One of the coolest moments of my freelance writer career so far has been the one where I was asked to do something completely outside of my writer comfort zone. While trying something new across any playing field is always intimidating, doing so as a professional writer can be especially so. After all, this is your professional reputation, and you don’t want to completely embarrass yourself, right? But it does really help in the long run.

The importance of exploring your writing skills

While this can go for just about any sector, of course, exploring your writing skills and their limitations is crucial for being a strong writer. This has proven itself true time and time again over the years. Here’s why.

• You get a strong sense of where your wheelhouse is: Like most freelancers in the beginning, I covered any topic and niche I was asked to by clients. I eventually thought I would specialize in one area and stay there, taking on only projects in that niche. Over the years, however, I’ve remained a general business content writer, and I now find that I’m grateful for that. It helps me see what my wheelhouse is as a professional writer so that I can keep my services centred correctly. Plus, I get to learn new stuff all the time!

• You can explore past the boundaries (and recognize them): Being asked to do projects outside of my comfort zone and past professional boundaries has helped me understand where those boundaries should be. For example, I can do eCommerce-related content and medical-based content, but I cannot do content geared toward auto mechanics or tech industry readers. Of course, those boundaries only exist because I tried it and then was like “oh no…”

• You will be more confident when dealing with clients: Exploring different types of writing, even if you’re bad at it, helps you know how to interact with clients, too. You can confidently accept or decline a project and explain to the client why you have made the choice you did. That confidence helps you always come across as the professional that you strive to be, too.

• You will see the true value of referrals: If I had to pick a favourite lesson from exploring different types of writing, this is it, right here.  You will appreciate any referrals that you get from customers or other fellow writers. You know they are sending business your way because you are the best one to handle it. Likewise, you can send work that is not your favourite to a fellow professional who is awesome at it. There are so, so many upsides to referrals!

Niches aren’t a bad thing

I’ve spoken a bit before about specializing in a niche as a professional writer, and I stand by my thoughts there. Niches are not a bad thing, and they only have to be limitations if you see them that way. Which, of course, brings us full circle to exploring different types of writing.  

Fellow professional writers and freelancers alike, what do you think?