When working in online freelance writing, should you specialize in one area, or try to be as general as possible to be eligible for more work?
One of the most common questions I get about online freelance writing is whether or not it makes sense to specialize. I find that specialization has its perks. You have the chance to build up a reputation in a certain area, and the ability to develop expertise in that area as well. I may not be credentialed as a financial planner or have an MBA, but I've been writing about money for almost a decade, and now I ghostwrite for financial planners, and even sometimes coach them before they go in for interviews with places like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
Plus, when you specialize with online freelance writing, you can charge more. If you're an expert at something, you can get paid. It's a beautiful thing.
The downside to focusing on a niche, though, is that you run the risk of that niche drying up. What happens when you start running out of work? What happens when the financial blogging world is rocked by Google algo changes? It's always good to diversify a little bit, just to protect yourself. Look for a solid balance between niche writing and general topics, and then figure out what will work best for your online freelance writing business.
