To Niche or Not to Niche: That is the Question

Defining a scope of business is one of many challenges that freelance writers must navigate over time. Below is a guest blog post from freelance medical writer Leticia Torres, who shares her experiences selecting and refining a niche:

Deciding on a medical writer niche can be daunting. Would you restrict yourself to certain types of topics or deliverables? Would specializing in a specific field benefit your business? Will you be boxed in a niche forever?

I confess I was a nicheless medical writer for several years (or so I thought). So, how did I discover my niche? Here's a bit of the backstory.

It was only when I started looking for jobs outside academia that I discovered medical writing. I was immediately intrigued by it. Are you telling me that I can use my science background and ability to communicate to start a new career, and I can work remotely? Why didn't I learn about it in graduate school?

Medical writing seemed to be the perfect path for me, but where do I start?

I was new to the field, but I had experience writing and editing scientific manuscripts, so I decided to start there. Although this is a great niche, I was not intentional about it. I just wanted to begin as soon as I could. So, I did what any desperate new entrepreneur does: I called my friends. I contacted friends from college, graduate school, and my old job and asked them to let me edit their manuscripts. They were happy to have their work finally published, and I enjoyed doing it. I was on the right track.

At the same time—because breakthroughs never come alone—cancer visited my family. As a trained researcher, I turned to books and scientific papers. I was not looking for new drugs or treatments; I was looking to help my loved one withstand cancer treatments. I wanted his strength back. That is how my interest in nutrition, the microbiome, and integrative medicine started—the amount of information one can process in desperate times is impressive.

As I continued editing manuscripts about various topics, my curiosity about human health only deepened.

Around that time, I was contacted by an animal health company that needed my scientific expertise. It was a small company, and I loved working with them. There was great camaraderie and energy, and my willingness to try new things was well-received. I had a great experience and learned a lot, but most importantly, I was inspired by their passion for making a difference.

I wanted that same sort of mission for my business, too—to make a difference. But how?

To Niche?

As I grew my business, I came across the concept of finding a niche. It turns out there are many benefits to doing it:

- Specializing in an area makes you more valuable to clients seeking specialized content, leading to better, stronger client relationships.

- Niching helps you differentiate yourself from other medical writers.

- You can command higher rates because of your in-depth knowledge.

- With a clear niche, you can tailor your marketing to a specific audience.

- Working on what you are passionate about leads to higher job satisfaction.

Given the benefits, I decided to be intentional about my niche. I was already focused on academic writing, but I wanted to create other types of deliverables, so I pivoted into niching in a therapeutic area.

Finding a niche can be intuitive if you come from a medical background; you may know exactly what gaps you want to address. But things can get tricky when your scientific experience is not in the medical field.

My academic background is in biology, environmental toxicology, and animal physiology. Although I was learning about nutrition, the microbiome, and integrative medicine in my spare time, I didn't consider myself an expert. I was not a nutritionist or microbiologist, after all. However, I had something more powerful: I am a compulsive learner.

As a biologist, I have always been intrigued by the interconnection between organic entities, how one species depends on another, and how the environment influences an organism's physiology. While studying the microbiome, I rediscovered this dynamic—microorganisms and human cells working together in symbiosis—a biologist's dream!

So, I did it. I chose the microbiome as my niche.

I immediately saw the benefits of having a niche. I created my marketing strategy around it. I got noticed and was approached because of my expertise. All that time invested in learning about the microbiome paid off. Also, niching in the microbiome didn't limit the type of manuscripts I edited; I continued to get work in different therapeutic areas.

However, it was still hard to appeal to some of the clients I wanted to attract.

As Your Business Evolves, so Does Your Niche

Who do I want to serve? How can I redefine my niche? I was not sure about how to answer these questions. Fortunately, I found guidance from a coach. With her help, I was able to recognize which experiences brought me joy and energy along my professional journey and—maybe most importantly—why. This exercise shed light on which clients I wanted to pursue.

When I first started, my clients were researchers looking for help publishing their manuscripts. I felt accomplished knowing I helped them share their findings with the scientific community—I wanted to contribute to science.

When I started consuming all the information about nutrition and the microbiome, I aimed to make it available to a person who desperately needed it and otherwise would not know about it—I wanted to bring information to a patient.

When I enjoyed working with the startup, I was part of a team with a problem to solve and a mission to pursue—I wanted to help create impact.

Once I identified my whys, it became apparent that niching in a therapeutic area was not the answer for me. I needed to focus on the people I wanted to serve and be intentional about it.

It was time to redefine my business plan.

Of course, I was afraid of changing my business strategy. Is that allowed? Is it a good idea?

But at the end of the day, you have to be true to yourself. Luckily, I have the reins of my business; after all, I am a freelance medical writer. So, I gave myself permission. I redefined my niche.

Now, I serve three types of clients:

1. I help researchers transform their findings into clear narratives that resonate with the scientific community, ensuring their work stands out and drives further discovery.

2. I work with health innovators to create content that clearly communicates the value of their solutions, increasing their chances of making a lasting impact on the healthcare industry.

3. I assist healthcare providers in creating patient-friendly content that educates and informs, helping them deliver vital health information to those who need it the most.

Will my niche change again? I don't know. But I am open to facing change and adapting. In the end, your business needs to keep evolving as you grow.

It can be scary, but that is the beauty of being the CEO of your company. You can try new things, test them, make adjustments, test again, and repeat.

Finding a niche gives you focus, strength, and uniqueness. So, as a recovering nicheless medical writer, I can only tell you that it's worth it to take your time, find what sparks your passion, focus, and jump.

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Leticia Torres is a freelance medical writer dedicated to helping researchers, health innovators, and physicians communicate their work with clarity and purpose. You can visit her website at www.balancemedwriting.com