travel.” It’s the way you move through the world and what you notice while doing it. It’s how age, curiosity, limits, privilege, fear, or experience shape the journey.
Travel writing with a clear niche doesn’t shrink the scope. It deepens it.
And here’s the quiet truth: the more years you’ve lived, the more valuable a niche becomes. You’re no longer collecting experiences; instead, you’re interpreting them. That interpretation is the niche. That’s what readers can’t get from search results or listicles.
The Real Risk Isn’t Choosing a Niche — It’s Avoiding One
Avoiding a niche keeps everything hypothetical. Choosing one commits you to showing up honestly, even when the edges blur. That’s not limiting. That’s grounding.
A niche doesn’t ask you to be smaller.
It asks you to be clearer.
And clarity is what lets you wander without getting lost.
A Small Invitation Before You Go
Before you scroll on, try this — no publishing required, no labels applied.
Finish this sentence quietly, just for yourself:
“I keep writing about ____________, even when I think I’m writing about something else.”
Don’t make it tidy. Don’t make it impressive. Let it be slightly awkward, slightly revealing. That’s usually where the truth lives.
If you want to go one step further, ask yourself which of these feels most true right now:
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I’m resisting a niche because I don’t want to disappoint anyone
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I’m resisting a niche because I don’t want to commit to being seen
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I’m resisting a niche because I think it has to sound smarter than it does
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I’m resisting a niche because I’m still giving myself permission
You don’t have to answer publicly. But if one of those landed, you’ve already found more clarity than a dozen strategy threads could give you.
Your niche doesn’t need defending.
It just needs acknowledging.
