I think Marshall has given some excellent advice, especially because he is living proof that it actually works. So if you are passing up writing opportunities and cannot get your career going, use his advice.

While I read this page, something jumped out at me:

“there was not a lot of opportunities out there for the niches I was interested in, or that the competition was just too crowded”

Demand and supply is a big part of success. So if the advice about going into a niche does not mention how to select a profitable niche, it is not worth the paper it is written on.

While Marshall has argued against niches, he has also described how to find a profitable niche:

• Do not limit your search for work by your specific likes and dislikes, go for everything.
• When you hit upon a profitable niche (without too much competition and a lot of demand), keep working that (as Marshall did with the weddings).
• Stay flexible for the next profitable niche, rather than getting stuck.

Another great insight I got from Marshall comes from another page where he talks about his income. He started out bidding low. Now he gets up to $25 per article. Both of these are niches with differing expectations from clients.

How a niche can increase your writing opportunities

A niche only serves one purpose: to focus your communication with potential clients. You cannot physically communicate with all potential clients, so you make decisions who to communicate with.

By consciously deciding where your communication brings in the most Dollars, you have used the concept of a niche to your advantage.

So go broad in your actions to get freelance jobs while you build your writing business and repeat the most profitable activities to increase your return.