Finding Your Writing/Speaking Niche with the Presidents' Wives

Finding a niche for your writing and speaking venue helps writers further their careers. Feather Schwartz Foster has done this with the earlier First Ladies of our country. As a presidential historian, with particular interest in the presidents' wives, Ms. Foster writes about them, teaches at adult education classes and gives talks.

Her new book, The First Ladies: From Martha Washington to Mamie Eisenhower, An Itimate Portrait of the Women Who Shaped America, you'll discover interesting facts about the nation's presidential wives you may not have known before. Often you don't hear about the wives who helped their husbands shape this nation's history. But many played an important role, whether behind the scenes or in the public eye.

Ms. Foster devotes a chapter to each of these ladies, from Martha Washington to Mamie Eisenhower, and gives us insight into their lives and tells about their unique accomplishments. There is a picture of each lady with her chapter.

This book is a fascinating read. I'd also recommend it as a supplement to any U.S. history class.

As a writer, you can learn from Ms. Foster on finding a niche to write about and to capitalize upon as you branch out into teaching and speaking events.

Do Our Writing Niches Change with the Times?

Do our writing niches change with the times or simply adjust as we expand our horizons? 

Although I've written my "Country Kitchen" cooking column for more than 40 years, I've branched out into other areas:

• Due to the necessity of earning a living
• Markets available
• My changing interests
• New technology that introduces new subjects
• Living in different parts of the country

I've discovered that I must adapt, whether it's writing about the same topic and tweaking it or writing about something new.

For instance, when I started writing for publication, we hardly ever heard of Alzheimer's disease.  However, both my mom and aunt developed this illness and I became their main caregiver.  Through this experience, I've been able to write, blog and speak about this illness and help others cope. 

At another point in my life, after requests for quilts from customers, I turned my sewing business into a quiltmaking business and then began writing on that topic for magazines and online publishers.

You will find new niches cropping up in your life as new opportunities open up.  You'll leave some niches or come back to them.  You'll develop a style and audience that will begin to be recognized as yours.

What niches have you found?

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Finding Your Writing Niche as Feather Schwartz Foster Does

"Find your niche, Mary," a writer/PR friend advised me.  I've been writing for years in whatever field brought in income, and have wide experience in many areas.  However, nowadays, we're encouraged to find a niche and capitalize on it.

Feather Schwartz Foster has done just this with her research, writing, teaching and speaking about various Presidents' wives and their eras in history.  She has turned a hobby into a career.  And written books on the topic, such asLadies: a Conjecture of Personalities .

Even more interesting, she now lives in Williamsburg, VA, right in the midst of history and teaches classes there.

By checking out her web  site and signing up for her e-newsletter, perhaps you'll gain ideas for promoting a niche of your own.

Kyra E. Hicks Discovers Her Niche

I've discussed previously that branding, or discovering one's niche, has become one of the popular ways of publicizing one's business or writing. We try to find common threads among our various interests so we can link them together.

Kyra E. Hicks has discovered a niche researching and writing about quilters and quiltmaking, especially as it applies to Sistah quilters and their work. She writes the blog, Black Threads, and most recently the book about slave quilter Harriet Powers.

This I Accomplish: Harriet Powers' Bible Quilt and Other Pieces

presents the fascinating story of Harriet Powers and Kyra's interesting search for the quilts and the stories behind them.

Now, in her search, it would be such fun if Kyra could locate other fabric art done by Harriet Powers, because there are indications that the two known ones weren't her only quilts.

In your writing, have you found an area in which you can specialize? Have you found your niche or brand?

If not, begin to see if you have any threads that tie together, threads of common interest that can pull your work together for promotion and reader interest?