The old cliche of “write what you know” is useful, but as a new freelance writer, the concept of “write what you love” worked out better for me. Why? I was more inspired to write on topics dear to my heart, and doing the types of freelance writing jobs I WANTED to do rather than the ones I felt pressured to do paid off more for me.

Querying magazines, for example, was (and still is) less than enjoyable to me. I’m more of a “corporate” writer. I’d rather write web pages for a business than spend weeks or months waiting to find out whether the idea I pitched to an editor will be accepted. Many writers feel exactly the opposite way that I do. Many freelance writers love writing for magazines, but they’d rather hang themselves than write for a corporate client. It’s all about finding what works best for you.

So, how can you find your niche? Consider your personality traits, your work background, and (most importantly) what you actually WANT to do. Don’t go into advertising copywriting just because it pays more, if what you really want to do is be a journalist. Ultimately, doing something with the wrong motives (i.e., money) never truly pays off, except in burn-out.