What’s Your Angle?
September 15, 2009 by Deb
Filed under Thoughts and Stuff
I’m still thinking about freelance writing bloggers, particularly different focuses and angles. What sets your blog apart from the rest?
This network has an angle, freelance writing jobs. Every blog post and every blog at FWJ has to do with finding work and staying successfully employed as a freelance writer. Whether it’s posting leads, offering tools, or sharing tips and ideas for finding work, everything is slanted towards that one particular angle. This focus hasn’t changed at all in over four and a half years.
To me, blogs that focus on a particular angle or niche tend to be less confusing. This doesn’t only apply to freelance writing either. Say you have a “green” blog. Do you focus on one particular bit of greenery, or are you a green explosion. Consider what would happen if you focused on one particular aspect of greenitude, for example recycling or solar energy. Your community would be more focused, less confused and you’re now set up to be a leader or expert in that particular niche.
Can you describe (in the comments) your blog’s focus and how it’s different from the other blogs out there? Tell us, what is your blog’s angle? How are you unique?
This is something I have been thinking about. With billions of food bloggers out there, many of them much better photographers and much better cooks than me..what makes me different? Why would someone want to read my blog?
To me, the best blogs in their niche inspire action. Maybe when I read here I am inspired to try something new..maybe when someone reads my blog they are inspired to some action as well.
I guess…If I died tomorrow I would want people to say, “I felt like Marye ared about me, she encouraged me, and impacted my life in a good way”. If that comes across in my blog then I can have no better success, imho. Caring is the focus of my blog, cooking is the route.
Marye, for me, your beautiful pictures set you apart from the rest as well as your homey and comfortable lifestyle. Trust me, you impacted me in a very good way.
My blog’s angle is, loosely, writing & words. This can range from freelance writing to spelling and grammar to discussions about the fiction side of my own career. I’ve purposely left it kind of broad because, while I get how useful it could be to specialize, this way I won’t lose focus or interest. I tried to focus on only one thing before and it just didn’t work for me, which I think showed in my posts.
Also, I personally would read a blog that was about writing & words even in a general sense, so I figure there are others like me out there!
Thanks, Samantha. Writing and words is good. I know it’s hard sometimes to focus on a niche – having a broad focus ensures plenty of things to write about.
My personal blog is focused on lessons I’m learning this year after my life kind of fell apart. I don’t rant or just write aimlessly-when I update, it’s based on a lesson or epiphany I’ve had. I know I am not unique in being a 20something trying to figure out life. But I think I am unique in my positive, self-aware approach to figuring things out.
Life lessons are good, I’m sure you’re an inspiration to your readers.
Mine is basically the story of my day to day life as a writer. I post markets, especially for new writers who swear they can’t get more than a few bucks per article.
It’s an outlet for me and hopefully, inspiration for others who think they can’t have a family, work from home, and pull themselves out of a financial crisis. Sometimes the pitfalls send you back to the bottom, but after my last post about nearly losing everything, any new writer can see that perserverance pays off.
Thanks for sharing your struggles and ideas with others, Julie! I love the freelance writing community because of how helpful they are to other writers -especially new writers.
My blog is about my personal and spiritual reflections and insights. I write about what’s on my mind, and some of my lessons learned, whether it’s letting go of something, or realizing my worth, or battling discontentment. I am amazed when I post something personal, and then people tell me how it touched them, or that my post helped them because they are dealing with the same thing.
My blog is about internet business and offering information to other people about how they can start and manage a small internet business. It’s more of a journey blog. As I do things or think of ideas, I share them. I’m still building my business so I’m definitely not an expert.
I’m not the only person who has a journey blog about starting an internet business. I’m still tweaking it and trying to find my unique angle.
I had a built-in niche because I came to freelance writing from computer consulting, so a blog designed to help people with their computer problems made sense. I started it as a way to communicate with my clients and realized it also made a good showcase for my writing. It dovetails nicely with my business because I write about things I encounter when consulting, and refer to those articles when similar topics come up with clients. Some of my clients are also writers, editors and publishers, so we’re dealing with the same issues.
I am new to the blog/freelance writing arena. I started my blog to find out deep down if I enjoyed writing as much as I thought I did. The answer is a resounding YES! My blog shares my observations on the world around me ranging from family, sports and things I find funny. I am always surprised when I learn of someone that is reading and enjoying my blog especially when they have visited on a recommendation of a friend.
So far, so good!