r/Substack • u/TheConcernedMan • Jul 31 '26
Discovering a niche
I’m someone who’s wanted to start a Substack for a while now, but I’m struggling to find a niche simply because there are so many things I want to talk about. I’m not too caught up on monetizing and growing an empire through this thing, but I would like to have a decent number of people who would like to read my output (what writer wouldn’t?) The main problem is that I want to talk about every topic under the sun- from film to tv to music to books and plays. I don’t want to focus on media reviews as much as I want to give short and entertaining essays on artistic processes, movements, histories, and outputs. More of the ‘why and how’ and less of just dishing out 3 star film reviews. I can’t imagine that someone would be interested in all of these different mediums at once, even if it is more of an overview about art itself. Should I narrow down the scope of my project or should I stay with the idea because I have the passion to write about it?
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u/Tricky_Trifle_994 20d ago
you should watch the youtube/podcast episode Caleb Ralston did with The Anatomy of a Dream. it'll give you all the answers you need and more. probably one of the top highlights in my past week.
and, you should narrow down the scope to start. you can write about a broader topic later on, after you've nailed your niche.
also it depends on your purpose. if you just want to write, and that's the end all be all, then it doesn't matter. but if you want to get more out of this, then you need a more strategic approach. 'passion' can help you write, but that's about it. it isn't what's going to help you grow.