Having worked in content/marketing/PR, I also had the niche dilemma but then just pushed through it. And I notice that most of the blogs I read are hard to squeeze in a niche.
I once heard a Substack team member say that people subscribe to a writer’s brain. It’s so true! I don’t adhere to a niche, and have even changed directions several times, but it doesn’t seem to have caused unsubscribes. People subscribe to a person, not a niche!
I had the saaaame exact dilemma! I work in the content marketing space and "should know better", but I don't wanna. So I write about stories AND personal finance in my Substack. Weird mix, but I about had it with this "you must niche" edicts.
That said, you can now create a separate section like I did for Crypto, so that readers have the option to subscribe or unsubscribe to. I think its good for readers to have more control over what they want to receive.
I needed this, thanks, Lyle! I was at a food writing workshop all day (a new writing pursuit) and when we began with introductions, I struggled a bit. I love writing micro and flash narrative nonfiction. Sometimes it’s memoir. Sometimes it’s memoir about Alzheimer’s caregiving. Sometimes it’s fiction. Sometimes a poem. I’m branching into writing about cooking. In the end we just need to realize we write what brings us joy. If others feel that, yay us! All it takes is one.
Lyle, count me in that "100" (although that number is more a metaphor in your case, I suspect is/will be considerably greater for everything you're creating, including Invisible College of which I am an abashed truant).
Keep ignoring the niche advice! I love reading everything you post.
Having worked in content/marketing/PR, I also had the niche dilemma but then just pushed through it. And I notice that most of the blogs I read are hard to squeeze in a niche.
Nice read Lyle!
I once heard a Substack team member say that people subscribe to a writer’s brain. It’s so true! I don’t adhere to a niche, and have even changed directions several times, but it doesn’t seem to have caused unsubscribes. People subscribe to a person, not a niche!
I had the saaaame exact dilemma! I work in the content marketing space and "should know better", but I don't wanna. So I write about stories AND personal finance in my Substack. Weird mix, but I about had it with this "you must niche" edicts.
That said, you can now create a separate section like I did for Crypto, so that readers have the option to subscribe or unsubscribe to. I think its good for readers to have more control over what they want to receive.
I needed this, thanks, Lyle! I was at a food writing workshop all day (a new writing pursuit) and when we began with introductions, I struggled a bit. I love writing micro and flash narrative nonfiction. Sometimes it’s memoir. Sometimes it’s memoir about Alzheimer’s caregiving. Sometimes it’s fiction. Sometimes a poem. I’m branching into writing about cooking. In the end we just need to realize we write what brings us joy. If others feel that, yay us! All it takes is one.
Lyle, count me in that "100" (although that number is more a metaphor in your case, I suspect is/will be considerably greater for everything you're creating, including Invisible College of which I am an abashed truant).