Regular readers will remember that last month, I was droning on in this letter about how Eoin Colfer had found his writing groove by making it fun for himself and not being afraid to be diverted. Now, I’m pleased to be able to highlight the opposite case. This month’s star writer, Kathy Reichs, has forged an impressive career by writing exactly what she knows. Originally intending to raise popular awareness and understanding of the forensic anthropology career she so obviously loves, Kathy decided to write a novel drawn from her own experience and expertise. So rather than widen her focus to write a novel, she actually narrowed it, homing in on the topic she knew so well, and which so few other authors would be able to do justice to. It just goes to show that there is no ‘one size fi ts all’ as far as the right approach to writing goes.
When giving advice to freelances hoping to write for WM, I often come back to the idea of the writer’s unique angle. What’s the topic you can write about that nobody else can? What makes your journey down a familiar route different from anybody else’s? What can you alone tell us? Identify that, and your article or story is already half sold. Nathan Hill, editor of Practical Fishkeeping, echoes that advice for us this month, with a thorough and practical exploration of how to give magazine editors what they want – worth a careful read, regardless of whether you have the fi shy expertise.
So what are you waiting for? Find your niche, and make the most of it!