This afternoon, I attended the freelancers meet-up with Tucker Mitchell, a long-time newspaperman who got out of the business as other print types buried their heads in the sand. I never tire of hearing a veteran reporter’s take on new media, where it’s headed, where journalists fit in our digital, user-submitted world. These questions have no definitive answers yet, as Mr. Mitchell admitted. Some of his thoughts on micro, “hyperlocal” reporting reaffirmed what I’ve seen as a tremendous opportunity for freelancers. As behemoth news conglomerates break down, talented writers have the pick of the liter. Pick your niche and get to work, kinda like how one writer took over news coverage in Davidson, NC.
Seems to me that the most successful bloggers identified their niches and busted their asses, dragging themselves to computers after a 9-to-6 and turning out quality material before anyone took notice. Today, those writers are set, doing what they love and getting paid for it. No bosses, no space constraints, just sharing insight with a devoted readership.
Thinking as writers, where’s an online market you or I could fill? What unique insights can you and I share with readers?
More importantly, Do we have the dedication?